Work Text
"Fangs"Keith leaned against the wall in the corridor that led to the sleeping quarters of the Blades. His mouth hurt, and all he wanted to do was curl up in his pack's nest. Hopefully, someone was there to comfort him, but first, he had to make it there. He pushed himself off the wall and almost toppled over but managed to not fall over. Keith wasn't entirely sure he was going to make it to the nest.Fortunately for Keith, Regris was making his way to the nest with a snack for himself and his siblings. Regris watched as Keith pushed himself off the wall and almost fall over. Regris rushed over, even as Keith regained his balance. Regris wrapped an arm around Keith's waist and was surprised when Keith leaned against him. "What's wrong, Keith?""My mouth hurts, and I want to go curl up in the nest. I also want Mom.""Good for you that I was headed in that direction." Regris scooped up his brother and carried him to the nest.In the nest were Krolia and Acxa, both of whom whined when they saw Regris carrying Keith. Regris set the youngest kit down next to their mom. Regris sat down next to Acxa and nuzzled her to comfort her. Keith crawled onto his mom's lap, whimpering. "What's wrong, kit?""My mouth hurts, Mama," Keith whispered.Krolia examined his mouth, inwardly pleased at him calling her 'Mama'; however, he only did that if he was in pain. He allowed her to look in his mouth, hoping she could ease the pain. At first, Krolia couldn't see anything, but then she saw his canine teeth were a bit longer than before and realized what was occurring. She withdrew her claws and gently nuzzled his head. "Your fangs are coming in, kit. It's going to cause pain, because you are human in appearance. Why don't you try and get some sleep? It might be less painful if you are asleep."She leaned over and started grooming his hair, trying to lull him to sleep. Keith closed his eyes and relaxed against his mom, hoping to fall asleep. He was keenly aware of his siblings napping not too far away and tried to not make a sound. He had a sneaking suspicion he wouldn't be getting any rest.%%%Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz stopped by the nest to check on Keith. They had all received the same message from Krolia that their youngest kit's fangs were growing and were causing him pain, which prevented him from napping. Their other two kits remained in the nest to keep Keith company.When the four Blades entered the nest room, they saw Keith curled up in the nest between Regris and Acxa and on top of Krolia. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't asleep. His mouth was open slightly, and his breaths were coming in little pants. Krolia was grooming his hair, while Acxa nuzzled her brother. Regris had his tail wrapped around Keith's waist and was nuzzling his back.The Blades entered the nest and crowded around Krolia and their kits, doting on not only Keith but his siblings as well. Acxa leaned back against Ulaz, who had curled around her, with a soft whine. She didn't like seeing her twin in pain. Ulaz answered her with a comforting rumble. Thace reached over and gingerly pushed Keith's upper lip up, exposing his fangs. They seemed to be almost done coming in. He let his kit's lip slide back into place and stroked his bangs out of his face. Antok had his tail wrapped around Regris's waist as he nuzzled the kit, trying to ease his distress. Neither kit liked seeing their brother in pain. Kolivan settled behind Krolia and groomed her headfur, knowing she needed comfort just as much as her kits. It might be a long night, but the pack could take the next quintant off for rest. It was one of the perks of being the highest ranking Blades.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hues"The Blades thought their kit only wore black, aside from his boots and jacket. So, when they saw him wearing a baggy, blue sweatshirt, they were confused. He still had on his black pants, but the sweatshirt must have belonged to one of the other Paladins as they had never seen Keith wear it before. Thace couldn't help but let out a questioning noise, catching Keith's attention.His head shot up, and he smiled when he saw his pack in the doorway of the lounge. He patted the couch next to him, the sleeves flopping over his hands, and chirped. The Blades gathered around their kit. Antok pulled Keith onto his lap, wrapping his tail around his waist, and Kolivan settled in next to his mate. Ulaz sat down on the other side of Antok, until Thace picked him up and sat in his spot, placing Ulaz on his lap. Ulaz blinked in surprise before nuzzling his mate. Thace plucked at Keith's sweatshirt. "Where'd you get this from, kit?""Lance. I was cold. I wanted his jacket, but he was wearing it, so he gave me this." Keith buried his nose in the neckline of the sweatshirt, purring. "I hope he knows he's not getting this back."%%%Keith exited the room a couple doors down from them with his back to them. His black pants were the same as was his jacket, but the sliver of his shirt they could see wasn't black. It was white. His hair was tied up in a ponytail too. They followed Keith, wanting to know what this different shirt was. He ended up going to the bridge, sitting in his Paladin seat."Kolivan, did you need something?" Allura asked.The Blade Leader's eyes flicked from his kit to Allura and back again. "No, Princess."In that brief moment Kolivan's eyes left his kit, Keith had taken off his jacket. It wasn't a plain white shirt either. There were words printed on the front of it. Those words were 'Caution: Does not play well with others.'Ulaz let out a whine when he read those words. Keith's head whipped around at the whine. "Ulaz? What's wrong?""Your shirt," Ulaz replied. Thace wrapped his arms around his mate, rumbling to him.Keith looked down at his shirt and couldn't suppress a laugh. "This was a gag gift. Lance thought it was amusing.""So, it's not true," Thace inferred."Right." Keith stood up and walked over to his pack. He nuzzled Ulaz, purring to him to calm him down.%%%Antok had to do a double take when he saw Keith in their nest. He was wearing an oversized, long, light pink shirt. He was snuggled against Thace, purring softly as he napped. The largest Blade climbed into the nest and settled on Keith's other side. "Hello, Thace. I see our kit is napping.""Yes. He was on to the training deck, but I made him come lay down.""Why is he wearing just this shirt?""He had been training, so he took a shower. When I made him come here, this is what he chose to wear." Thace shrugged his shoulders.
"He has been wearing strange clothes lately, and I have noticed two of them them were from Lance. It makes me wonder if this is as well.""He looks good in this color," Antok mentioned as he laid down beside Keith and wrapped his tail around his waist. Keith purred louder in response to another member of his pack being there.%%%Antok and Kolivan had been searching for their kit. No one had seen him for a couple of vargas, and he wasn't on the training deck. They had checked everywhere he usually went and were about to ask Allura to search for him via the cameras, when they passed by Red's hangar and saw she had her particle barrier up. It was unusual for any of the lions to have their barriers up while in the castle ship, so they entered her hangar. There leaning against one of her paws was Keith. He didn't seem to be in any distress and just appeared to be talking...to his lion. He was also wearing a different color shirt. This one was a green color, and not a darker shade either. The two Blades simply waited by the entrance to the hangar for their kit to finish his conversation with Red. They distinctly heard him purring as he shifted his position against Red's paw and knew he wasn't leaving any time soon.%%%Keith loved all of the different shirts his boyfriend had gotten for him at the Space Mall. When Lance had found out that Keith didn't mind wearing any color, the Blue Paladin immediately put in for a trip to the Space Mall and dragged Keith into several clothing stores, buying lots of different colors. Today, he was wearing a long sleeved purple shirt that matched his eyes (according to Lance).He hadn't been paying attention to where he was going and walked straight into a wall, or so he thought until the wall grabbed him. Keith looked up and saw he had actually collided with Kolivan."Are you all right, kit?""Yeah." Keith didn't move from where he was pressed against his pack leader. "Didn't mean to bump into you."Kolivan nuzzled Keith's head. "It's all right, kit. I don't mind as long as you are unharmed."Keith sighed as he returned the nuzzles. "Kit? Do you want to come to the nest?"Keith paused for a moment. Did he? "Yeah. I think so.""You need to step back."Keith couldn't stop the whine. "But you're so warm and comfy."Kolivan paused at that. "In that case..." Kolivan trailed off and repositioned his hands. He picked up Keith with no trouble and walked down the corridor to the nest room.Keith was surprised when Kolivan picked him up but wasn't going to complain. He secretly liked when the Blades picked him up. It made him feel cared for. He laid his head on Kolivan's shoulder and purred as the Blade leader carried him to the nest.%%%Keith was on the training deck. That came as no surprise to the Blades. What was a surprise was the shirt he was wearing and the fact that he wasn't alone. Lance was with him, and both teens were wearing shirts with stripes on them. Lance's shirt had wide bands that only had three colors (pink, purple, and blue). Keith, on the other hand, was wearing a tank top that had thin stripes of repeating colors (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple). Lance was leaning against one of the walls watching Keith tear through gladiator bot after gladiator bot with his swords (both bayard and Marmora blade).When Keith took down the last bot, Lance pushed himself off the wall and walked over to Keith. He wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Good job, Samurai.""Thanks, Lance." Keith pecked him on the cheek. "I need a shower though."Keith looked up at the exit and saw his pack standing there. He cocked his head and made a questioning noise. The Blades came closer. Thace immediately started running his tongue across Keith's face and through his hair. Keith whined a little. "Thace, stop. I need a shower."Thace kept grooming Keith's hair, drawing a purr from him. Lance grinned at the Blades. "So, what do you guys think of Keith's shirts?""It was nice seeing him in colors other than black and red," Ulaz answered. "Though I didn't care for the words on the white shirt."Lance cocked his head. "Which one was that?"Keith spoke up, his purr heard easily. "Caution: Does not play well with others."Lance chuckled. "Yeah. It was a joke.""We understand that now. Where did he get these different shirts from?" Antok asked.Lance
grinned. "I took him shopping and bought these for him.""Except for the blue sweatshirt. That was his, but I'm keeping it," Keith added, still purring. "I have to go take a shower, but then Lance and I can come lay down in the nest.""Me?" Lance responded. "Is that allowed? I'm not Galra.""Of course. You are our kit's mate.
You are allowed in the nest, even if he isn't there with you," Kolivan replied. "Now, you two go take a shower, get in comfortable clothing, and come to the nest."Keith reluctantly pulled away from Thace and grabbed Lance's hand. He led him out of the training deck and to their room for a shower. They showered and went to the nest. Keith was wearing his light pink, long, oversized shirt, while Lance was wearing a similar one but a light yellow in color. Keith guided Lance into the nest and settled in his arms with his pack gathered around them. Keith closed his eyes, enjoying his boyfriend being there with his pack, a purr rising in his throat.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Contention"Krolia stared at Thace in shock. He had taken an infiltration mission and had come to say bye to all of the kits, so he wouldn't miss anyone. He had learned from Kolivan's mistake. He had already said goodbye to Regris and Lotor and was currently telling the three youngest kits (and their mother) goodbye.At that moment, the three kits were clinging to him, begging him not to go. Ezor was on his back, and the twins were wrapped around his legs. He calmly and gently pulled each kit off and set them down in front of him. He knelt down and spoke to them. "The Blade of Marmora fights to free the universe from the Galra Empire. Your family is part of the Blade. We go on missions in hopes that you will all live in a universe that is free. Now, no tears, little kits. I will return as soon as I can. My mission calls for quiet and stealth.""Ooo! Daddy's really good at those!" Acxa exclaimed."Right you are, kit. Now, each of you come here and get proper hugs." Thace opened his arms for his kits to give him hugs. Acxa went first, getting a nuzzle in return. Keith was next, receiving a hair ruffle. Ezor was last, earning her a long nuzzle. Thace wrapped his arms around his daughter and carried her over to her mother, doting on her the whole time.When it was time to leave, Ezor reluctantly went to her mother. She sniffled and laid her head on Krolia's shoulder."Please be safe," Acxa said."Please come back," Keith stated."Please don't take too long," Ezor added."I will, kits. Be good for your mother and the rest of the pack."%%%Ezor was laying in the nest, buried in a blanket that smelled like Thace. She missed him something terrible, and it was taking a toll on her emotions. She was irritable, and her siblings were the ones who suffered. Regris and Lotor didn't take anything she said to heart, knowing she was hurting and that she didn't mean it. Acxa and Keith, on the other hand,
were verbally combative with their sister.Krolia and Taulol had to physically separate the three youngest kits or Ezor might have accidentally hurt her younger siblings. Taulol took the twins to one of the training halls to play fight each other, while Krolia talked to her eldest daughter."Ezor, I know you miss Thace, but you are being mean to your siblings. Your older brothers aren't letting the things you say bother them. Your younger siblings are. I know you love them and don't mean what you are saying, but they don't."Tears appeared in the girl's eyes. "I'm sorry, Mom. I just miss Dad too much."Krolia gathered her into her arms and nuzzled her head. "I know, my kit. I wish he was back already. It's been almost a movement already.""I do apologize for that. It took a little bit longer than anticipated to infiltrate the ship."Krolia and Ezor looked up at the door, and there was Thace! He was back!"Dad!" Ezor called out, jumping into his arms."I missed you, too, kit, but I heard you weren't good to your siblings."The tears in Ezor's eyes spilled out and down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, Dad. I didn't mean to!""I know, kit, but I'm not the one you need to apologize to."%%%Acxa tackled her brother, who flipped them over. Acxa returned the movement and flipped them over again, pinning Keith to the mat. Taulol clapped her hands, and the twins sprang apart."Good job, kits. Now, there's someone here who wants to see you." Taulol gestured to the door, where Thace and Ezor were standing."Daddy!" the twins exclaimed together, rushing over. Thace caught both kits in his arms, nuzzling them both. The twins purred to their Daddy."We missed you so much, Daddy!" Keith nosed Thace's headfur, taking comfort in his scent."There's someone here, who wants to say something." Thace looked behind him, where Ezor peeked out."Ezor?" Acxa asked. Thace put the twins down and watched as Ezor rushed over to her siblings.She wrapped her arms around them both at the same time. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean any of those mean things I said! I love you two!"Acxa and Keith nuzzled their older sister's head in forgiveness. They loved their sister too much not to forgive her. They chorused, "We love you, too, Ezor."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Bully"Keith relaxed against his mom as she groomed his hair. His entire pack helped with rebuilding Earth but had taken an early night to spend with Keith. Keith had just been released from the hospital and was given instructions to not overdo it. He was watched closely by not only his pack but his team as well. Once one of the groups decided Keith had done enough, at least one pack member would take Keith back to the nest. More often than not, that member was Krolia. During that time, Keith would tell her stories from his Garrison days, most involving Shiro, Adam, or Lance. Once in awhile, Keith would mention someone by the name of James Griffin. Keith wouldn't say anything bad about him, but his expression would darken slightly at the name. So, Krolia decided to lull Keith into a relaxed state, so that he confessed what he really thought of James.The rest of the pack crowded around them. Kolivan was snuggled up against Keith, and his mate was behind him with his tail wrapped around their youngest kit's waist. Thace was snuggled against Keith's other side with Ulaz settled behind him, nuzzling Keith's neck. Regris was laying down against his brother's legs, purring to him."Kit, can you tell us about James?" Thace asked, nosing Keith's hair, narrowly avoiding Krolia's tongue."He doesn't like me. He never did. We went to school together, and he's jealous that Shiro took an interest in me. He made fun of me, and we got into several fights."Antok's tail tightened around Keith's waist, Thace whimpered softly, and Regris whined. Keith let out a questioning sound. Kolivan rumbled to Keith. "Kit, it sounds like this guy bullied you."Keith paused before adding, "And still does.""He still bullies you?" Regris asked."Yes."Kolivan and Thace squeezed Keith, comforting their kit. Krolia wrapped her arms around her kit, purring to him. With his pack crowded around him and his mom purring, Keith was lulled to sleep. Once Keith was deeply asleep, the rest of his pack conversed."He was bullied all through school," Ulaz repeated."And still is," Antok reminded them."This James kid needs a visit from us," Krolia growled."But we have to make sure Keith doesn't know what we're doing and not overworking," Regris said."We could grab James when Keith helps with the rebuild the next morning. That way we can make sure he will be okay," Thace suggested."He will learn how to treat our kit," Kolivan stated.%%%The next morning, Keith was both delighted to be working with the Paladins and dismayed that his pack was working in a different location. Krolia wrapped her arms around her kit. "We'll be by at lunchtime, kit."Kolivan looked at the assembled Paladins. "We are trusting you with our kit's safety. If he overworks himself, you will pay dearly for allowing it.""Don't worry, Kolivan. We won't let him put himself in harm's way," Shiro promised."Good." Kolivan and the rest of the pack left the area, seemingly going to help in another location. The Paladins had no idea that they were hunting James.%%%James and the other MFE pilots (and Veronica) were helping with the rebuild across the square. He had no idea that there were six Galra that were headed his way, and there was no warning when the largest of the group picked him up and threw him over his shoulder. The group started walking away while the other MFE pilots were in a state of shock.Veronica was the one who found her voice first. "Where are you taking him?"Krolia turned around and saw Veronica looking at her questioningly. She smiled. Veronica was Keith's boyfriend's older sister. "We need to have a little chat with him. We will return him when we are done."With that said, Krolia rejoined her pack, who had sequestered James in an unused room inside the Garrison. It looked like a classroom, but all the furniture was pushed to one side of the room.James had backed up but made sure he was still facing the group of six Galra. He knew these six were close to Kogane, so he knew they wouldn't hurt him, but what did they want?"What do you want?"The lone female Galra stepped forward. "We are Keith's pack, his family if you will, and we take caring for him very seriously. We just learned that you have been bullying him ever since you met and that you haven't really stopped either."James scoffed. "Family? Please. He's just an orphan. Everyone knows his father died and his mother abandoned him."
The woman growled at him. "Don't you dare insult my kit in my presence! He is a wonderful, selfless person!"James took a step back. "Kit?"The Galra with red markings on his head placed a hand on the woman's arm and answered James's question. "A kit is the term for a young Galra. Keith is Krolia's biological son and is considered a son to the rest of us.""And a brother to me," the shorter, tailed Galra added.James took another step back from the Galra. They considered Kogane family and were pissed at his treatment of him. What would they do to him?"You have two options. Treat Keith civilly or don't interact with him at all. If you don't, and we will find out if you don't, you will not like the consequences," Krolia warned. "You may go back to your team, but don't forget our little chat. Mistreat my kit, and these claws will make sure you won't repeat the mistake."James skirted around the group of six Galra, giving them a wide berth. He wanted to get away from Kogane's Galra. He did and was very grateful they didn't follow him. He let out a breath he hadn't been aware of that he was holding. He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but they were scary, especially the lone female in their group. She said she was Kogane's mother, which made him all the more wary of her threat. He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he wasn't paying attention to where he was going and ended up near where the Paladins were helping with the rebuild. They didn't notice him, which suited him just fine, as he eavesdropped on a conversation."Keith, what do you think you're doing?" the Blue Paladin, Lance, asked.Kogane looked up. "What? I'm just helping,"Lance walked over and put a hand on the other Paladin's cheek. "But you are still injured. You should take a break. Here." Lance gently guided Kogane to sit on a crate and gave him a data pad. "This is a list of needs some of the aliens have requested. Look it over and see if it's reasonable."Kogane sighed and nuzzled Lance's head. "You win, Lance. After I look over the list, I will call for my pack and take an early day."Lance smiled. "Good. We all want you to take care of yourself. As your boyfriend, I take that task very seriously."There was a strange sound that came from Kogane that sounded like a purr as he and Lance hugged. Kogane went through the list as Lance went back to helping with the rebuild. James quickly backed out of there and rejoined his group. He nodded to Veronica and quietly went back to helping. He had a lot to think about, both from what Kogane's family said and from what he witnessed between Kogane and Lance.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Not Forsaken"Keith looked around the corner, confused as he didn't see anyone. That was unusual, because there was always
someone around. He didn't want to be alone, and tears leapt to his eyes. "Daddy? Papa? Dad? Father? Regris?"Silence answered him. He whined loudly, wanting to find one of his Dads or his brother. Still, no one answered him. The base was completely empty. He was alone.%%%The four highest ranking Blades in the organization were taking an easy day, staying in their nest with their two kits, who were napping at that moment. They had adopted Regris a few deca-phoebes ago, and he had become a brother to Keith.A whine drew their attention to their youngest kit, who was still asleep. Kolivan picked him up and held him, causing Regris to wake up. The three adults and one kit gathered around Kolivan and Keith. Thace purred to him, while Ulaz bent down and nuzzled Keith. Antok stroked Keith's cheek with his tail, and Regris wrapped his tail around his brother's leg. Keith whined again and shifted. Ulaz switched to grooming his youngest kit's headfur in an attempt to soothe him.
Keith awoke with a whine, his breaths coming in pants. His purple eyes were wide with fear for a dobosh until he got his bearings. He realized he was with his pack. He felt all five members of his pack doting on him somehow and felt relieved that were all there with him. Keith managed to get his breathing under control as he saw all five of his pack members, but he whimpered as he snuggled deeper into Kolivan's arms."You're all right, kit. We're here with you," Kolivan assured him.Keith clung to his father. Antok shuffled over, sat down behind Kolivan, and wrapped his arms around his mate and their kit, his tail wrapping around Keith's waist. Ulaz scooped up Regris and shuffled over to sit beside Kolivan, so Regris could dote on his brother. Thace settled behind his mate, his head visible over Ulaz's shoulder.Once Keith stopped whining, Ulaz asked, "Do you want to talk about your nightmare, kit?"Keith paused before nodding. "I was all alone. The base was empty, and I was by myself. I called for anyone, but no one answered."Kolivan tightened his grip on the kit and rumbled to him. "You will never be alone, kit. Neither one of you kits will ever be alone. We will always be with you."Keith sighed as he relaxed in his father's arms, a purr rising in his throat. His eyes slid closed as he fell back asleep, assured in his pack's presence.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Bad Dream"Keith yawned and all but collapsed onto his bed after training late into the night. He hoped he would be able to sleep through the night. His eyes slid shut, and he fell asleep. As much as he was exhausted, he couldn't help the nightmare that overcame him.%%%Shiro had been tucking in Lance when he heard a familiar sound from the next room over. It was the sound of a little crying. It also caught Lance's attention. "Keef cwy?""Indeed he is, Lance. May I go get him and bring him here?""Yeah."Shiro quickly exited Lance's room and entered Keith's room. "Keith?"Keith's head shot up at the familiar voice. "Dada?"Shiro cooed to the little, whose purple eyes were ringed with red and big tears were rolling down his cheeks. Keith held his arms out, and Shiro scooped him up. "Let's get you changed and into some more comfy clothes."Shiro quickly changed Keith out of his wet clothes and into a diaper and a dry pair of red footie pajamas that had a white stripe that ran down each of his ams. He scooped him back up and carried him into Lance's room.Upon seeing the other little, Lance made grabby hands at him. "Keef!"Keith turned his head in his direction. "Lancey?"Shiro sat down on Lance's bed with Keith still on his lap. Lance crawled over and clumsily petted Keith's hair. "Keef sad?""Bad dream," Keith whispered."Do you want to talk about it?" Shiro asked.Keith nodded but wasn't sure he knew how to explain it. He had the bad dream when he was big, but it scared him so horribly that he regressed. "Blades go 'way.""The Blades went away?" Shiro repeated. "They left you? All of them?""No. Laz, T'ace, Tok, Reg."Shiro then understood. Keith had dreamed about the Blades they had almost lost in the war effort; many of them Keith himself had saved. In fact, he had saved all except one himself. Antok was saved by Allura. He hugged Keith a little tighter. "Oh, baby. It's okay. They're still alive. Do you want to see them?"Keith nodded and grabbed onto Lance, drawing the other little into a hug, while Shiro pulled out his data pad. He called the headquarters for the Blade of Marmora, and it didn't take long for Kolivan to answer. Shiro tried to keep a smile off his lips at Kolivan's appearance. His usual braid was undone and caught on Antok's claws as the other ran them through the white strands. "Shiro?"Keith chirped when he heard Kolivan and turned his head towards the data pad. "Kol Kol!"Suddenly, the camera widened and the other members of Keith's pack appeared on the screen, Ulaz speaking. "Keith, is everything all right, kit?""Laz! T'ace! Tok! Reg!" Tears ran down Keith's face again at the sight of his pack alive and well."Keith had a nightmare of the four of you dying and regressed," Shiro explained."Do we-" Kolivan cut himself off. "Shiro, prepare for our arrival. Our kit needs us. We will be there within a varga. Take care of our kit until then."The video feed blinked out, leaving Keith staring at a blank screen, which reflected his tear stained face. Shiro wiped the tears away with his left thumb. "See, Keith? They're all right and coming to see you. I bet they'll want a nest. Right, baby?""Nest!""Dada?"Shiro looked at the other little, who had called him and was still being hugged by Keith. "Yes, Lance?""Keef go away?""What?" Then realization dawned on Shiro. Little Lance thought the Blades were coming to take Keith back with them. "Oh, Lance, no. Keith isn't leaving the castle. He'll just sleep in a different room.""No! Big nest!"Shiro and Lance stared at Keith. "Keith?""All in big nest."Shiro smiled and picked up both littles, one in each arm. He carried them to the lounge, settling them on the couch, before going to the closets and collecting armloads full of blankets and pillows. He deposited them in the middle between the couches and went back to get one more. He had collected the rest of the blankets, heard a chirp, and turned around.He saw a mostly completed nest and his two littles being cuddled by the Blades. The armload of blankets were lifted from his grasp by Kolivan. "Thank you for calling us. Distress is not good for either kit.""Either kit?" Shiro questioned as he watched Kolivan complete the nest."Keith and Lance, of course."A purr drew Shiro's attention to the pile of Blades gathered around the two regressed Paladins, one of whom was purring. Shiro smiled as Kolivan entered the nest and alternated between grooming the little's hair. His decision to call the Blades was a good one, and he knew that they would stay for at least as long as the two littles were regressed. If they stayed longer, that was okay with him as well.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"New Year Kisses"Shiro absentmindedly poured three glasses of some semi-clear liquid, whether it was champagne or sparkling juice he didn't know. The reason for this was he was teetering between head spaces and was trying very hard to stay big as well as hide it from D-Adam and Curtis. He picked up the glasses and carefully carried the fragile flutes into the living room. It was getting harder to stay big, but he really wanted to see the ball drop...no, he wanted to give and get New Year Kisses. He set the flutes down on the coffee table in front of the couch, where both Adam and Curtis were curled up with each other. The second they saw Shiro they scooted apart. Adam patted the now empty spot, indicating that Shiro should sit between them.Shiro paused, debating the decision. No doubt that there would be cuddles from Daddy and Papa...Adam and Curtis if he sat down. He apparently paused too long, because Adam asked, "Takashi, what's wrong?"Shiro panicked slightly. "Uh, we-we need snacks."Before he could dash to the kitchen, Curtis snagged his wrist gently and pulled him onto the couch. "You have been busy for the past hour, Takashi. You sit here, and I'll get the snacks."Curtis kissed Shiro's forehead before disappearing into the kitchen. Adam tugged Shiro closer and reached for one of the flutes. He handed it to Shiro and grabbed another one for himself. Adam took a sip and nearly choked as he barely heard, "Yucky."He set his flute down and looked at Shiro. "Takashi?"Shiro looked at Adam with a pinched expression. Adam plucked the flute from the other's grip. "Daddy.""Oh, baby. It's all right. You need a good drink." He covered Shiro's ears and called out, "Curtis, our baby needs a better drink!""Apple?" came the shouted response."Either that or white grape.""Roger that."Adam lowered his hands and cupped the little's cheeks. He rubbed noses with him, getting the baby to giggle. Curtis returned at that moment with a sippy cup and two bowls of snacks, one for Shiro (goldfish) and one for him and Adam (trail mix). He handed Shiro the sippy cup, set down the two bowls, and sat down on the other side of his little.Both Adam and Curtis cuddled their little but were also wondering why he had fought going into little space. Adam nuzzled Shiro's short hair before asking, "Kashi, why didn't you want to be little tonight?"Shiro pouted slightly. "Wanted new kisses.""Wanted new-oh, baby. You can still get New Years Kisses. They'll just be cheek kisses, which totally count," Curtis responded.Shiro smiled and snuggled against both of his Dads, drinking his juice. Adam turned on the tv and changed the channel to one of the many stations showing Time's Square. It was ten minutes until the ball dropped.Shiro was sleepy, but he wanted to stay awake to see the ball drop and get his new kisses. The warmth radiating from his Daddy and Papa was lulling the little into a sleepy state. His Papa carded his left hand through his hair floof. "Before the ball drops, I think someone needs to get into comfy jammies."Shiro giggled sleepily and held his arms out. "Papa, up."Curtis picked up his little and carried him off to change him. He changed him into a diaper and a dark blue pair of footie pajamas with white clouds and crescent moons on them. He handed him his
snowy owl plushie and picked him back up."Two minutes!" They heard Adam call out from the living room.Curtis hurried to the couch with his baby safely tucked into his arms and settled him on the couch. Shiro was once again snuggled between his caregivers, all warm and sleepy. He struggled to keep his eyes open, wrenching them open every time he felt them close. He could do this."10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,
4, 3, 2, 1, Happy New Year!"Adam and Curtis turned to their little, who had actually succumbed to the need for sleep. They smiled and kissed his cheeks at the same time. "Happy New Year, baby."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Proclivities"Antok stared at his pack's kit, who was sitting on top of a tall cabinet and swinging his legs back and forth with a smile on his face. How did he get all the way up there? He had only taken his eyes off him for a couple of doboshes. Maybe humans were naturally climbing experts?"Antok, catch!"Antok only had maybe a couple of ticks before the kit jumped
off the top of the tallest cabinet, which was even taller than Antok. Panic shot through the second highest ranking Blade before the kit landed on Antok, who used his tail to ensure the kit didn't end up on the floor. A jump from that height would have struck fear into most Galran kits, but this part Galran kit thought it was great fun, judging from his wide grin and him saying, "Again!"%%%Ulaz stared at his pack's kit, who was cowering in Thace's arms. His yellow eyes flicked from the obviously scared kit to the syringe held in his claws and back again. Their usually fearless kit was downright terrified of an injection all Galran kits receive. "Kit?""No!" Keith proceeded to climb over Thace's shoulders and hide behind the violet Galra, who looked like he was mere ticks away from taking the kit out of the med bay. "I don't want it!""It's just a tick of pain and then an afternoon of cuddles, kit," Ulaz tried to reason with him.Keith whimpered but slowly came out from behind Thace, who picked him up and cuddled him. Keith held out his still slightly shaking arm
and buried his face into Thace's chest, muffling the whine that escaped him. Thace nuzzled his head and rumbled to him. "You will be okay, kit. After this, I will take you to the nest and spend the afternoon with you.""Can everyone be there?" Keith asked tearfully."I'm sure Kolivan can be persuaded to take a break," Ulaz replied, putting away the used syringe. "Why don't you go ask him? I will join you in a moment."Keith looked at Ulaz in shock. Thace chuckled at the shocked expression on his kit's face. "Yes, kit. It's over already."%%%Kolivan was going over reports, sitting on the edge of his chair for no other reason than his pack's kit was napping against his back. He had spent the time after lunch unbraiding and playing with the leader's white strands instead of napping. However, Kolivan let him as he figured the kit would tire himself out. It took longer than he or any of his pack had figured but finally the kit started acting like an actual kit, but there were instances, such as this, that confused the four Galra. Just how long was their kit going to keep surprising them?%%%The Paladins had just come back from hard yet successful mission, showered, and convened in the lounge. Keith almost flopped down next to Lance, who grinned at his team mate. "Tired, Mullet?""Like you aren't?" Pidge quipped when Keith didn't answer.Keith snuggled against Lance's shoulder, softly purring until he felt the other teen's hand stroking his hair. He couldn't help but purr louder at the action. Lance's eyebrows shot into his hairline, but he didn't say anything or stop moving his hand."Oh my God! He's a cat," Hunk whispered."Well, he is
part Galra and was raised by them," Shiro said. "Which does explain a few things that he's done.""Like purring?""And being quiet and nimble on his feet?""What about how he sleeps in weird places?""Yes," Shiro replied. "But I was talking about him grooming himself."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Precious Kit"Keith fought the urge to groan, which wasn't hard. What was hard was fighting the urge to whine. He had been captured while he was on a solo mission. He was being held captive by Lotor and his group of half-Galra generals. At that moment, he was still wearing his BoM uniform and mask and was currently sitting in a cell the largest general had thrown him in, rubbing his head. His head hurt from where he had hit it on the ground.%%%Zethrid entered the bridge, extremely proud of her accomplishment. She had captured an intruder and was going to report it to Lotor."Lotor!" Zethrid bowed. "There was an intruder, and I captured him. He is in the brig.""Excellent, Zethrid. Let us go see who decided that infiltrating my ship was a good idea." Lotor exited the bridge with his generals in tow.%%%Keith was sitting next to the wall, fighting his instinct to call out for his pack. He knew in his head that they were too far away to hear him and was fairly certain that they were planning a rescue. His pack considered him a kit and wouldn't leave him in the hands of the enemy. His pack always told him that kits were precious to all Galra and that they loved him, even though he didn't look as Galra as they did. He flinched slightly as Lotor opened the door, and he and all four of his generals entered the cell."Remove your mask and bow to Prince Lotor," Acxa ordered.Keith allowed his mask to disappear but didn't move otherwise. Zethrid growled at him. "You should bow to Prince Lotor!"Keith glared at the five half-Gala, but his glare wasn't as powerful because his instincts were screaming at him to call for his pack."Let's leave him here. Maybe a day alone in the cell will bring him to his senses," Lotor ordered.He and his generals started to leave the cell, when a whine escaped Keith. The five half-Galra paused and turned around as another whine left their prisoner. Ezor knelt down in front of Keith and gently poked his cheek. "Are you okay?"Keith whimpered when she poked his cheek. Narti wrapped her tail around Ezor's waist and dragged her away from him. She approached him and gently placed one claw on his forehead but recoiled a moment later. She carded her claws through his hair, and Kova weaved his way around Keith's legs.Acxa cocked her head at Narti's strange actions and the prisoner's even stranger reaction. She carefully approached him. "What is going on?" Her eyes widened as a soft but unmistakable trill left him, a noise that only
Galran kits make. She gasped and spun to address Lotor. "Your highness! He's a kit!""A kit?" Zethrid's eyes widened as she remembered her rough treatment of him when she caught him. She was sure he had hit his head when she threw him into the cell."Acxa, how can that be? He doesn't look Galran," Lotor stated."I don't know, but I heard him trill. You can't fake that noise," Acxa answered. "We need to get him out of here. Kits don't belong in a cell.""Of course. One of you pick him up, and bring him to a bedroom," Lotor ordered."He might want a nest! I'll get some blankets!" Ezor exclaimed.Narti carefully scooped up Keith, and Kova jumped into his lap, curling up.
She followed Lotor to an unused room, where Ezor was trying to make a nest. Acxa was at her side in an instant, helpfully arranging the blankets into a comfortable area. Narti gently laid Keith down, and Acxa pulled him close to her and started grooming his hair, his eyes falling closed at the familiar gesture.Zethrid stepped closer to Lotor. "Who could he belong to?"Lotor tapped his chin, thoughtfully. "I do not know, but they are probably planning a rescue as we speak."%%%Thace was pacing in the back of the pod. He was worried about their kit. He had been against sending him on a solo mission but had relented when he saw how happy it made his kit. Now, his kit was captured, possibly being tortured, and they were on a rescue mission. Ulaz was piloting the pod as Kolivan comforted Antok. The largest Blade in their pack was extremely close to their kit and, therefore, was the most devastated when they learned of his capture.They neared the ship Keith had been assigned to infiltrate and realized that it was Lotor's main ship. They were able to get on board the ship undetected and easily located the brig. They were shocked to find every cell empty. There had been one that had a few blood droplets on the floor, but there were no signs of their kit! Was he being tortured at that very dobosh?The group of Blades listened carefully but couldn't hear any screaming, but they did hear a very familiar half-purr. It was a sound they had only heard out of their kit before he became comfortable enough around them to purr, and they had never
heard any other Galra make that sound. Why would their kit be half-purring when he had been captured? It didn't make any sense.%%%Keith was laying in the nest two of the generals made for him, while his hair was being groomed by the one named Acxa. All of the generals had been by and had introduced themselves (except for Narti, but Acxa explained that she was mute as well as blind) before doting on him. His favorite general had to be Acxa, but he didn't know why. It was only when she was with him that he felt like purring. He knew he shouldn't, being in enemy territory, so it ended up being his weird half-purr.Four familiar scents found their way to Keith's nose, causing him to stop purring and let out a questioning sound. Acxa noticed the change in his body language and asked, "What is it, kit?""My pack is here for me," Keith answered. He really wanted them to take him home."Oh, well, that's good news. Kits should be with their packs. I will stay with you until they arrive." Acxa pulled Keith up into a sitting position and carded her claws through his hair until the door flew open.There standing in the doorway were four masked figures, wearing the same uniform as the kit was (with a few differences). Acxa smiled and removed her claws from Keith's hair, allowing him to leave the nest. Before he did, though, he gently bumped his head against Acxa's hand with a half-purr. She rumbled to him briefly as he climbed out of the nest. He made his way over to his pack, all of whom were relieved to have him back."Are you hurt, kit?" Ulaz asked, sniffing Keith.Keith purred to one of his Dads. "I'm okay, Papa.""We saw blood in one of the cells," Antok stated."When I got caught, they didn't realize I was a kit, and I got roughed up a little. The one who did that already apologized.""We need to get back home, kit." Thace nuzzled his hair."Kit." Keith paused when he heard Acxa call out. He turned in her direction and was surprised to see her out of the nest and in close proximity. She wrapped her arms around Keith. "Have a safe trip home. Maybe we'll see each other again.""Bye, Acxa. I'm glad we met." Keith briefly nuzzled her. She unwrapped her arms, and he left the room accompanied by his pack.It was relatively easy to get back to their pod and disengage from the ship. Ulaz set the pod on autopilot and joined his pack in the small nest they threw together in the back of the pod. Keith was sandwiched between Thace and Kolivan and on top of Antok. Ulaz settled above Thace and beside Antok and carded his claws through Keith's hair. Keith responded with a loud and content purr."Kit, how did you get in that situation?" Kolivan asked."I was missing you guys a lot, and they heard me whine. I didn't intend on getting caught or them finding out I am a kit," Keith answered, his purr clearly heard in his voice."Well, it was definitely a happy accident," Thace replied. "For now, kit, get some rest. We're going home."%%%Acxa entered the bridge of the ship, attracting the attention of the other four half-Galra. Noticing this, Acxa reported, "The kit's pack showed up and took the kit with them.""So, he's safe with his pack now?" At Acxa's nod, Lotor continued. "Excellent. Now, we can continue our plans. Next stop, Daibazaal."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Play Date"Keith was practically bouncing off the walls in excitement. His 'bestest friend in the universe' was coming over for the first time ever! He found it a little strange that all four of his Dads were home but didn't let it darken his mood. He had never had a play date, as his Dads called it, before, and he couldn't wait!%%%Thace was nervous. His kit was having a friend come over for the first time. He had been all for keeping his kit home, but his mate, Ulaz, told him that his kit needed socialization with kits around his own age...and of different races. This friend, named Takashi Shirogane, was human, and the only one Keith had talked about at any length. It worried Thace that Keith seemed extremely close to this kid. The others didn't seem worried though.Ulaz shook his head at his mate's actions. Thace was worried for nothing. This was good for their kit. Even though all four Dads stayed home, only Thace was nervous.Suddenly, the door opened, and Kolivan escorted a slightly scared little boy who was a little older than their kit in. The boy looked around until he heard a shout, "'Kashi!"He spun around and caught Keith in his arms. "Keith!"Ulaz discreetly took a picture of the two boys hugging. It was extremely adorable, and he was determined to document every adorable moment during Shiro's visit."'Kashi, come with me! My room is this way!" Keith was tugging on his friend's arm, wanting to lead him down the hall.Shiro laughed. "All right, Keith. Lead the way."Ulaz followed the boys to continue to take pictures discreetly. Kolivan approached Thace, whose ears were pinned back. He rumbled to him. "What's the matter?""I'm worried that this boy is going to hurt our kit." Thace clung to his pack leader.Kolivan stroked Thace's headfur and continued rumbling to him. "It'll be okay. I talked to the boy on our way here. He doesn't care that Keith is part Galra. He considers our kit a very dear friend.""Keith does as well. He's told me that there have been kids that have been picking on Shiro and Keith has been defending him. Fortunately, he has been using words instead of his fists. He knows how to fight, because we taught him, but we also taught him when to use it and when to use his words," Antok added, coming up to nuzzle Thace in order to calm him down.Thace relaxed in his pack members' embraces. "Maybe you're right. Maybe there's nothing to worry about."All three of their data pads dinged. They all reached for their data pads and opened their message programs. It was a message from Ulaz, which read 'Come to Keith's room' and was marked urgent.Thace's ears pinned back again in worry. "Then again maybe I was right."The three other Dads rushed to their kit's room and skidded to a halt, so they wouldn't collide with Ulaz. He shushed them and pointed into the room, whispering, "Look."Kolivan, Antok, and Thace peeked into the room and saw the most adorable scene. Apparently, Keith and Shiro had used all their energy and needed a nap. They had cuddled up with each other in the small nest Keith had in his room, Keith's soft purrs echoing slightly. Even Thace had to admit that they were adorable like that. Maybe Shiro would be a good friend (or more) for their kit.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Displeasure"Ulaz rubbed between his eyes. He didn't really want to go on the mission, but there were sensitive medical supplies that could be recovered, and he didn't trust the other Blades that were available to go on the mission. Fortunately, the two kits that were close to him were eleven deca-phoebes old and were less likely to be put out at his absence or so he thought.However, there he was kneeling in front of the twins, who were pouting about the fact that he was leaving for a few quintants. He reached out and petted Acxa's headfur, then Keith's, eliciting a purr from them. "Now, please, don't look at me like that, kits. These supplies are very sensitive and need to be handled carefully. Do you want them mishandled and then we don't have everything we need when other Blades get hurt on their missions?""No," Keith whined. "But we don't want you to go."Ulaz scooped up both Keith and his sister into his arms, giving them nuzzles. "I know, my kits. I know, but I need to go. You still have your mom, siblings, and other Dads to keep you company along with each other."Krolia approached Ulaz and her youngest kits. She rumbled to them, catching their attention. Keith reached out to her. "Mama."Krolia plucked Keith out of Ulaz's arms and nosed his headfur. Acxa stayed a little bit longer in Ulaz's arms. "We'll miss you, Papa.""I will miss you and your brother too, Acxa. I will try to come home as soon as I can."Acxa nosed his headfur for a moment before she was content to be in her mom's arms, next to her twin. The twins buried their face in the side of Krolia's neck, so they wouldn't see Ulaz leaving. It was hard enough without them seeing it too.%%%Krolia stared at her sleeping twins in almost exasperation. Ulaz had only been gone for two quintants, and they had pouted through
everything. They didn't really play fight their older siblings and had these adorable (not that she'd tell them that) pouts on their faces throughout the duration of the day they were awake. They cuddled her a lot but weren't really reacting to what she was saying, so she gave in and called the rest of the adults of the pack while all of the kits took their afternoon nap. Kolivan petted her headfur and rumbled to her, displaying his ever present patience (in regards to his pack). Antok stroked her cheek stripes with his tail, while Thace nuzzled her."It's all right, Krolia. We can help the kits," Kolivan told her. "You need a little bit of time away. Go visit Taulol for a varga. I will talk to Keith, Thace will talk with Acxa, and Antok will take the eldest three to one of the training halls to play fight. We will get them in better moods."Krolia purred to her pack leader. "Thank you. I was starting to think I was being a bad mother.""Why would you think that?" Antok asked."My twins weren't reacting to me.""That has nothing to do with your role as their mother," Thace insisted. "All the kits reacted in different ways when the three of us went on missions. They are extremely close to everyone in their pack and don't want to be away from any of us.""Now, we just have to wait for the kits to wake up from their nap," Antok mentioned."While we do, can we stay like this?" Krolia asked, almost shyly.Kolivan gave her a small smile. "Of course, Krolia. You needn't ask."Antok sat down in the nest and tugged her onto his lap, his tail still stroking her cheek stripes. Kolivan and Thace sat down in the nest beside her. Kolivan rumbled to her and nuzzled her, and Thace groomed her hair. Closing her eyes in contentment, Krolia purred to her pack members while her kits napped not too far away.After about a varga had passed, the kits began waking up. Regris and Lotor were first and were concerned when they saw their mom resting against Antok. Normally, she curled around one of her five kits while they napped.Regris's tail thumped against the bedding in concern. "Mom, are you okay?"Krolia opened her eyes and smiled at her eldest kits. She slipped off of Antok's lap and held her arms out to them. They crawled over and settled against their mom, her arms wrapping around them. "I'm okay, kits. Everyone needs affection, even adults."Regris and Lotor stayed snuggled against their mom until their younger siblings woke up. As Krolia figured, the pouts were on her twins' faces once they were awake. Kolivan patted Krolia's head before he picked up Keith, who let out a chirp of surprise, and walked out the door. Thace scooped up Acxa, who was only slightly less surprised than her brother had been. He silently exited the nest room with the youngest girl in his arms. The eldest three looked from their mom to Antok and back again in confusion. Antok smiled at the kits. "Let's go to the training deck, kits. It's time for you three to play fight."The kits smiled and clambered out of the nest. As Antok passed her, he said, "Go see Taulol. You need some time away from the kits. It doesn't mean you love them any less."Krolia purred to him as he took Regris, Lotor, and Ezor to one of the training halls. She sighed and left the nest, heading for her surrogate sister's room.%%%Kolivan deposited Keith in his private nest. Keith immediately sat up and looked around at his location. His pout was still evident on his face, but it was slowly morphing into a look of recognition. He let out a questioning sound, wondering why he was there. Kolivan stood in front of the kit. "Keith, you need to stop this behavior. I understand you miss Ulaz, but you have an entire pack that loves you, and you have me. You told me a couple deca-phoebes ago that I was important to you. Is that still true?""Of course it is! Our entire pack is important to me!" Keith cried out. He lowered his head and his volume. "I'm sorry, Kolivan. I just want everybody home."Kolivan sat down next to Keith and drew him close to his chest. "You're forgiven, Keith. Just keep an eye on your attitude and don't pout, my kit."Keith hesitantly nuzzled Kolivan's chest, purring when he got nuzzles in return. While Kolivan was talking with Keith, Thace was having a similar conversation with Acxa with the same results.%%%It was another quintant before Ulaz returned, happy with the supplies he recovered. He placed them in his office in the med bay and returned to the nest, wanting to see his pack, specifically his kits. He was walking down the corridor when he heard, "Ulaz!"The yell happened only ticks before he was jumped upon. He smiled though. It was only the twins; his sense of smell told him that much. Ulaz rumbled. "Hello, kits.""We're so glad you're back," Acxa nuzzled the back of Ulaz's neck from her position on Ulaz's back.Keith had his head tucked under Ulaz's chin since he was hanging on his front. "We missed you so much!""I hope you didn't give your mom or the rest of the pack trouble." He could just feel
the twins' shift in attitude. He sighed. "Don't tell me you two pouted the entire time.""It wasn't the entire
time," Keith replied."But it was pretty close," Krolia spoke up. Ulaz hadn't stopped walking and had entered the nest room when he said his last statement.The twins dropped off the pale doctor and tackled their mom. She was able to keep her footing despite the two eleven deca-phoebe old kits' best efforts.
Ulaz smiled as he watched the kits try to take down their mom. Even though he was glad with the medical supplies he recovered, he was even happier to be back with his pack.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Missing Shirts"Shiro scratched his head. Where did his shirts go? He had just bought some new ones, but the old ones were soft and comfortable and exactly what he wanted to wear. Maybe Adam knew where they were. Shiro was just wearing a pair of sweatpants when he left his room. He paused at the top of the stairs. Oh wait. Adam wouldn't know. At that moment, he was regressed. Adam was such a cute little. Shiro back tracked to his room and snagged one of the new shirts. He put it on and tiptoed to Adam's little room. The door was open a little bit, and Shiro peered into the crack and saw his little snuggling against...wait. Were those his missing shirts? Shiro didn't know how he felt about that. He wanted to know why Adam was cuddling his shirts, but then again, Adam cuddling his shirts was adorable.Shiro peeked in again and made his choice. His little cuddling his shirts was adorable. He pulled back again and knocked on the door. He heard the expected response of "Dada come."Shiro pushed the door open and walked in with a smile on his face. "Hi, baby. I see you have some of Dada's shirts."Adam nodded. "Smell good. Comfy."Shiro felt his heart stutter. His little was snuggling his shirts, because they smelled good and were comfy. He knelt down and stroked the short brunette hair. "It makes you feel good, baby? That's great.""Love you, Dada.""Love you, too, baby."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Glow Sticks"Keith stared at the slowly spinning ceiling fan, watching the swinging glowing lights. Laying on the floor on his back was his little, who was giggling and watching the moving glowing lights."Why did you tie glow sticks to the ceiling fan? No, wait. How
did you tie glow sticks to the ceiling fan?"The only response was giggling. A smile crept onto Keith's face. He loved Lance's little giggles. Those giggles made him feel warm and fuzzy. He recognized the feeling as him regressing. He was able to send a quick text to Shiro that just consisted of two words 'hi dada.'He laid down next to Lance and watched the glowing lights move around and around, joining in on the giggling. Neither little knew how long they were laying there watching the lights before their Dada walked in. They knew he was there, because he called out, "Keithy? Lancey? Where are you?""Dada!" Lance called out."Dada," Keith echoed.Shiro walked into the living room and stopped. His eyes were glued to the still moving ceiling fan. "Why are there glow sticks tied to the ceiling fan?"Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Shiro Is A Kit - According To The Blades"Shiro was tired but unable to fall asleep. As it was still relatively early in the night cycle on the castle ship, he left his room, intending on making sure the rest of his team was getting some much needed rest. He knocked on Lance's door first and was rewarded with a view of the Blue Paladin with a face mask on and a towel covering his hair. Shiro smiled at Lance, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Get some rest, Lance.""Aye, aye," Lance replied with a grin and a laughable attempt at a salute.Shiro shook his head at his antics and continued on down the corridor. He raised his hand but paused before knocking on the next door. Would Hunk be in there or would he be stress baking again? 'Well, only one way to find out,' Shiro thought as he knocked on the door, to which there was a reply."Come in."Shiro opened the door and saw Hunk sitting at his desk, working with some piece of alien tech. "I hope you are at a good stopping point. I told everyone to get some rest."Hunk ducked his head slightly and set down his tools. "You're right." He stood up, stretching his back. "You might want to enlist some help with Pidge and Keith though. Pidge is in her lab and you know where Keith is.""I thought having his pack on board would prevent him from being on the training deck all hours of the night.""Well, maybe they'll help you drag him out of there.""It would probably be the easiest way to get him out. I'll get Pidge first and then see the Blades. Thanks, Hunk.""No problem, Shiro."Shiro walked into Green Lion's hangar and spotted Pidge waist deep in Green's mouth. He waited until she was done with her tinkering and had both of her feet back on the floor before calling out to her. "Pidge!"She spun around and exclaimed, "Shiro!"Shiro had his arms crossed. "I told everyone to get some rest.""I know, but I had an idea that wouldn't leave me alone, and I knew I had to do it before I could even try
to get some sleep.""Are you done?""Yeah. It's good now."Shiro gently placed a hand on Pidge's head and turned her to the direction of the exit. "Then, your room is that way."Pidge grinned and exited her lab. Shiro made sure she didn't double back before he headed for the training deck. Even though he told Hunk he would enlist the Blade's help to get Keith out of the training deck, he was fairly confident that he could get the younger Paladin to leave. However, he didn't even get to try as the doors to the training deck opened, and out walked the Blades. Keith was thrown over Thace's shoulders. Kolivan and Antok stopped in front of Shiro as Thace carried Keith to their nest with Ulaz accompanying him."Kit, what are you doing up? Not going to the training deck, I trust," Kolivan said."No, I was just making sure Keith wasn't training, which apparently, he was," Shiro replied."It's not something for you to worry about, kit. Now, come with us. You can rest in our nest," Kolivan offered.Shiro hesitated. He knew the Blades considered him a kit (as evident by Kolivan calling him a kit). Apparently, Antok took his silence as refusal and simply threw him over his shoulder."Hey!"Antok gently jostled him. "Young kits should be in bed."It wasn't just Kolivan then that believed he was a kit. Antok did too, and probably the rest of the pack too. Looking back, Ulaz had freaked out when Lance said that he was six.By that time, Antok (and Kolivan and Shiro) arrived at the nest room and placed Shiro in the nest next to Keith, who instinctively snuggled Shiro in his sleepy state. Kolivan settled behind Shiro and started licking his hair. For some reason, it was soothing and not disgusting like he thought it might. He sighed and relaxed against Keith. It didn't even bother him when he felt something wrap around his waist.Kolivan paused in the licking. "Go ahead and sleep, kits. It is time for young kits to go to sleep."Shiro smiled as Keith started purring softly as the Red Paladin drifted off to sleep. Shiro laid a cheek against the top of Keith's head and closed his eyes, enjoying the purr from Keith, the licking from Kolivan, and the rumbles from the other Blades. He was so relaxed that he actually fell asleep relatively fast.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Feline"Lance, Keith, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, and Coran were crowded around the table, peering at something that was on the table. It was a pure black kitten that had its right front paw and a little of its right front leg missing, a white patch of fur between its ears, and grey eyes. The kitten was adorable; no one could deny that.Keith stooped down and put his head level with the kitten. The kitten hobbled over to Keith and mewled. Keith stared at the kitten, and an uneasy thought entered his mind. He whispered, "Shiro?"The kitten rubbed his head against Keith's head. Keith stood up and gently scooped up the kitten. "Guys, I don't know how, but this is Shiro."Lance gave a little laugh. "Oh, c'mon, Mullet. Shiro's not a cat, unlike you.""I'm part Galra, Lance, not a cat, and this is Shiro." Keith held Shiro the kitten up, still cupped in his hands, to Lance's face. "Look at his eyes!"Humoring his team mate, Lance looked at the kitten's eyes and almost yelped. There was a human intelligence displayed there that he couldn't deny. "Shiro! I'm so sorry. I didn't know.""How did this happen?" Hunk asked."We can examine him to see if we can determine how this occurred and how to reverse this," Allura commented.Keith had brought Shiro back to his chest, cradling him close to his chest and softly purred to him. As much as he denied being cat-like, the Galra were basically giant purple Space Cats and had cat like instincts. One of those was the ability to purr, which he had discovered on accident while with the Blades. It was a happy accident, but that wasn't important. What was important was that Shiro was purring back to him, while they walked to the infirmary.They entered the infirmary, and Keith placed Shiro on one of the examination beds. Coran brought out a hand scanner and passed it over Shiro's body, looking at the diagnostic as he went.
"Interesting," Coran murmured, stroking his mustache."Mrow?"The Paladins and Alteans looked at the kitten, who had his head cocked. Pidge cocked her head in response. "Can you understand us?"Shiro nodded his head. The group blinked as one."Well, that does help," Keith commented."Even so, we can't understand him," Lance pointed out."I have an idea that just may work, but first, Coran, what did you find out?""Nothing. Nothing indicates why Shiro is a...kitten as you Earthlings call him. According to the readings, he should be his normal self right now."Keith scooped up the kitten. "Well, maybe he knows.""And how
are you going to find out?" Lance asked."I'm going to take him to Black Lion and see if our bond will work," Keith simply stated before exiting the infirmary. He exhaled deeply as soon as he was out of the rest of the team's earshot."Mrow?" Shiro rubbed a furry cheek against Keith's chest."I'm okay. Everyone was crowding around me. I know it wasn't me they were interested in, but they were still too close."Shiro suddenly jumped up onto Keith's shoulder and purred in his ear. Keith smiled and purred back. They kept purring, even as they walked into Black's hangar. A third purr joined theirs. "Hello, little one.""Hey, Black. We need your help," Keith replied, still purring, as he climbed into Black's mouth."We-oh! Shiro! What happened? Come through the bond. Both of you."Keith walked through the flash of light with Shiro still on his shoulder. When the flash subsided, there stood a big, fluffy, black lioness and child Keith and child Shiro (who was standing behind
Keith).Keith turned around, threw his arms around Shiro's shoulders, and buried his face in Shiro's neck. "I didn't know if it would work!""I'm glad it did. Now, we can talk.""Do you know how you got turned into a kitten?" Keith asked as they settled against Black Lion.Shiro nodded. "At the last planet we visited, they said I looked really tired and gave me something that they said helped relax the body. I guess humans have a different reaction to it.""So, it was something you ingested, my Paladin?""Yeah. Apparently." Shiro curled up against Black's fur. "This feels nice."Keith cocked his head. "Do you not show up as a kid when you normally go through the bond?""No."Keith whined. "Then, why do I?"Black licked Keith's hair, eliciting a purr from him. "Each Paladin's form is chosen by the type of bond they have with their lion.""So, both you and Red see me as a child?""As our cub," Black gently corrected, purring. She used her tail to guide Keith to curl up against her body. "Rest, my Paladins. You are safe with me.""Wait. I need to tell everyone what I learned," Keith said, fighting the comfortable feeling that was slowly overtaking him."Use your data pad to send a short message, but both of you are staying here, because you are tired."Keith quickly pulled out his data pad and typed out a message explaining what Shiro told him and that they were napping with Black. He put the data pad back in his pocket and curled back up against Black. Her purr was so similar to Galra rumbles that Keith easily fell asleep.%%%Shiro yawned, stretched, and cracked an eye, taking in his surroundings. He saw Keith curled up against Black's fur, both of whom were purring. He smiled at his second-in-command's child self. He was adorable, and Shiro found himself reluctant to leave the space where Paladin and lion freely interact. True, he was a kid, but at least he was human. He could talk and be understood. However, he knew he would turn back into a kitten when he left. He sighed and buried his face in Black's fur, listening to the dual purrs. After a couple more doboshes, he lifted his head and reached out to shake Keith awake. "Keith, time to get up.""Don' wanna. Comfy."Shiro smiled at Keith's comment, sitting up. He was acting like a real kid. "I know, bud, but we should get going. The others will wonder where we are.""They shouldn't. I told them where we are, what we learned, and what we are doing. We're okay. Besides, isn't this better than being a kitten, where no one understands you and everyone has to take care of you?""I suppose.""And according to Black, this has to work its way out of your system, so we have plenty of time to spend here.""The little one is right, my young Paladin. You two should stay here with me.""That settles it, Shiro. Lay back down." Keith had an impressively strong grip for someone his size and had no problem pulling Shiro back down against both him and Black Lion. Shiro sighed and wrapped his arms around Keith comfortably. He closed his eyes, convinced that he would try again in a couple of doboshes.It was actually a couple of vargas later that Shiro opened his eyes, and the only reason was because he heard multiple voices. He sat up and, to his astonishment, saw Red Lion, Blue Lion, Green Lion, and Yellow Lion as real lionesses and the rest of the Paladins. He and Keith were the only children, Pidge was her normal age but with longer hair, Lance was a pre-teen, and Hunk was his normal age as well. Keith was astride Red and calling out to Lance to join him. Pidge was stretched out on top of Green, who was laying off to the side so she wouldn't get trampled. Yellow was trotting behind Hunk, who had noticed that Shiro was awake and was coming his way."Hey, Shiro. Did we wake you?""It's okay, Hunk. I should have been awake. Why are you guys here?""According to Keith, he tried to leave, but Black stopped him. When he insisted that the rest of us needed to spend time with you, she contacted the rest of the lions, who prodded us to enter our bonds with them. We all ended up here." Hunk sat down next to Shiro, Yellow laying down in front of Black. Black proceeded to groom Yellow's head as their Paladins continued talking. "I'm glad you're human here, Shiro. Kitten you is adorable, but I prefer human Shiro.""We all do."Shiro looked up and saw Keith and Lance both astride Red and Blue, respectively, and Pidge standing next to Green. Lance was grinning as he was the one who had spoken."Well, you can thank Black. She was the one who decided that she wanted me human instead of a kitten."Seeing the rest of his team mates nearby, Hunk gently slid Shiro into the space between his legs, letting their leader lean back against his chest. The rest of the Paladins gathered around Shiro and Hunk. Lance and Pidge leaned against Hunk's sides, and Keith was tucked against Lance's side. Black Lion was still laying behind the group of Paladins. Blue was curled behind Lance and near Black's tail. Yellow was still laying near Black's head. Red was curled around her Paladin, laying her head in his lap, and Green was laid out in front of the group but still mostly curled around them, her tail draped across Pidge's legs. All of the lions purred to their Paladins with Keith echoing the purring.%%%Allura and Coran were wondering where the Paladins had gone. They knew Keith had taken Shiro to the Black Lion to try and get some answers and had succeeded and were actually resting with the lion. A couple of vargas later, the other three Paladins inexplicably left the bridge and haven't been seen since. Allura was about the scan the ship to make sure they hadn't left or got lost on the large ship, when she got a mental image of all five of her Paladins resting in a pile with the lions curled around them. What really struck a cord in her was that all of the lions were real, furry lionesses; Shiro was human; and three of her Paladins were younger than normal. Slightly confused, she pushed against the presence behind the image and received a purr in response. It was Blue! She smiled as she looked at the image again. Her Paladins were together, resting, and bonding with their lions. That was all right with her. They had figured out the situation concerning Shiro appearing as a kitten, how to fix it, and since the Galra were not attacking, it was perfectly fine to let the Paladins rest. After all, even Defenders of the Universe needed to relax.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Unnecessary Jealousy"Lance stalked down the corridors of the Atlas. He was angry at his boyfriend for blowing him off for the third time that week. Every time Lance had stopped by to see if Keith wanted to hang out, Acxa was always with him. Lance didn't really have anything against her, but the way she was almost snuggled against Keith made Lance feel like she was trying to steal Keith from him, and Keith, poor touch starved Keith, was oblivious to it. Lance wasn't going to let her steal Keith from him.Growls drew Lance's attention to one of the sparring rooms. Glancing in, Lance saw Keith and Acxa fighting each other. As Lance watched, he saw some of his boyfriend's Galran features appear. He had cheek stripes, pointed ears, and fangs. Lance always liked when Keith's Galran features appeared, because it meant Keith wasn't hiding himself. His Galran features were tied to his emotional state, and if his walls were up, the features stayed hidden. The fact that Keith was more affectionate in his part Galra form was a plus in Lance's book.Lance watched as Keith and Acxa tackled and tumbled with the other...almost as if they were playing. Wait. Lance remembered Keith telling him how Galran kits play fought each other, because that was how Keith was viewed. He was considered a kit by the Blades, especially Krolia and Kolivan. Lance smiled at he thought of the time he walked in to cuddle Keith, only to see him sandwiched between the two Blade leaders. Lance had been about to back out of the room, when Keith whined and reached out for him. Krolia's arm shot out and tugged Lance into the nest between Keith and herself. Keith snuggled against Lance, while Krolia groomed the brunette's hair. Kolivan had his arms wrapped around Keith's waist and his face buried in the longer strands of Keith's hair.Breathless laughter shook Lance out of his memories. Acxa had pinned Keith, the laugh coming from him. Acxa leaned down and nuzzled her head against Keith's, earning a purr from Keith and causing Lance's mouth to drop open. He couldn't believe how bold Acxa was to openly nuzzle Keith like he was hers. Lance stormed in and approached the pair. Acxa was helping Keith off the floor, and both part Galra noticed Lance. Keith smiled and chirped at Lance, but the chirp morphed into a questioning noise when he saw the look on Lance's face.Lance stormed over to Acxa. "Stop trying to steal my boyfriend. He is not interested in you in the slightest."Acxa cocked her head, eyes darting from Lance to Keith and back again, before it dawned on her what Lance was saying. She grinned. "I'm not trying to steal your boyfriend. I'm spending time with my brother, whom I'm trying to get to know."Lance's eyes widened. He stuttered, "Wh-what?""Mom told us that we're actually twins," Keith added.Realization dawned on Lance. "So, that's why you two have been so much time together! I thought Acxa was trying to date you!"Keith and Acxa looked at each other for a tick before they laughed. Keith wiped tears from the corner of his eyes. "Lance, you know I'm not interested in girls as anything more than friends. I love you, Sharpshooter. There's no one else who completes me." Keith wrapped his arms around Lance. "I am finding my family, Lance. I finally have a mom, sister, and a father figure.""Father figure?""Yeah. Kolivan fits that position. I also have a pseudo brother in Shiro, but I always had him.""Except when he disappeared," Lance interjected."Twice," Keith added.Acxa watched her twin interact with his boyfriend. She could tell they were made for each other. Acxa stretched her arms as she waited for them to stop going back and forth. By the time they stopped, Keith was snuggled against Lance."Keith, let's go to the nest. You told Mom that you would rest after play fighting with me."Keith whined softly. Lance stroked Keith's hair. "Baby, if you told your Mom that you would rest, you need to. You work too hard all the time.""Can you come with me, Lance?""Can I?" Lance asked, looking at Acxa."Of course. As Keith's mate, you are welcome any time.""Then, let's go." Lance kept an arm around Keith's shoulders and led him out of the sparring deck with Acxa on Keith's other side. It didn't take long to reach the nest room. Keith and Lance took off their boots and jackets before Keith tugged his boyfriend into the nest. Acxa divested herself of her boots and joined them in the nest, laying down on Keith's other side. Keith purred, feeling his twin and his boyfriend laying against him. The two part Galra drifted off in no time, leaving only Lance awake to witness Krolia peek into the room, checking on her twins. Her smile when she saw Lance in the nest eased Lance's discomfort, allowing him to fall asleep with Keith nestled against him.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Cheek Stripes and Memories"Krolia buried her face in her hands briefly. She couldn't believe Keith, her youngest kit, was sick. If it was something simple, she wouldn't be worried as Ulaz was a splendid doctor; however, this was something foreign to Galra, so Ulaz didn't know how to cure it. As it was, he was simply treating the symptoms. There was a myriad of symptoms that Keith was displaying, but only a few were worrisome: his temperature was elevated (sometimes extremely high), coughing (sometimes expelling blood), sneezing, aches in various part of his body, and general lethargy.As a precaution, Keith was in quarantine. Only Ulaz was allowed near him and only if he was wearing an protective suit. It was rough on not only the twelve deca-phoebe old kit but his siblings as well, especially his twin. She would be often found either pawing at the door or trying to communicate through the reinforced window. She wasn't the only one either. Regris, Lotor, and Ezor were concerned for their brother. Even the Dads were concerned, and not just Kolivan and Thace. All four of them were beside themselves with worry. Taulol was alternating between comforting adults and kits alike and crying. Keith was loved by everyone he encountered.Krolia watched as Ulaz exited the quarantine room, catching a brief glimpse of her youngest kit, who looked like a glare would do him in. He was extremely thin, and his face was gaunt as he couldn't keep much food down. He caught her eyes and whined. His eyes were rimmed with red as he had been crying a lot. She wanted to nuzzle and comfort and just plain hold him in her arms.Ulaz beckoned her to follow him. He led her to his office in the med bay, divesting himself of the protective suit. He drew her into his arms. "This isn't easy for me to say, Krolia, but there's nothing more I can do for Keith. Perhaps taking him to Earth would give him a chance. They might have medicine that would give him a fighting chance.""I'll do anything if it'll help my kit.""You won't be able to stay.""What?""Being Galran in appearance would raise too many questions. We will have to leave Keith alone on Earth."Krolia recoiled. "I-I can't!""It's the only way to help Keith." Krolia whimpered, allowing Ulaz to draw her closer once again. "I know it's hard, but it's either that or risk his death.""I can't let him die." Krolia buried her face in Ulaz's chest. "Prepare a pod and a protective suit for me as I
will be the one taking my kit to Earth."The next half a varga was a blur in Krolia's already overwhelmed mind. She could barely feel her kit in the bulky suit she had to wear to make sure she didn't contract or transmit the disease Keith had come down with. He rested in her grasp as she piloted the small pod to her late mate's home planet."Mama?""You're going to be okay, kit. I'm taking you to a place where you're going to get treated.""Then, I can come home?""No, kit. Unfortunately, this planet doesn't have interstellar travel, and I can't stay with you."Keith whimpered. "I don't want to be left alone on an alien planet, Mama."Krolia's heart broke at her son's whimpers. "I know, my kit, but to save your life, it must be done. Now, rest, dearest."Keith closed his eyes, trying to follow his mother's request. Krolia stroked Keith's violet cheek stripes in an effort to not only comfort him but herself as well. It was another twenty doboshes until she reached Earth. She scanned for the nearest hospital and landed close to it as she could without being spotted. She carried Keith to the busy doors of the emergency room (as the sign overhead read), using all of her stealth skills in her arsenal. She hid in the shadows and watched the hustle and bustle of the humans. During a lull in the action, she propped Keith against the building near the automatic doors with a note in his shirt pocket that stated his first and last name (Keith Kogane), an Earth birthday (October 23), and age (12). With one last stroke to his cheek stripes, Krolia fled, tears blurring her vision. She didn't have to look back to know that the humans had discovered her ill son. She had no way of knowing that she would see her son again in six deca-phoebes.The Paladins of Voltron had contacted headquarters, requesting entrance. Two were permitted entrance. A tall human in black and white armor and a shorter human in red and white armor exited the Red Lion and followed the two guards who escorted them to the main hall where Kolivan was standing. She was standing directly to Kolivan's left. She recognized the tall human as The Champion, whom Ulaz had rescued. Her eyes slid to the shorter human, but she didn't get to examine him before Kolivan started speaking. "I am Kolivan, leader of the Blade of Marmora.""I am Shiro, and this is Keith. We are Paladins of Voltron."She could't stop herself from stepping forward when she heard her son's name, but she had to make sure. "Paladin Keith, what is your last name?"He looked right at her and answered, "Kogane."She removed her mask. "You're alive and finally back home.'He met her gaze with no flicker of recognition. The other Paladin put his hand on Keith's shoulder. "Do you know her?"Keith shook his head. "No. Why should I?"Krolia took a step forward and peered at his face. Something looked off. "Paladins, remove your helmets please."They didn't see any reason not to, so they did as they were instructed. The tick Keith raised his head after removing his helmet Krolia bit back her whine. His cheek stripes, his beautiful violet cheek stripes were gone. Not even a hint of them were left. She took a step back as the horrible reality came crashing down on her. Her beloved son was now a complete stranger.%%%Krolia woke up with a horrified whine. She looked around at her surroundings and saw she was in the familial nest with all five of her kits and their dads gathered around sleeping. She was fortunate that her whine didn't rouse anyone. It had been a horrible, traumatizing nightmare, but it was just
a nightmare. Her eyes immediately found Keith, and she adjusted and readjusted her position to see his cheeks, wanting, no needing,
to see his cheek stripes. She couldn't see them at all and the nightmare caused her to give a loud keen at the thought of her kit not having his stripes.Keith heard his mother's keen and sat bolt upright. He looked at her with his head cocked. "Mama?"Krolia looked at Keith and, to her delight, saw his cheek stripes were as vibrant as the day he was born. She held her arms out, asking for a hug. Keith immediately came over and allowed his mother to wrap her arms around him and nose his hair. Her whimpers disturbed him and roused the rest of their pack. His siblings crowded around their mom and brother, half-awake and giving off questioning noises.
The adults of the pack gathered around their distraught pack member as she almost obsessively nosed her youngest kit's hair."Mama, what happened?" Keith asked.Krolia took a deep breath and tugged Keith a little closer. "I had a horrible nightmare where Keith got so ill that the only course of action that could save his life was to leave him on Earth. He ended up as a Paladin of Voltron but no longer had his cheek stripes and couldn't remember anyone, not even me."Keith whimpered and firmly tucked himself under his mom's chin. "I'm here, Mama. I still have my stripes and didn't forget you.""I know, kit, but I just had to see it for myself."The low, comforting rumble coming from behind Krolia was from Kolivan. "That was a horrible nightmare, Krolia, and the kits still need rest, but the entire pack can take a vacation to a peaceful planet for a few quintants in order to relax.""That sounds wonderful." Krolia sighed and laid down, tugging Keith down with her. She knew he was okay, still had his cheek stripes, and remembered everyone, but she still wanted to rest with him in her arms. That way maybe she wouldn't have the nightmare again.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Trio"Krolia clung to her father's leg. She had lived with her mother in a colony while her father carried out missions to take down the Empire. The colony was peaceful, so the attack was unprovoked and there were many casualties, including Krolia's mother. Sadly, she had witnessed her death. Her father had come at once and rescued his daughter, bringing her to live with him at the headquarters of the Blade of Marmora.She held onto the only toy that survived the attack on her colony, a stuffed weblum that her mother had made by hand. It was very special to her. She looked at the other Blades as they walked by. Everyone was so tall, just like her Daddy. Were there any kits she could play with?Two little faces peeked around the corner. They were best friends and had escaped their mothers' watchful gazes. They had overheard a new kit was coming to headquarters, and they wanted to see him/her. They spotted the young kit and were pleased that she appeared to be around their ages. Thace grinned and whispered into Ulaz's ear, making the lighter colored kit grin as well.They raced over to her and her father. Thace chirped, "Hello!"Krolia's father stopped walking and stooped down. "Hello, kit. I see you and Ulaz escaped from your mothers.""Yes, sir." Thace seemed rather proud of that fact."Is that your daughter?" Ulaz asked."Yes." Krolia was nudged forward. "This is Krolia. Krolia, this is Thace and Ulaz."%%%"Catch up, boys!" Krolia dashed away from her friends. It had been a couple of deca-phoebes since Krolia had come to headquarters, and Thace and Ulaz had befriended her on that very first day. The three kits had become almost inseparable since then. They could always be found together, and when they weren't, the Blades found out that meant trouble. They were a trio of pranksters and the best of friends.Thace growled at the taunt, even though it wasn't malicious. Being the best of friends, the kits were also competitive with each other. They knew they wanted to be Blades when they grew up.Out of nowhere, Ulaz tackled Krolia, and the two started play fighting, Thace joining in after a tick. The three kits were mock growling and play fighting under the watchful eye of two older kits. One had a constantly moving tail and the other one had red markings on his head with short white strands that reached his shoulders.%%%Krolia grinned as Ulaz patched her up after her trial. She was successful in unlocking her Blade. She had had a tough trial, seeing her parents in the second part of the trial. It was rough, but she persevered. She had been the last one of the trio to pass her trials, Ulaz being first.Thace skidded into the med bay and grinned at his friends. "Congratulations, Sis! I knew you could do it!""Of course, I could, Bro. As soon as Ulaz releases me, I could use some relaxation.""Well, that's good, because you need it. The trials are tough, and you did well," a new voice spoke up from the doorway.The three new Blades looked up in surprise. Krolia grinned as she saw Kolivan and Antok standing there. They approached her, and she purred to them.
Antok stroked her hair and rumbled to her. Kolivan nuzzled her. "I know it was rough, seeing your mother and father after they had died, but they would have been proud of you."%%%Thace tucked himself against Ulaz, tears soaking into his fur. Krolia, their sister, had crashed on an alien planet. The radio silence suggested she was dead. They didn't want to believe it, but Kolivan himself told them, knowing how close they were with her. He also gave them a couple of quintants off to grieve. He would have given them more time, but he had just taken over as leader of the Blades and they were
in war time.Ulaz tugged Thace into their nest and curled around him, burying his face in his mate's thick fur. Krolia was always with them, except when they went through the trials. Now, she was gone, forever separated from them. They would see her again when this war claimed their lives, but for now, they would grieve for her.%%%Static. Thace growled. He pushed a few buttons and moved the slides up and down trying to clear it up. It was getting better, but Thace knew he could clear it up all the way. A few buttons later had the static cleared up to reveal a voice Thace had believed he would never hear again."Headquarters, are you receiving this message?"Thace hurriedly pushed the respond option. "Krolia, is that really you?""Thace! It's wonderful to hear from you again!""We received news of the crash. Kolivan told us you were dead!"Krolia whimpered. "I'm sorry. My transmitter was damaged in the crash, and I only just got it operational. I am still going to be planet bound for a bit until I get my ship fixed.""How long do you estimate it will take?""Um, best case scenario, five phoebes. Worst case, never.""I am not going to let you stay there to rot, Sister. If I have to, I will come get you myself!"Ulaz walked into the communications room just then. "Who's on the comms?""Ulaz!""Krolia? You're alive? What? How?""I survived the crash, but I still have to repair my ship before I can come home."%%%Thace and Ulaz waited none too patiently for the ship to dock. They couldn't wait to be able to hold their sister in their arms again. The tick she descended the ramp, they ran to greet her. "Krolia!""Thace! Ulaz!"The three met in the middle of the hangar, scenting each other and purring to one another. In the middle of that, two more pairs of feet were running towards them. The scents told them it was Antok and Kolivan. They both dashed over to Krolia, relieved to see her. The little group scented Krolia over and over again, none of them realizing that she didn't have her Marmoran blade. No one, that was, except for Antok.%%%"Thace and Ulaz, you are assigned to central command. As a mated pair, you get to be at the same location."Thace and Ulaz walked back to the nest room they shared with Krolia. She had already received her assignment and was packing a small bag to take with her. Thace came up behind her, not surprising her in the slightest, and started grooming her headfur. She paused in packing and purred to her brother. Ulaz came up to her side and nuzzled her neck."Where did you get assigned?" Krolia asked, her purr heard in her voice."Central Command," Ulaz replied as Thace kept grooming her headfur.
"I'm glad you two will be able to be together and with others.""Where were you assigned?""There's a base run by a Warlord by the name of Ranveig that hardly anyone wants to work under. That's where I'm going.""Will he accept a Galra he's never heard of before?""Since he is having issues getting a lieutenant, I don't think it's going to be too much of an issue." Krolia turned around in Thace's hold and nuzzled her brothers. "I am going to miss you two so much.""We will
see each other again, Sister."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Little Period"Keith whimpered. Why did the Universe hate him? He was on his period, the cramps hurt, and he was in between head spaces. He just wanted someone to comfort him, maybe take care of him. Strike that. He definitely wanted someone to take care of him. He was feeling more little than big, but he still remembered how to alert someone to his problem. He crawled onto his bed, wincing as he could feel the drips, and knocked against the wall as hard as he could. He hoped someone was in there. He waited and waited, slipping further into his little space as the ticks went by. He realized no one was coming but was too little to do anything for himself, except cry.%%%Shiro was slightly worried. He hadn't seen Keith all day. The training deck was even empty! He was headed towards his room, when he heard the cries of one of his littles. He quickened his footsteps and opened Keith's door. "Keith?""Kashi!"Shiro strode over and stroked Keith's hair. "Oh, baby. What's wrong?"Keith pulled at his pants. "Icky.""You need a change? We can do that." Shiro carefully picked up the little and laid him down on the floor. He gathered all the supplies and when he turned back to face Keith, he was surprised at the tears in the little's eyes. "Oh, baby. It's okay."Keith whimpered as Shiro took his pants off. The caregiver was surprised at the diaper his little was already wearing. Well, that did make cleanup easier, but why did he put one on when he was still big? He untaped the sides, pulled down the front, and *realized he was woefully unprepared for the sight of blood in the diaper*.Keith lightly kicked his feet. "Icky!""I know, baby. Let's get this over with and you can have some painkillers and cuddles. Maybe even the blanket if you want," Shiro said as he cleaned and re-diapered his little. He also put him in a clean, easy-to-remove pair of pants and shirt instead of the usual sleeper Keith liked to wear while in little space. He packed a small bag full of diapers. because little Keith wanted changed constantly when he was on his period. He scooped up Keith, who curled up against one of his caregivers. "Let's go to the lounge. That's where everyone else is. Does that sound okay?""Blankie?"Shiro blinked before he remembered where they had put it. Keith had a designated blanket that he would bite when the cramps got to be too much. Shiro snagged the purple blanket and handed it to Keith. "There you go, bud. Ready to go now?"Keith nodded and clutched onto the blanket. Shiro carefully carried the little to the lounge, where he slowly laid him on one of the couches. Lance noticed Keith was in little space and as the other little on the ship, wanted to help him, especially since he wasn't regressed at the moment. "Keith, do you need anything?"Keith turned his head, his teary purple eyes landing on his usual playmate. He nodded and held him arms out for cuddles. Lance slipped over and let Keith curl into his side, still clutching his blanket.Satisfied that Keith would be okay for now, Shiro turned to the other caregiver, Hunk, who asked, "Is he okay?""He's on his period.""Poor little guy. Did he slip further than normal?""Possibly. He hasn't spoken much, but he needs painkillers. Maybe we could find a way to add it to some milk or juice," Shiro suggested. Both caregivers knew that Keith wouldn't want anything to eat with the cramps hurting him."I can talk to Coran and see if he has any liquid painkillers."Keith whimpered and bit the corner of his blanket. Once the blanket slipped out of his mouth, he whined. "Icky.""Hurry, Hunk."Hunk nodded and rushed out of the lounge. Shiro looked over at Keith and Lance, the latter gently petting the former's hair. "I know it hurts, pal. Hunk's gone to get some painkillers for you to help the hurt go away."Shiro was proud of his other little. He was helping his friend go through the rough time and was gentle at the same time. Surprisingly, the doors opened again, admitting not only Hunk but Allura as well. Allura gently sat down on Keith's other side and cooed to him. "Hello, baby."He turned his head in her direction with tears in his eyes and a whine escaping his throat. "Mama, it hurts."She wiped away the tears with her thumbs. "I know, sweetheart. Hunk is making you a drink that should help."Shiro was holding the bottle of milk, while Hunk was carefully adding the drops of medicine. Once they were added, Shiro put the lid back on the bottle and shook it enough to mix in the painkiller. He handed it to Hunk, who carried it over to Keith. "Hey, buddy. I have a drink for you. Who do you want to give it to you?"It was important to give Keith the option. Sometimes the little was picky over which caregiver gave him a bottle. Keith didn't need to think about it. "Mama."Hunk handed Allura the bottle, and she helped Keith climb onto her lap and recline in her arms. She put the bottle to the baby's lips, and he sucked it in and suckled it, content for the moment in his Mama's arms.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"High Paladins""Why are we here again?" Lance asked for probably the third time since they landed."You are supposed to be gathering samples of different flora that could be potentially used in Hunk's culinary escapades," Allura's voice came through the comm system in response to Lance's question. She was annoyed at her Blue Paladin's question as it hadn't been that long since she had last heard it."Oh right." At least Lance sounded sheepish."Paladins, this planet has an atmosphere rich in oxygen. Why don't you remove your helmets for the time you are on the planet?" Allura suggested."Are you sure it's safe?" Hunk asked."Definitely, number two!" came Coran's response. "A breathable atmosphere with Altean-like compounds also present. Nothing harmful at all!""All right, Coran. We will check back in in two vargas," Shiro stated before the five Paladins took off their helmets. They set them down in the middle of the area where they landed the lions. They had surveyed the planet and chose the area closest to the herbs and other plants Hunk was interested in experimenting with. "We probably shouldn't split up, since we aren't wearing our helmets.""Do you smell that?" Keith inquired suddenly."What are-yeah, there's something in the air," Lance agreed. "It smells like...grass.""No. It smells like dirt.""I agree with Lance. It's like freshly mowed grass," Shiro said, sniffing the air.Both Red and Blue Paladins' heads swiveled in their leader's direction. "You smell it, too, Shiro?""It's more like my mom's flower garden back home," Pidge argued."But there's a hint of metal to it," Hunk added."Is anyone else hungry?" Lance asked.%%%It had been several vargas, and there was still no sign of the Paladins. Allura and Coran were getting worried. What if they ran into something unexpected? No, they were Paladins. They could handle anything. Still, Allura and Coran were going to check on things. However, since they convinced the group to take off their helmets, they would have to do it in person. They didn't waste time suiting up as the atmosphere was safe to breathe. They rode down to the surface and were surprised to see the Paladins lounging around...except for Lance, who was stumbling around. The surprising thing was the only one talking was Keith, and it was the most they had ever heard out of the usually quiet Paladin. As the two Alteans approached the group, they noticed everyone's eyes looked bloodshot, which worried them. Had they ingested something they were allergic to?"Hey, Allura, Coran! How's it going? It's not time for check in yet." Shiro sounded unconcerned and more relaxed than either of the Alteans had ever heard him."Shiro, you said two vargas. It's been four," Coran stated.Allura took in the state of the other Paladins but couldn't concentrate because of the endless chatter of the Red Paladin. "Keith, shut up! I can't think!"Her exclamation only got her a moment's reprieve before he went right back to talking; however, he didn't seem to be talking to
any one person in particular. Allura shook her head and called out, "Paladins, get to your lions and fly into your hangars. We're leaving!"The four Paladins, who had been lounging, stood up but seemed to have a lack of coordination. Allura sighed as her normally quick and agile Paladins were stumbling and tripping over their own feet and each other. The Princess turned to the lions, whose eyes were lit up and trained on the group. "Can you get them back to the castle? I don't want this to take another two vargas."The lions reacted at once. Each one scooped up her Paladin and flew back to the castle. Coran escorted the Princess back into the castle as well. Within doboshes, the castle took off and flew away from the planet.The Princess sent the Paladins through the decontamination process and made them drink a large glass of water before sending them to bed and locking their doors to make sure they stayed there.The next morning found the Paladins gathered around the table in the dining room, looking tired. They had been able to leave their rooms because Allura sent the personal code to each of their data pads once they had all fallen asleep. Each one had a coffee or tea in front of them. They didn't remember much of yesterday, but they also weren't sure they wanted
to remember.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Syncope"Keith should have known better. He recognized the signs that he was ill but ignored them in favor of training. He was dizzy and used a hand on the wall to make sure he wouldn't lose his balance as he made his way to the training deck. Fortunately and unfortunately, Keith never made it to the training deck. His vision went black around the edges, and he collapsed.%%%Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz hadn't seen their kit in a little bit and were concerned. He hadn't seemed well at breakfast but refused to have Ulaz look at him. They were going to make sure he would take it easy, hence the reason they were looking for him. His room was empty, so they were checking the training deck.Ulaz was in the front of the pack, so he would get to Keith first whenever they found him. They turned the corner, and Ulaz flung out his arms, blocking his pack from continuing. He let out a distressed whine and rushed over to the side of the hallway, where their kit was laying. He laid a hand on Keith's forehead and jerked it back. It was extremely hot, even to his furred hand. He examined Keith's neck and sniffed him. Finding his neck wasn't injured, Ulaz scooped up his kit and returned to where his pack had stayed, so they wouldn't get in Ulaz's way.Antok reached out and gently stroked Keith's hair, whining. "What happened?""He was apparently sicker than he let on and didn't rest. He collapsed," Ulaz answered.Kolivan growled. "Let's take him to the nest."Ulaz nodded and started carrying Keith to their nest. "He just needs to rest and drink water."They made it to the nest in record time, and Ulaz laid Keith down in the nest. Antok and Thace laid down beside him, and Kolivan laid a blanket on their kit.%%%Keith slowly regained consciousness some vargas later. The first thing he realized was that he was laying down. Without opening his eyes, he could tell he was in the nest. Apparently, his pack found him and brought him to the nest. He was between Thace and Antok, judging by the body heat. There was also a blanket on him. He unintentionally let out a whimper, catching the attention of the four Galra."Kit?" Thace asked.Keith opened his eyes. "What happened?""We found you collapsed in the hallway, kit," Ulaz replied from his spot on the other side of his mate, Thace."Oh." Keith sounded strange."Keith, what's the matter?" Kolivan asked. He was curled around Antok.Keith seemed to sink under the blanket. "You guys sound angry with me.""We are more disappointed, kit," Antok corrected."That's even worse," Keith whined. When there was no movement, he whined again, tears leaping to his eyes. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get sick. I don't mean to be a burden to you guys."Thace tugged Keith closer to him, nuzzling his neck. "Oh, kit, no no no no. You are not and will never be a burden to us. We love you so very much. You are so precious."Keith still whined, almost unable to believe it. Having heard how much of a burden he was from the various multiple foster families he was stuck with on Earth, it almost hurt to hear the exact opposite. He desperately wanted to believe it, but it was difficult to change his mindset.Antok wrapped his tail around Keith's waist, and Ulaz came around Thace and sat in front of Keith. He gave him tiny cheek licks, a comforting gesture to kits of any age. Kolivan reached over and started stroking Keith's hair."Get some rest, kit. You're still sick. Don't worry about anything. We've got you," Kolivan rumbled.Keith sighed, closed his eyes, and relaxed in his pack's embrace. He may still consider himself a burden, but for now, he was going to let himself enjoy their company.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Fallen Soldiers 4: Krolia"Krolia nuzzled Keith as they exited their ship. She was glad to be back at headquarters and equally glad to see other Blades. She was most pleased at the fact that her son was a Blade and at headquarters most of the time. She understood that he had a mate and a large pack at headquarters, which pleased her greatly. She hadn't met her son's mate (whom she learned was named Lance) yet or everyone in his pack but was hoping to soon.She recognized a couple of the scents of Keith's pack. They were the same ones in her pack; Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz. There were two other scents that she couldn't place aside from the fact that they were Galra."Kit, who-""KEITH!"Keith and Krolia looked up, a smile lighting up the former's face. "Lance!"Lance was running down the corridor but managed to skid to a halt right in front of Keith, who tucked himself under Lance's chin, purring. Lance wrapped his arms around his boyfriend. "I missed you, baby.""So this is Lance?"Lance finally noticed the other Galra in the corridor. She was gorgeous and...wait. She looked a lot like Keith. Lance looked down at Keith, who was still tucked under his chin. "Keith, who's this?"Keith stepped away from Lance, albeit reluctantly. "Lance, this is Krolia, a fellow Blade. Also, she's my mother."A smile lit up Lance's face. "Pleased to meet you, ma'am. I'm glad Keith was able to be reunited with you.""Aren't you a well mannered kit?""I'm not a kit.""Lance, you are younger than me, and she calls me a kit," Keith told him, beginning to lead both his mom and his mate to the main hall, where he figured Kolivan might be.Krolia allowed Lance to walk next to Keith, pleased at how happy he made her son, as she walked behind the pair. They had almost made it to the main hall when she saw someone she thought she'd never see again. She growled. He shouldn't be at headquarters. He was a loyal member of the Empire as was the lieutenant who was walking at his side.Keith stopped walking when he heard his mom growl. It was an angry sound, and his kit instincts told him that she wasn't angry at him, so who was she growling at? Keith turned around and saw her stalking toward Sendak and Haxus. Krolia obviously thought they were still with the Empire. He released Lance's arm and darted between his mom and the two other Galra, inadvertantly letting out a whine.Sendak and Haxus were just coming off patrol when they heard the growl. It had been awhile since they heard a growl so angry. A gorgeous female Galra still wearing the Empire uniform of a lieutenant was stalking towards them. Sendak pushed Haxus behind him and held out his prosthetic, smaller but no less deadly, ready to defend himself and his mate.A whine caught the attention of all three Galra. A tick later, Keith was standing between Sendak and Haxus and Krolia. Sendak lowered his prosthetic. He couldn't hurt the kit, but was he trying to protect them or the female Galra? "Kit?""How dare you call him 'kit'! Only pack members should be that familiar with him!""Calm down, Mom. Sendak and Haxus are
pack and fellow Blades.""What?""She's your mother?""Yes. Now, everyone calm down," Keith said as Lance joined the group. He wrapped an arm around Keith's waist, eliciting a purr from him.Keith rubbed his head against Lance's chest. Lance chuckled. "Such an affectionate kitty.""I'm not a kitty.""These ears say otherwise." Lance rubbed behind Keith's ears. Keith couldn't help but purr louder at the action. "It's adorable. You now have fluffy Galra ears, baby."That got Keith's attention. He reached up and felt his ears. It was true; he had fluffy Galran ears. "How did that happen?""It's because you are more in tune to your kit instincts. Your dormant Galran genes are becoming active," a new voice spoke up from the doorway leading to the main hall. Keith looked up and, to his delight, saw Thace and Ulaz standing there. Keith chirped at them. Thace smiled. "Hello, kit."Thace and Ulaz walked over to the group. Thace approached Krolia and nosed her headfur. "Hello, sister."She nuzzled him but asked, "When did the Blades accept exiled Commanders and their lieutenants into our organization?""They had always been Blades. They had been captured, tortured, and brainwashed into being loyal to the Empire," Thace explained. "They eventually remembered being Blades and returned here to headquarters. They had to undergo the trials again to prove themselves, but they did it.""I'm going to want a more detailed explanation,"
Krolia stated."We'll be more than happy to provide that in a more relaxed setting," Sendak replied."Can everyone be there?" Keith asked."Of course, kit," Ulaz replied. "Kolivan and Antok are waiting for Keith's return in the main hall."Keith grinned and hurried off in that direction, tugging Lance along. He entered the main hall, released Lance's hand, and jumped onto Antok's back, purring. Antok wrapped his tail around Keith's waist, keeping him pinned to his back. "Hello, kit. Welcome back."The doors opened, admitting Thace, Ulaz, Krolia, Sendak, and Haxus. Kolivan looked up at the group. "Welcome back, Krolia. I see Keith was successful in extracting you."Krolia marched up to Kolivan and repeatedly poked him in the chest, emphasizing her words. "What's the big idea sending my son to extract me? You know
how dangerous Ranveig's base was! My kit was never supposed to be there! I expected either my brothers or even you or your mate to come get me!""Our forces were spread too thin for us to spare anyone else. He had just come back from a botched mission and was the only one available," Kolivan admitted."What about them?" Krolia jabbed a thumb in the direction of Sendak and Haxus.Kolivan raised an eyebrow. "Would you have believed they were there to extract you?""No, but I was promised a more in depth explanation as to their presence."
"I do believe I should start." Keith slid off of Antok's back. "When they were still brainwashed to be loyal to the Empire, they successfully stormed the Castle of Lions and had taken Shiro and Lance hostage. Allura and I had been lured out of the castle, and Hunk and Coran had to go to a Balmera to get a new crystal, because the one we had exploded. Pidge was the only one loose and was running interference, preventing them from leaving with the castle. From how she put it, she managed to knock Haxus down a tube in the engine room. A little later, we managed to trap Sendak in a cryopod.""After falling down the tube in the engine room, I managed to find a vent that led me to the pod bay. I hid there for several days until after the Paladins saved Balmera X-95-Vox. I launched one of the pods, and I saw Sendak had been ejected into space. I brought him onto the pod and set the autopilot to take us away from that region. I freed my mate. When I released Sendak from the cryopod, I had to catch him. When we touched, our memories of being Blade operatives came back," Haxus picked up the tale."I took the pod off autopilot and set the course for headquarters. It took a couple of days to reach it of course, and once we did, proving the truth to the other Blades was a simple matter of going through the Trials again," Sendak finished.By the time the tale was done, Keith ended up in front of his mom. "They aren't the evil Commander and his lieutenant anymore. They've had plenty of chance to hurt me, but they haven't. They're pack, Mom."Krolia swept her kit to her chest, petting his hair. "Then, they are my pack too, kit, but," Krolia leveled a glare onto the Blades in question, "know this: Hurt him and these claws will make sure you won't repeat the mistake.""Understood but know that we couldn't hurt him. He's a kit, and kits are precious," Sendak replied, not even blinking at Krolia's threat. It was natural for her to threaten someone with death for hurting her kit.Lance walked over to Keith and was drawn into Krolia's arms as well. Keith maneuvered himself to settle into Lance's arms, while his mom had her arms around both he and his mate. Even though the beginning was rough, his pack was getting quite large, and he liked it a lot.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Watching A Little"Curtis was walking down the hallway of the IGF Atlas after his shift on the bridge, his thoughts consumed by Captain Shirogane. As per orders, everyone on the Atlas had submitted their status as either a caregiver, a little, or a neutral...except the Alteans and Paladins, including Captain Shirogane. He never suspected the strong Captain would be a little.He hadn't meant to find out, but it was good that he did as Shiro didn't have a designated caregiver. Apparently, whoever was free among the Paladins and who was also a caregiver would care for Shiro. There was an incident though where there wasn't a caregiver available.Curtis had just happened to turn down the hallway where the living corridors for the officers were. He heard quiet murmuring before an even softer cry caught his attention. Surprisingly, it was coming from Shiro's room. Curtis couldn't help but knock on the door. Instead of Shiro opening the door, it was Allura."Oh, Curtis. I'm afraid Shiro isn't up to having visitors right now.""Is everything all right? You look a little frazzled."Allura briefly looked over her shoulder before she gently grabbed his wrist and led him into the room. The door closed behind him, and he was faced with two littles. To his surprise, they were none other than the leaders of Voltron and the Atlas. He had no idea that they were littles. They were each dressed in a warm sleeper in their individual colors (red for Keith and purple for Shiro) and had little tears running down their cheeks."I'm not a caregiver, so I'm not the one who usually watches them. Keith had volunteered to watch Shiro but ran into the issue that he didn't know what Shiro wanted and regressed due to the stress. He managed to send a message to me before regressing all the way. Normally, Lance watches Shiro, but he isn't available."
Curtis approached the two littles and met the watery grey gaze of his captain. The little held his arms up, in clear indication that he wanted picked up. Curtis scooped up Shiro and cuddled him, whispering soothing words to him. Once Shiro had stopped crying, Curtis turned to Allura. "Have you tried cuddling them?""I'm not strong enough to lift both of them up at the same time," Allura answered, picking up Keith. Keith laid his head against her shoulder, sucking on his thumb."Why did Keith contact you then?" Curtis plucked the two pacifiers from the floor, nudging the purple one between Shiro's lips and handing the red one to Allura."Probably because I'm the first one listed on his contact list." Allura took the red pacifier, gently pulled Keith's thumb from his mouth, and replaced it with his pacifier.The room was quiet, the only sound being the littles sucking on their pacifiers. Curtis started gently and slowly rocking Shiro, lulling the little to sleep. Once he was asleep, Curtis didn't have the heart to lay him down. Shiro was so cute and innocent in his little space. He did have a couple questions, and Allura seemed to be amendable to answering them. "If you don't mind me asking, what are the statuses of the Paladins?""Oh, well, Shiro is the only true little. Keith is a switch. Lance is the only caregiver, while Hunk and Pidge are more neutrals as am I.""That must have been hard in space with only one caregiver.""It was, but I think it was harder when Keith left us to assist the Blades.""Why was that?"Allura rubbed Keith's back. "We had one too many Paladins, and he thought helping the Blades was a better use of his time. I don't know if he was allowed to regress while he was with them.""I'm sure he knew what he was doing. Why hasn't your team or Shiro let anyone know of your statuses? Everyone on the Atlas has their status in their record.""I guess we were used to it just being us seven and knowing who was what.""I can understand that. At everyone's nearest convenience, stop by the records room and have them modify their records to include their status.""We can do that. Right now, though, I think I'm going to take Keith back to his room, so he doesn't disturb Shiro or vice versa.""All right. I'm going to stay with Shiro, so he won't be alone while little."Allura paused at the door. "Should I stay with Keith then?"Curtis mulled it over a little bit. "I think it would be a good idea. Littles shouldn't be alone while in their head space.""Okay. Good night, Curtis. I'm glad you came by.""Good night, Allura. I'm glad too." Curtis watched as Allura carried Keith out of Shiro's room. When the door closed, his eyes fell upon the little sleeping peacefully against his shoulder, and he realized that he loved watching him and was willing to be Shiro's caregiver on a more permanent basis (provided Shiro was okay with it).Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Climbing""Keith, kit, no!" Thace rushed over to his kit. He plucked him off the floor. "You can't leave without one of us with you."Keith blinked at his Daddy. "Daddy come?""No, kit. We aren't going anywhere right now." Thace carried his kit away from the door, plopping him near the couch. "I have to get this done, kit, so you'll have to stay there. I know it's not much fun, and I'm sorry. Everyone else is busy."Thace turned back to his terminal but wasn't completely absorbed by his work. Decoding scrambled messages was one of his favorite activities, and, even better, it was part of his job. He was still responsible for his adorable and
mobile kit.%%%Keith was disappointed that he couldn't leave the room. He was bored and wanted something to do. Since leaving apparently wasn't an option, he had to find something to do while in sight of his Daddy. He looked around but didn't see anything fun. His eyes landed on the couch his Daddy put him next to. He knew it was soft and cushy, since his Dads let him sit on it with them, especially when it was only one or two of them. He grabbed a handful of the cushion and hauled himself to his feet. He patted the cushion and giggled, letting out a small trill.Keith was too busy seeing his hand bounce on the cushion to notice that Thace's attention had been attracted by the trill. However, seeing as his kit was happy and staying in the room, Thace let his attention wander back to the scrambled message he was decoding, an ear flicking back every time his kit let out another sound.As much fun as it was seeing his hand bounce on the cushion, Keith really wanted to be on the couch. He cocked his head and chirped. How could he get up there? He wasn't tall enough like his Dads to just sit on there. He glaced over at his Daddy, who was doing his work. Keith knew he wasn't being ignored or neglected as Daddy's ears flicked in is direction every now and then and his claws stuttered in their typing at every sound he made. His Dads had very important jobs in their home.Keith looked back at the couch. Back to the matter at hand. He really wanted to get up there. Maybe he could pull himself up there? He put his hand back on the cushion and tried to grab a handful. It didn't go as expected, eliciting a huff from the kit.Thace paused as he heard the huff from his kit. He turned around to see Keith still standing at the couch. What was he trying to do? Thace decided to ignore his work in favor of watching his kit.Keith was getting frustrated. Why couldn't he grab the fabric? He felt like crying or whining but knew that would attract his Daddy's attention, and he didn't want to distract his Daddy. Keith pushed on the cushion, picked up his hand, and saw, to his delight, an easy to grab section of fabric. He quickly grabbed it and pushed down with that hand, while still holding onto the handful he had already grabbed. When he stopped pushing, a second roll of fabric appeared, prompting Keith to grab it. Now Keith didn't know what to do. He knew what he wanted but didn't know how to get there.As Thace watched his kit, he realized what Keith was trying to do. He was trying to climb up onto the couch! He thought it was a little ambitious of the kit, seeing as he didn't have any claws to aid him in his ascent. Thace was intrigued. Could his kit achieve his goal?Keith looked at the couch. If he could get his feet higher, could he get up there? Probably. Most likely, but the question was how to get his feet up higher. He lifted his left foot as high as he could but couldn't get it onto the couch. He foot slid down and caught on something hard and firm. He looked down and saw his foot was on the bottom of the couch where the cushions rested. He didn't know that was something he could use. He gripped the cushion firmer and raised himself up using his left foot and his hands until his right foot was on the same level as his left foot. He then lifted his left leg even higher and rested it on top of the cushion! He trilled at his accomplishment and pushed off with his right leg while pulling with his hands and catapulted himself fully onto the couch.Thace was almost beside himself with excitement for his kit. He had almost forgot to start recording this milestone until Keith had been gripping the couch with both hands. He ended the recording when Keith had made it onto the couch and sent it to the rest of the pack. Once it was sent, Thace looked back at his all too quiet kit only to find him laid out on the couch, fast asleep. Thace chuckled to himself. Apparently, the kit wanted to nap on the couch, which would explain his insistence on getting up there. He saved his work and transferred the files to his data pad before walking over to the couch and sitting next to his sleeping kit. He could continue his work while his kit slept.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Intentions and Family"Keith entered his ship after helping with a massive relief effort. He collapsed into his chair, his team entering the bridge at that point in time."We did a good job. The citizens were grateful," Acxa stated."That's good," Keith replied, unbraiding his hair. "Let's head back to Daibazaal to restock our supplies and update Kolivan and Krolia.""We have enough supplies to do a small-" Ezor started, only to be cut off by Keith's glare."We are meeting up with Kolivan and Mom." Keith stood up and walked off the bridge, hair flying behind him like a banner.The three new Blades
watched their team leader leave the bridge. Ezor's eyes flicked between the door exiting the bridge and her two comrades standing on her left. "Did he just say 'mom?'""You two didn't know?" Acxa asked."Know what?" Zethrid inquired."Krolia is Keith's mom."%%%Keith entered his room, unclasping his Blade leader uniform. He laid his knife on the low table near his nest. He sat down in his nest and put his head in his hands. He hadn't meant to sound cross with his team.A knock on his door disrupted his thoughts. "Come in."The door opened, and Acxa stuck her head in. "Is it safe?"Keith smiled. He liked how she tried to look after him when they weren't on a mission. He let her take control. "Yes, Acxa." She entered the room and paused at the edge of his nest in a silent question. "Come here."She entered the nest, and Keith tucked himself under her chin. "You miss your mom, don't you, Keith?"Keith let out a soft whine. "I do. I'm not meant to be a leader. I wasn't good at leading Voltron either of the two times, and I don't think I'm good at leading the Blades."Acxa nuzzled his head. "Krolia and Kolivan think you're doing a fine job.""How do you know?""They told me."
"When did you speak to them?""The last time we restocked our supplies. Your mother and Kolivan asked to speak to me in private.""About what?""About my intentions towards you.""And what are your intentions?""I love you, Keith." Acxa nuzzled his head.Keith smiled. "I love you, too, Acxa.""It's about time!"Keith and Acxa looked up from the nest to the door, where Ezor and Zethrid were peeking in."I always knew she liked the one with the flippity hair," Ezor stated.Acxa growled, but Keith laughed. "Get in here both of you." Zethrid and Ezor cautiously entered the room, still unsure of why Acxa was growling at them. "Acxa, please stop growling at the girls.""They shouldn't have been eavesdropping.""Probably not, but they would've been the first ones we told anyway." Keith looked at the rest of his team. "I apologize for being cross earlier. I was out of line.""Acxa explained when you left the bridge. We understand now," Zethrid said."We are a lot alike. We're all orphans in some way. True, not all of our parents died, but they were either too busy, extreme loyalists, or abandoned us for one reason or another," Acxa explained.Keith snuggled against Acxa before beckoning the rest of his team to enter his nest. The duo paused, unsure, until Keith said, "Get in here."Zethrid and Ezor carefully climbed into their leader's nest and were surprised when the other couple tugged them closer until they were in a cuddle pile. Zethrid and Acxa were side by side, each one holding their mate, who were leaning against them. Keith was tucked under Acxa's chin, lightly dozing, and Ezor was laying against Zethrid's chest. An unusual sound startled the three women until they realized that Keith was purring in his sleep. Acxa nuzzled Keith's head as she gently laid him down. She was going to watch over him until they arrived on Daibazaal.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Drawings and Cookies"Shiro couldn't believe this happened. He couldn't believe he was a little kid. Well, at least he wasn't alone. Matt had been with him as well. Voltron and the Coalition had be assisting a planet recover from an attack when the Galra returned for a second round. The fight was swift but brutal. Fortunately, the only injuries were to Shiro and Matt. Keith and Pidge had put them into cryopods and left to assist the citizens on the planet, leaving Coran and Allura to watch over them. The Galra had returned for a third round and targeted the castle this time, causing the power to go out. Fortunately, the backup generators came on only ticks after the power went out; however, that's all it took for the cryopods to turn Shiro and Matt into little kids. They had come out of the pods about the same time. Shiro opened his eyes, and they landed on a six-year-old brunette. "Mattie?"The brunette looked at him. "'Kashi?"That's as far as they got when the rest of Team Voltron came in. Keith approached the six-year-old Shiro and knelt down. "Shiro? What happened?""I don't know. Mattie and I were in the cryopods until a few moments before you came in.""The power had gone out while they were in there, but I have never heard of the cryopods doing this before," Allura replied."I'm sure we can figure this out," Coran insisted."But what are we supposed to do in the meantime?" Matt asked.Lance grinned. "I have an idea."%%%Shiro stared at the plain white paper and crayons in slight horror. Lance's idea was for them to color and draw? It...was somewhat tempting, if Shiro was being honest with himself, but he had never been an artist. That had been something he had been jealous of Keith about. Keith was quite the artist.Shiro looked across the table at Matt's paper. Matt was trying to draw something, but Shiro couldn't tell what it was supposed to be. Shiro supposed that he could try drawing something simple like a landscape. He picked up a blue crayon and proceeded to try to draw a beach scene.Lance had been sitting on a nearby couch, pretending to be engrossed in the Altean data pad that they were all given. In truth, he was watching the two six-year-olds drawing and coloring. Matt didn't seem to mind it too much, though the kid was no artist. Shiro seemed to be resisting acting like the six-year-old he was for the moment. Lance was starting to lose hope in getting Shiro to participate when the six-year-old grabbed a blue crayon. Lance inwardly fist pumped and quickly snapped a picture of the two boys and sent it to the other Paladins (making sure he didn't send it to Shiro's data pad).%%%Shiro was pretty proud of his drawing and wanted to show Keith but was embarrassed at acting like a kid. There was a slight blush on his cheeks as he held the picture to his chest. He watched as Matt showed Lance his picture, delight showing on the Blue Paladin's face. Shiro turned to see what Keith was doing, which was just observing the scene before him. Shiro walked over to his side. "Hi, Keith.""Hey, Shiro." Keith turned his head in the miniature leader's direction. "What'cha got there?"Shiro blushed a little. "Just a drawing I did.""Can I see it?"Shiro shrugged and handed it over. "Sure."Keith took the picture and was amazed at the drawing. He could tell it was a beach, and it was well done, especially since Keith was used to Shiro's usual level of skill. "This is really good, Shiro. I can tell you worked hard on it. You should be proud." He handed it back to the boy. "Maybe you are?"Shiro looked up at Keith's face and could tell he was joking with him with that last statement. He pushed on Keith. "Shut up."Keith grinned and ruffled Shiro's hair. "You're cute as a kid, Shiro.""So I have been told.""Why don't you act like a kid?""Because it's embarrassing."Suddenly, Matt ran up and grabbed Shiro's wrist. "'Kashi! Hunk said we could try some of his cookies that he just finished! Let's go!"Shiro couldn't help the way his eyes lit up. Hunk's baking was the best. He shyly looked up at Keith, who grinned. "Go on, and eat a cookie for me."Keith watched the two boys run off. He wasn't sure how long it was going to take Coran and Pidge to fix the issue, but maybe, just maybe, Shiro will learn to enjoy himself.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Sunburnt"In hindsight, Keith supposed he should have expected this, but he didn't. He loved being in the sun. It was one of the best things about being in the desert. The view of the sunset (and sunrise) from his Pop's shack was amazing and one of the best things about it. He had been smart and wore long sleeves and pants and put on sun screen, especially when he was searching for the strange energy, which ended up being from the Blue Lion.His pack had gone to a tropical planet to gather intel and supplies, but even five adults couldn't stop the three kits playing. They ended up playing in the water of a crystal clear lake, Keith showing off how well he swam. To his delight, Krolia, Acxa, and Regris were good swimmers too. Kolivan, Antok, Ulaz, and Thace were more reluctant to enter the water but were lured in by their kits' pleas.Kolivan had red stripes along his arms and torso. They reminded Keith of tiger stripes. Thace looked like a drowned purple cat with his long, purple fur. There was a starburst scar on the left side of his chest that was devoid of fur from where he had been shot during a botched mission.Ulaz was the one who was lucky due to his short fur. All of the other adult male Blades had long fur. Ulaz seemed to not be straying too far away from Thace. It was a side effect from their long term undercover mission at high command.Antok had a scar matching Kolivan's except it was across his left eye and had the same fur color as the leader. He had large furry ears and a strip of white fur on the top of his head, much like Ulaz.Regris was also the same color as Kolivan but was devoid of any lasting marks. He had pointed ears like Ulaz and headfur like Thace. He also had a habit of wrapping his tail around Keith; sometimes his waist, sometimes his leg, and other times his wrist. Right now, his tail was floating in the water.Keith was just having so much fun in the water and laying on the shore, letting the warmth dry him, that he didn't give any thought to the repercussions of doing so. The next morning, he regretted it immensely.He woke up in the nest to the feeling of slight pain where the blankets touch him, where his shirt was laying against him, and where Regris's tail was wrapped around his left leg. He reached down to unwrap his brother's tail and paused when he saw the redness of his legs and arms. His eyes widened as the events of
the previous day caught up to him. He all but leapt from the bed, dashing to the bathroom. He stared at his reflection in horror.
Hoping it wasn't
as bad as he was thinking, he took off his shirt, suppressing a hiss as the motion hurt as well as the shirt sliding off his abused skin. It didn't look any better. He inadvertantly let out a whine of dismay."Kit? What's wrong?" came Krolia's sleepy voice.Keith froze but couldn't not answer his mom. He mewled, "Mama..."Krolia's eyes popped open at Keith calling her 'mama' and widened in shock. "Kit!"Her shout woke up the rest of the pack that was still there (Kolivan and Antok were already up and gone from the nest)."What's going on?""Keith?""What happened?"The screech that came from Acxa when she caught sight of her twin was the worst. The rest of the pack then saw Keith still standing in the bathroom in his shorts with his skin no longer pale but a vivid red.Ulaz approached Keith but didn't touch Keith, which he was grateful for and dismayed about at the same time. He whined, "Kit, what happened?""It's a sunburn."Regris perked up. "You mentioned this before, right?""Yes. It hurts a lot." Keith whined.Thace whined in response. "And you turned red!"Acxa whimpered and tucked herself against her mom since she was still in the nest. She wanted to nuzzle Keith but knew it would hurt him, and that was the last thing she wanted to do."What can we do to help, kit?" Krolia asked, carding her claws through Acxa's hair."Unless you have a space version of aloe vera, I don't know.""Will we be able to snuggle?" Regris inquired.Keith shook his head sadly. "Not for the first few quintants. The sunburn makes my skin very sensitive to touch. Even my shirt was hurting me. I need to cool off somehow."Krolia tugged Regris against her other side to comfort him. "Go ahead and take a cool shower then, kit.""Since you are in pain, kit, I will go find some pain medications," Ulaz offered."Drinking water is good when you're sick, so I'll bring some so you don't have to leave the nest room," Thace mentioned.Keith nodded, and the pair of mates left the nest room to gather supplies for their hurt kit. Keith decided to take a long cool shower, and Krolia comforted the other two kits, lulling them into a light slumber that she herself followed them into. No one thought to inform the two highest ranking Blades that their youngest kit wasn't his normal self.The tick Keith left the shower, he gently patted himself dry but not completely. Leaving some moisture on his skin was important, especially during the first few quintants; that much he knew. He put on a pair of shorts but not a shirt as he didn't want anything pressing up against his burns.When he left the bathroom, a yowl caught his attention. He had never heard such a sound from any of his pack mates. Then, he was unceremoniously scooped up and carried out of the nest room. He looked up and saw Antok had picked him up. He squirmed uncomfortably and tried not to cry out, which was difficult. Even though, the largest Blade had a gentle hold on him, his back was still pressed against one of Antok's arms and there was a hand on his arm. Fortunately, the other arm was under his knees, which weren't sunburnt. A look to the side showed him that Kolivan was accompanying his mate to...Keith looked around and realized that they were taking him to the med bay. Keith huffed but remained otherwise quiet. At least, he
would get the pain meds quicker this way.Antok gently set Keith on an examination bed, while Kolivan fetched Ulaz. Antok carded his claws through Keith's hair while they waited. "I don't know how you changed color, kit, but I'm sure Ulaz will know how to fix you.""I know how this happened, Antok. I spent too much time in the sun yesterday. I already told the rest of the pack, but you and Kolivan were already gone when I woke up.""'Van and I had an early meeting to attend," Antok answered before Kolivan and Ulaz came over.Ulaz blinked when he saw Keith sitting there. "Kit, I thought you were going to stay in the nest?""That was the plan, but no one told these two about my sunburn. One of them made a sound I have never heard before. I hope it didn't wake up Regris or Acxa or Mom won't be happy."Kolivan's ears pinned back. He had been distressed when he saw his youngest kit was a different color that he just reacted without thinking and not thinking about the consequences. He hoped he hadn't disturbed the pack's other two kits."Well, since you're here, you can have this pain medication." Ulaz approached Keith with a syringe in his hand. Surprisingly, Keith flinched away from Ulaz, causing the pale doctor to pause. "Keith?""Is-is there another way to take it?""Afraid not, kit. This medicine is most effective when injected."When Keith gave a mewl of dismay, Kolivan turned Keith's head away from the sight of Ulaz with the syringe, burying his face in his uniform. "It's better not to witness it, kit," he said as he gave Ulaz a nodUlaz quickly injected the medication into his kit's arm, and Keith slumped against Kolivan's chest. At Kolivan's questioning gaze, Ulaz explained, "I added a hypnotic-sedative to the medication, since I didn't think Keith would be able to rest without it. Let's take him back to the nest. He mentioned something called aloe vera. Maybe it will help his burn.""Perhaps the Paladins know of this substance," Antok suggested as he scooped up their kit."I can call them when we get back to the nest room," Ulaz replied.The group re-entered the nest, and Antok laid Keith down in the nest near his other kits and their mom, who were all still thankfully dozing. Acxa and Regris were curled up with each other on one side of their mom, leaving a spot next to Krolia for Keith to settle into. Krolia instinctively and sleepily nosed Keith's hair, eliciting a sleepy purr from the youngest kit.Ulaz pulled out his data pad and contacted the castle ship. Shiro was the one who answered. "Hello, Ulaz."Ulaz smiled. He like the human he saved from the arena and was his second favorite Paladin. "Hello, Shiro. I need some help."Shiro sat a little straighter. "What's the matter?""What is aloe vera, and where can we acquire some?"The question was met with silence until there was light snickering from the background. Suddenly, Lance appeared over Shiro's shoulder. "Did Mullet get a sunburn? I have to see!"Shiro nudged Lance in the ribs. "Lance does have a point. Aloe does work but only on types of burns. May I see Keith please?"Ulaz hesitated but relented. "All right, but he won't wake because I gave him a sedative to ensure he wouldn't be in more pain while the medicine I gave him started working."Ulaz turned the data pad to face the pile of kits with their mother. It was startling to see him with red skin instead of his trademark pale. Lance sucked in a breath through his teeth. "Ouch. That looks like it hurts!"The Blue Paladin's words disturbed the three Blades who were still awake. Kolivan asked, "Have you ever had a sunburn, Blue Paladin?"Lance shuffled a little nervously for some reason. "Uh, no, but a few of my friends have, and they told me it was very painful."
"So, back to the aloe vera. What is it, and where do we acquire it?" Antok questioned."Aloe is a plant back on Earth, whose sap helps soothe the heat of a sunburn. People still have it stocked in their houses," Pidge answered. "Matt and I used it all the time. It's a cooling gel, if that helps.""What else can we do to help Keith?" Ulaz asked as Thace walked in, carrying a jug of water and setting it down near the nest."Well, drinking more water is a good thing," Hunk remarked.Thace all but ignored the Paladins in favor of checking on his kit. He didn't do much more than grooming his hair, though. Even though Keith was in a medically induced sleep, Thace didn't want to cause any more distress for his kit. He just ignored the conversation happening mere feet from him, grooming his kit's hair.%%%After ending the conversation with the Paladins with less than stellar information, the Blades stayed in the nest room, waiting for Keith to wake up. Ulaz reached over and hovered a hand above Keith's skin but not touching it. He sighed as he pulled back his hand. "At least, he's not radiating heat anymore.""That's good," Antok commented. He had been worried about how hot his kit felt when he had picked him up.A soft whimper interrupted their whispered conversation. Everyone turned to look at the youngest kit, who was just opening his eyes. Krolia scooted closer and carded her claws through her kit's hair. "Are you feeling any better, kit?""A little, Mama. I don't feel as hot, but it still hurts."Krolia longed to hold him close and comfort him, but she knew it would cause more harm, which was the last thing she wanted to do. "I understand, kit.""How long was I out?""You were asleep for a couple of vargas," Ulaz spoke up."I guess I was more tired than I thought." Keith let out a little mewl, directed at Krolia.Krolia answered with a questioning sound to which Keith replied with a whine. Krolia rumbled to Keith, who all but launched himself into her arms. Despite it hurting a bit, it still felt good to be held by his mother. Krolia purred to her youngest, trying to make sure she wasn't pressing against his reddened skin.Keith was reluctant to leave the nest due to his appearance, and his pack was content to let him stay put. Krolia was the one who stayed with her kit on a consistent basis, though the Dads checked up on him constantly. This continued for nearly a phoeb with the only sign of healing being that Keith's skin wasn't as red as the day before. That was until Keith started peeling.It was another thing he should have warned his pack about, but hindsight was always twenty-twenty. It once again started in the morning. Keith got up and looked at himself in the mirror as his routine had been for the past phoebe. His smile was wide as he saw the beginnings of his skin peeling. He carefully bounded back into the nest and began picking at his skin. For some reason, he found it therapeutic to pull large swatches of the dead skin off, content in the knowledge that as soon as he had pulled off the rest of his dead skin he would be back to normal. As he grabbed and pulled a rather large swatch of dead skin off, he heard a cacophony coming from the rest of the nest. He could make out a screech, a yowl, and a mewl of dismay. He paused, turned his head, and looked at his pack mates. He could tell his sister screeched, Kolivan had yowled, and his mom mewled by just the sounds. "What?""Kit, what is going on?""Humans aren't supposed to shed their skin!""Did we not care for his sunburn right? Is our kit dying?"Keith let out a little laugh before he purred to his pack. They froze as they heard his purr. It had been awhile since he had purred to them, being in too much pain to do so. "This is normal. When a human's skin gets sunburnt, it's just quicker and easier to grow new skin underneath and then shed the outermost layer.""So, you're not dying?" Thace repeated.Keith smiled. "No. As soon as this dead skin gets peeled off, I will be all healed up."Regris came closer and watched as Keith pulled off another swatch. "It doesn't hurt?""Nope. I don't feel anything more than a slight tug." Keith continued pulling off pieces and depositing them into an nearby trash can.
After seeing how interested his brother was, Keith told him, "I'm going to need some help reaching some places on my back and someone to make sure I got everything off."Regris grinned. "I can help with that!"Even with Regris helping him, it was still a rough few quintants for Keith (and technically the rest of his pack) before the peeling stopped. The last quintant right before the night cycle saw Keith in the middle of a humongous cuddle pile in the nest. He was on top of Kolivan with Regris and Acxa cuddled up next to him, the former's tail was wrapped around Keith's left leg. Antok was under Regris with his tail curled around Keith's waist. Krolia had Acxa laying on top of her, and her claws were buried in her youngest kit's hair. Thace and Ulaz were crowded around Keith's head, Thace above Antok and Regris and Ulaz above Krolia and Acxa. Ulaz nuzzled Keith's neck, while his mate groomed the longer strands of Keith's hair. Keith was so relaxed he was lulled to sleep, his purrs filling the nest room.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Gravidity"Krolia was nervous; Kolivan could tell. He nuzzled her head, grooming her headfur in order to calm her down. They were waiting for Keith to come. They had asked him to come alone once his team of Blades finished with their current relief mission. He sounded confused but promised he would come to see them. They had some news for him and hoped he was very open about it. Krolia whimpered slightly, leaning against her mate. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders tightly as he continued to groom her headfur. Krolia and Kolivan had been officially bonded for a deca-phoebe. Keith had been at their ceremony, but it had been five phoebes since they had seen Keith. Krolia disliked being separated from her son, even moreso now that she was expecting. Pregnant Galra have an intense desire to have their family with them. Her instincts had been getting stronger the past two phoebes. Finally, Keith would be back within the varga, and her instincts would be sated."Mom?"Krolia's head shot up, narrowly missing Kolivan's head. "Keith!"Keith pushed open the doors leading to their room and paused at the sight of his mom with a round stomach. "Mom?""Keith, my kit, come here," Krolia urged, opening her arms.Keith couldn't deny his Mom's request and tucked himself against her side. She nosed his hair, taking comfort in his scent. Once her instincts were calmed down, she gently grasped one of his hands and placed it on her rounded belly. His eyes widened slightly, and his ears flicked back. Krolia smiled at her son's appearance. He finally had a few of Galran features that showed up. His ears were fluffy that reminded her of Kolivan's, and he had purple cheek stripes and small fangs (that fit in his mouth). He grinned, and his ears flicked up. "You're pregnant?" At her nod, he grinned even wider. "That's great!""You're not upset?"Keith nuzzled his mother's head. "Of course not! I get a sibling!"Krolia tucked her eldest against her, nuzzling him. Keith was startled by another head nuzzling him. It was Kolivan. "Thank you, kit. Your mother feared that you would think that she was replacing you."Keith whined at that statement. Krolia looked at him. "You'd never replace me, Mom. No matter how many kits you have, I got the honor of being your first.""Keith."He purred to her, easing the tenseness in her shoulders. She melted against her eldest and her mate, purring back to her son."So, am I getting a brother or a sister?""I'm having another boy," Krolia replied, her purr still audible in her voice."What's his name going to be?""I was thinking about the name...Yorak."Keith tried to contain his amusement, but it came out as a snort. Kolivan eyed Keith warily, his ears flicking in confusion. "Yorak is a wonderful name. Why do you scoff?"Keith chuckled. "Mom tried to name
me
Yorak, and then, we had considered trying to name my wolf, and she once again brought up the name."Krolia huffed good naturedly. "The name will be used one way or another.""Wasn't it your father's name?" Kolivan inquired.Keith froze at the question. Had his mother been trying to pass down the name of someone who had meant a lot to her? He managed to tuck himself under his mother's chin while sitting beside her. He didn't want to crowd his brother by sitting on her lap like he did on the space whale. "I'm sorry, Mom. I never knew how much the name meant to you."She purred to him. "It's all right, my kit. You didn't know, and I didn't say anything about it."Keith nuzzled his mom. "I think Yorak would be a great name for my little brother."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Bodyguard"Keith turned around quickly, his right hand flying to the hilt of his hidden Marmora blade. Not unsheathing it yet, his amber and violet eyes flicked left and right. Seeing nothing, he let out a breath he wasn't aware that he had been holding. Suddenly, a hand shot out and covered his mouth."Quiet. We wouldn't want to attract the guards," a silky voice whispered in one of his fluffy ears before the hand slid down to his chest."Very amusing, your highness. I am
one of the guards."The hand retreated, and a boy of seventeen with star kissed hair, blue eyes, and blue Altean marks under his eyes stepped out of the shadows. He sauntered over to the half-Galra and practically draped himself over him. "You are my
personal bodyguard, Keith. Why are you out here?""Because you requested me to be," came the flat reply."Come inside with me," Lance requested, a hand rubbing one of the fluffy ears.Keith couldn't stop the purr rising in his throat even if he wanted to. He purred, nuzzling the hand of his lover. "As you wish, your highness."Lance stopped rubbing Keith's ear, eliciting a whine from the guard. Lance chuckled. "Such a spoiled kitty. Come with me, and I'll rub your ears some more."Keith offered his hand to Lance, who wound his arms around Keith's arm. Keith escorted Lance back inside the castle, making sure no one spotted them. As the prince's personal bodyguard, he was allowed to stay inside the prince's room and do whatever it took to keep the prince safe, including using his body as a shield in the event of an attack. Keith and Lance became close as an effect, neither of them complaining. It was a close bond that only came from two beings that spent almost every moment together.When Keith initially realized that he had fallen for his charge, he had gone to his close friend and mentor, Shiro, and asked what he should do. Shiro advised him to go to the king and tell him about his feelings for Lance. Nervously, Keith did so, believing he was going to be beheaded for his transgression. Surprisingly, King Alfor smiled. He had been expecting this and told Keith that he had his blessings to continue as Lance's personal bodyguard and as his lover, though Alfor expected him to propose soon.Once Keith and Lance got to their room, Keith closed and locked the door behind them. He brought Lance over to the bed and took off his outer shirt. The prince always wore too many clothes (in Keith's opinion) when they were together. Lance tapped Keith's armor. "Do not forget to take this off. I don't want to feel armor while we're sleeping.""Of course, my love." Keith purred. Lance felt his Altean marks glow, which they did when he felt strong emotions. Lance watched as Keith took off his armor and even stripped off the top of his uniform, leaving him in his pants and boots, the latter of which came off next. He stashed his Marmora blade under the pillows on Lance's bed.When Keith turned back to the prince, Lance pushed him back onto the bed. He landed with a bounce, and Lance landed next to him. Lance gathered Keith into his arms and petted him, rubbing his ears as well, leaving his guard a purring mess on his lap. Keith loved the feeling of Lance's hands all over him, and he would return the favor, just not at that moment.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Marks"Keith hurriedly rushed through the halls of the Blade of Marmora headquarters, followed by his mother. After the fight with the clone Shiro, Keith requested a period of time with his pack. Allura understood and opened up a wormhole outside the twin black holes and giant blue star setup that protected the base.It didn't take long to reach the room that held the nest belonging to the four highest ranking Blades, Krolia, and Keith. The door opened, and Keith all but dove into the nest, pleased that his entire pack was waiting for him and his mom.A whine caught Keith's attention as he entered the nest. He locked eyes with his pack as he let out a questioning noise. A tail tugged Keith closer and onto Antok's lap, where Keith settled with a soft purr."What happened, kit?""Does it hurt?""Who hurt you? I'll kill them!""If you let him answer, you would have your answer!" Krolia snapped as she entered the nest, settling next to her kit's head. Keith purred in greeting to his mom. "Hello, my kit. You're going to have to explain your burn carefully, so the others won't go off after the one responsible.""Kind of hard to go after the one responsible since I took care of him already," Keith retorted."Please explain what happened, kit," Kolivan requested.Keith sighed. "So, the Shiro we found was a clone being controlled by Haggar. To make a long story short, I ended up having to fight him, and he gave me this burn. I won after that, and now, we have the real Shiro back. This doesn't hurt anymore."Antok carefully and gently stroked the burn that stretched across his cheek. "This looks similar to your mother's cheek stripes."Krolia stroked her kit's hair. "I hadn't noticed before, but you're right, Antok."Thace came closer and sat down behind Krolia but still within petting distance of Keith. Kolivan was on Keith's other side, the leader sitting next to his mate. Ulaz was sitting directly beside Keith near Krolia. Thace began grooming Krolia's headfur, eliciting a purr from his surrogate sister his while his mate nuzzled Keith's neck, earning a purr from the kit. Kolivan, whose braid had been undone by his mate, was stroking Keith's cheek; however, it wasn't the one with his burn, especially since Antok was still stroking it."You told us about that one, kit, but what caused this one?" Kolivan asked."What are you talking about? I only got one burn.""Then, this mark must be a sign of your Galra heritage, kit," Kolivan reasoned, still stroking the mark on his left cheek."Why would it show up now?" Keith questioned."Maybe it's a sign of you becoming more at ease with your instincts or maybe because your mother is back in your life. Whatever the reason, it suits you," Ulaz replied.Krolia paused stroking her kit's hair to groom it. Keith's purr turned up in volume. "So, I look a bit more like you, Mom? I like it."Krolia went back to stroking her kit's hair. "So do I, kit. So do I."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Vacation"It had been a deca-phoebe since Kolivan had suggested that his pack take a vacation, but it had taken that long to coordinate everyone's schedules and to locate an uninhabited, peaceful planet. Kolivan wanted to make sure the planet was uninhabited, because Lotor was still considered the prince of the Empire by everyone who wasn't a Blade. However, after all his work, Kolivan was finally able to take his pack on a much needed vacation.It wasn't easy to get eleven beings into a pod and off to the uninhabited planet he found, but his pack members wanted to make sure their kits (and Krolia) got to relax, especially after that horrific nightmare that Krolia had the previous deca-phoebe. Even though she knew her son was safe, she continued to have the nightmare, but at least it wasn't every night. Keith understood his mom was suffering, so he made sure he was at least close enough for her to see his cheek stripes, if not in her arms.Antok quickly piloted the pod to the planet with his son as co pilot. It was exciting for the kit as he had only piloted simulators before. He was very focused and followed all of his Dad's directions. Antok was very pleased with his kit's performance. So much so, he let him land the pod, which he did splendidly.Kolivan, Antok, Ulaz, and Thace unloaded the heavy supplies, while the kits carried the lighter (and less fragile) supplies. Taulol and Krolia scouted the area for a place to set up camp. The two adult females found a gorgeous location nearby that was near a lake and had a forest in the opposite direction.They helped the rest of their pack adults set up the large tent and a couple smaller ones (in case someone needed some one on one time). Keith and Acxa went with Ulaz into the forest to collect firewood, while Lotor and Ezor collected stones from the edge of the lake to line the fire pit. Regris assisted Thace in building the smaller nests before the entire pack joined together to build their familial nest.Afterwards, Taulol, Kolivan, and Antok took the kits swimming in the lake with Kolivan staying in the shallows for whichever kit didn't want to swim too far into the lake, which happened to be Lotor at that moment. Kolivan introduced his kit to skipping rocks, issuing the warning of never aiming the rocks in his siblings' direction.
Lotor got really good at skipping rocks. He enjoyed the one-on-one time with his father.After a leisurely swim in the lake (and skipping rocks), the sun was starting to set, and the kits dried off and gathered around their mom, who already had a fire going and a pile of blankets for anyone to use. It was a well-known fact that only one of her precious kits got cold easily, but all five of them enjoyed snuggling under a warm blanket. As the kit who got cold easily, Keith cuddled up against his mom, who carded her claws through his hair. Between the warmth he was surrounded by and the repetitive motion of his mother's claws, it was no surprise that Keith dozed off, softly purring in his sleep. Krolia smiled as she heard Keith's purr. Even a full deca-phoebe after her initial nightmare, little things that reminded her that her youngest kit was there and still remembered everything and everyone gave her peace of mind. Seeing her twin dozing against their mom caused Acxa to snuggle against Keith, laying her head on his shoulder, and was lulled to sleep by his soft purring.Antok was sitting next to Krolia and stroked her back with his tail, while his kit was cuddled up next to him. The largest Blade asked her, "Krolia, are you doing better?"Slightly surprised by the question, Krolia let out a questioning noise, one similar to the ones her kits made on a consistent basis. Ulaz chuckled. "This vacation wasn't just for the kits. This was for you too.""We noticed you keep having the same nightmare about Keith off and on for the past deca-phoebe. We knew this was a necessary thing. Getting out of the base is what you're used to and is something you don't get anymore. So, we are trying something to see if it helps you," Thace replied, tugging Ezor firmly against his side.Krolia looked around at her pack. Each of her eldest kits were cuddled up against their Dad and her twins were snuggled up against her. Taulol was on the other side of Acxa, lightly grooming the youngest girl. Everyone was so relaxed, which brought a smile to her face. "Yes. This is so nice; my family relaxing together without thinking about the war going on, enjoying each other's company.""Go ahead and rest, Krolia. We're safe here," Kolivan told her. He didn't want her to worry, so he added softly, "Antok and I are going to stand guard tonight."%%%The sun's rays broke through the trees and lit up the small Galra camp. The kits moaned as the bright light landed on their faces. Some time during the night, the kits had gravitated towards their mom and each other, and they were a tangle of limbs. Somehow, Keith ended up on the bottom of the pile. The Dads took a bunch of pictures of the kits trying to untangle themselves.Once the kits straightened themselves out and breakfast was over, the kits rested by the lake for a little, sorting stones into piles of 'good for skipping,' 'pretty,' and 'unique.' When all the kits were done, the Dads, Krolia, and Taulol took the kits on a hike. There were a lot of things the kits liked. They saw lots of plants, which delighted not only Regris but Ulaz and Kolivan as well.
The animals excited Ezor, Acxa, Taulol, and Antok. Lotor, Keith, Krolia, and Thace appreciated the quietness and serenity of nature in general. The nature hike lasted all day and into the night. They ate dinner before heading back to their camp, unaware of a pair of yellow eyes following their trek.%%%The Empire loyalist was a lower officer in the Empire's army. Rhyndas was out to make a name for himself and prove himself in the eyes of the higher ups of the Empire. He had just by chance stopped by an uninhabited planet to make plans and had to hide from a large pack that was apparently on a vacation. He had been all set to ignore them until he recognized one of the kits. It was the exiled prince of the Empire, Lotor!
If he was able to return the prince to the Emperor, he might get the recognition he felt he deserved. He slunk back into the shadows. This was going to take some planning.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Mothers"Krolia was sitting at the foot of Keith's bed, waiting for him to wake up. She had been scared for her kit's life when their luxite blade started flickering. Fortunately, the light never went out fully, even though it dimmed significantly during the flight to Earth. Kolivan had piloted the ship there while Krolia cradled the knife to her chest, whispering for Keith to hang on, to fight for his life. They were fortunate to make it in time, but the Garrison were almost down a few officers as they attempted to stop Krolia from seeing her son. The bloodshed was halted when Shiro, on his way to a press conference, explained everything. Now, she was waiting to see her kit's beautiful eyes open back up.Just then, a woman in the Garrison's drab gray uniform walked into Keith's room, mostly ignoring the two Galra in the room. Krolia studied the woman who went over to Keith's head and gently brushed his bangs out of his face while being careful of his bandages. This woman looked an awful lot like Pidge...and Matt. Krolia knew that Matt and Keith were mates, so was this Colleen Holt? The same Colleen Holt Keith had told her about while they traveled through the Quantum Abyss, who took care of her son when she was unable to. Krolia had to make sure."Are you Colleen Holt?"Colleen turned from Keith to look at the two Galra in the room. Sam had told her that these two specifically were allies and close with Keith, which was why they were in the room with the boy she considered a son. "Yes. I am. What are your names?""I am Kolivan, leader of the Blade of Marmora.""I am Krolia, co-leader of the Blade of Marmora and Keith's mother."Colleen bristled at the admission. "You're the woman who abandoned this sweet boy!""I was trying to protect him and his father from the Galra Empire!""A lot of good that did when his father died early in his childhood, and he had grown up in Foster Care until Sam and I took him in!"The two females were so busy arguing with each other that they didn't see Keith's eyes open or Kolivan slipping out of the room after locking eyes with the hurt kit.Keith woke to two angry female voices, recognizing them easily as his two mothers. He reached out and put a hand on top of Colleen's hand. "Mama Colleen, please don't be mad at Mom. She was just protecting me.""Keith!" Krolia and Colleen chorused, both coming to stand by the head of Keith's bed."I was so worried, kit. When our blade flickered, I feared the worst." Krolia nuzzled Keith's neck, not wanting to disturb the bandages around his head. "I couldn't stand the thought of losing the person I most love.""I'm sorry I worried you, Mom. Black tried to absorb most of the shock, so I wouldn't be as hurt, but she couldn't do everything. Red even tried to help a little, since she crashed nearby. She was able to shield Lance almost entirely, so she was able to help me a little too." Keith turned to Colleen. "I'm glad you're here, Mama Colleen. Are Pidge, Matt, and Dad okay?""Everyone is fine, honey. Sam should be stopping by soon."%%%Kolivan stepped out into the hall and breathed a sigh of relief. He was wise enough to not put himself in the middle of two women, no two mothers
fighting. He shook his head. He was just glad that the kit was going to be okay.Sam stepped out of Pidge's room and headed down the hall to Keith's room. He was surprised to see Kolivan standing outside
of Keith's room. The leader of the Blades had been a silent figure inside
Keith's room. Keith had told Sam about Kolivan and how he cared for Keith when he could. He told him that even though Kolivan looked cold, he was quite loving. Sam was glad that Keith had people that loved him while he was in space. He stopped in front of Kolivan and nodded his head. "Kolivan.""Sam." Kolivan liked this particular Garrison official. Keith had told him all about him when they had some down time at headquarters. Kolivan had taken Keith under his wing and into his pack, since he discovered Keith was a kit and neither of them had a pack. Kolivan had had one, but they had all perished in the war. Kolivan pushed all the melancholy thoughts away. He could get lost in them later; right now, he had to be strong for his kit."Is Keith awake yet?""Yes."Sam blinked. "Then, why are you out here and not in there with him?""I do not wish to be in the same room as Krolia and Colleen."Realization dawned on Sam. Keith had also told him about finding his biological mother in space. Even though Sam had been upset that Keith's mother had abandoned him (twice), Keith told him that she had been protecting him and that she was helping him, and they had reconnected as mother and son, but that didn't mean that he was going to toss away the connection he had with the Holts either.Sam tiptoed to the door, bracing himself to race in there in case he had to wrestle apart the two moms. He wasn't prepared for what he actually saw. On one side of Keith, holding a cup of water with a straw in it, was his wife, and on the other side of him, nuzzling his neck, was Krolia. The sound coming from Keith was one that he hadn't heard in awhile. Keith was purring. Sam stepped back from the door, not wanting to intrude on the moms doting on their son."Frightening, aren't they?" Kolivan asked. Sam was pretty sure he and Kolivan had seen two very
different scenes.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Lionesses and Their Cubs"Allura stared in shock. There on the training deck were the robot lions, but they appeared as real lionesses, and the Paladins, but they appeared as lion cubs. It was easy to see who was who. The lionesses were the same color as their mechanical selves, and the Paladins matched their lion. However, there were some defining characteristics each Paladin retained.Shiro was black, still had the scar over his nose, the metal arm (though now it was his front right paw), kept his grey eyes, and had his white floof. Keith was red, had his purple eyes and his tuft of hair was black. Lance was blue, had his blue eyes, and his tuft was brown. Pidge was green with light green fur around her brown eyes, and she had no tuft. Hunk was yellow, had his brown eyes, and his tuft was dark brown. Each Paladin's tail had a tuft of hair at the end. Shiro's and Keith's were black, Lance's was brown, Pidge's was a lighter brown, and Hunk's was a dark brown. Shiro was the largest of the cubs with Hunk and Lance behind him, leaving Keith and Pidge as the smallest.Allura rubbed her eyes as if she thought she was seeing things. The scene before her didn't change. Suddenly, a growl drew her attention as Lance pounced on Keith, and the two cubs were sent tumbling. Obviously, Keith didn't want to play with Lance as he whimpered. Red Lion swiftly extracted Keith from the pile (by his scruff) and tucked him between her paws, licking his head gently. Lance sat up and cocked his head, staring at his rival/team mate in confusion, until Blue came over and gently nuzzled Lance. Once the blue cub was sufficiently calmed, Blue picked him up by the scruff and carried him over to Allura. Blue gently placed Lance in her arms, and Lance proceeded to rub his cheek against the princess's. "What happened?"The princess's voice caught everyone's attention. The rest of the Paladins immediately bounded over to her with their lions following at a much more subdued pace. She scooped up the rest of her Paladins, settling them in her arms. However, it was a tight fit. Hunk took the opportunity to wriggle himself free and jump onto her left shoulder, prompting Pidge to do the same with her right shoulder and leaving Shiro, Keith, and Lance to dangle in her arms. Shiro looked slightly disgruntled at his back feet not being supported as Keith and Lance glared at each other."Please be careful with my cub!" a voice startled Allura.She looked around until she saw Red looking at her. "Red, was that you?""Yes. Be careful with my cub."Allura gently placed all of the cubs down, only for Lance to jump back into her arms, satisfied to have her all to himself. Allura petted Lance and asked, "What happened to them?""We're not entirely certain. We could feel something going on through our bonds, which allowed us to transform into these forms," Black replied. "We were able to locate our Paladins easily enough. We brought them here, so it would be easier to watch over them, and they would have a lot of room to move."Allura surveyed the other Paladins as they interacted with their lion. Hunk was trying to pounce on Yellow's constantly moving tail, Shiro was sitting beside Black looking up at her, Pidge was draped over Green's back with her tail swishing back and forth, and Keith was sitting between Red's paws, where she had tucked him when Allura set them down. "Is there a reason Red is so protective over Keith?""He is my cub; always has been and always will be, and now he looks the part," was Red's reply."Can they talk?""Yes. We can each hear our particular Paladin but not each other's," Blue responded. "Lance, come here please.""But, Blue-" Lance lifted his head and looked at his lion."None of that, Lancey Lance.""Yes, Blue." Lance rubbed his cheek against Allura's again before nimbly leaping to the floor."Black, can I go talk to Keith?" Shiro asked."Can you cubs understand each other?""I don't know, but I can tell something's not right. Maybe he knows why?""Let us both go over. Maybe I can still understand him. If nothing else, Red and I can translate for you two." Black and Shiro stood up and walked over to Red and Keith.Shiro approached the red cub. "Keith, can you understand me?""Shiro!" Keith darted out from between Red's paws and tucked himself under his friend's chin."It's okay, Keith. I'm sure we can think of something to reverse this. That's what Pidge is doing." Shiro gestured at the green cub, who had a faraway look in her eyes, with his tail."I don't want to be stuck like this," Keith whispered. Red ducked her head and gently licked Keith's head."It'll be okay, cub. Why don't you and Shiro go play?"Keith looked up at Shiro. "Do you want to?""If you want to, Keith."Keith and Shiro stepped away from their lions before Keith tackled Shiro. The two cubs tousled and tumbled with each other, Shiro making sure that he didn't hurt the other cub. Their playing caught Lance's attention, and he whined at Blue.Blue nuzzled Lance. "What's wrong, Lancey Lance?""Why didn't Keith want to play with me, but he's willing to play with Shiro?""I don't know. Perhaps he thought you were actually fighting and not playing?"Lance whined again. "I don't want to fight him. I thought we were friends with a competitive streak.""Maybe you need to ask him instead of just tackling him."
"Okay." Lance walked over to where Shiro and Keith were tumbling and waited until they were done.Red was standing nearby and looked at Lance sitting by himself near the two playing cubs. She walked over and laid down near him. "Lance, can you understand me?"Lance looked up at Red. "Red?""What's wrong, little cub?" Red started grooming the little blue cub."I wanted to play with Keith, but he didn't seem like he wanted to. Now, he's playing with Shiro."Red realized that Lance hadn't been trying to start a fight like Keith had thought. She stopped grooming Lance and picked him up by the scruff and deposited him in the middle between Shiro and Keith, both of whom had paused to catch their breath.Keith cocked his head in slight confusion. "Lance? Red?"Red gently nudged Lance forward with her tail. "I'm sorry about earlier, Keith. I wasn't trying to fight.""You weren't?""No. I was wanting to play. Can we?"Keith perked up. "I'd love to. Shiro, do you want to join us?""Sure." Shiro bounded closer to the other two cubs and carefully tackled them.Black, Red, and Blue were watching their cubs play. Red was nervous about her cub getting hurt, because he was so much smaller than the other two. Blue was more relaxed once Lance was drawn into the group. Black was a little worried about why all of the Paladins were cubs and hoped the Green Paladin could come up with a solution.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"The Rescue"Thace blinked at the console on his ship. That was a distress signal that was used by only members of the Blade of Marmora, but why would it come from a primitive planet? However, he couldn't ignore a distress signal. He flew quickly to a beautiful blue and green planet, following the distress signal. Thace stayed above the white clouds until he was almost on top of the distress signal.He suddenly found himself face to face with an Empire ship. He immediately shot the ship down before landing in the desert. There didn't seem to be anything around, except for a house and a smaller building nearby. The house was slightly smoking and looked like part of it had collapsed. Thace exited his ship and approached the house. He pried the door open and peered into the darkened house, looking for the Blade who sent the distress signal."Hello? This is the Blade of Marmora. Is anyone here?" Thace called out but didn't get any response. He continued his search for another half a varga before he found someone. However, she was dead. Thace knelt down next to her, recognizing her immediately. It was Lieutenant Krolia! Tears jumped to his eyes, but fortunately, they didn't blur his vision because there was a blood trail that didn't come from Krolia. Thace quickly followed the trail, which led to the smaller building. He knocked on the door, calling out, "Hello? This is the Blade of Marmora. I am Krolia's pack mate. Is there someone in here?"A groan from inside caught Thace's attention before the door swung open. The scent of blood was thick in the air. There weren't too many places the person inside could hide. The door closed behind him, and there was a loud thump. Thace turned around and saw an alien laying on the ground. He was bleeding heavily from a deep wound in his side. He knelt down. "Are you okay?""No, but...it's too late for...me. Krolia died to give me...a chance to get...away with our son, but I...won't be able to...make it much longer. My son needs...someone to watch him. Please...take care of...my boy.""Daddy?"Thace took his eyes off the man for a tick when he heard the little voice. There was a little boy with pale peach skin color, black hair, no claws, no fangs, and strange dull looking purple eyes. "Hello, little one.""Daddy?""Keith, Daddy won't...be able to stay with you. You have to...go with-""Thace.""Go with Thace. He...worked with your...Mama. He'll take real good...care of you. Be a good boy, and remember Mama and...Daddy love you."Thace could tell the man was close to the end of his life and called out, "Keith, come here please."Keith toddled over and reached out with a hand. His hand came into contact with Thace's uniform. "Up?"Thace picked him up and was surprised when Keith patted his cheek before wrapping his tiny arms around his neck. When Thace put an arm around Keith's waist, Thace was surprised once more to find a sheathed blade secured there. "What's this?""Krolia...left her blade...for Keith."Thace was astonished that the man was still alive. "So he is part Galra?""Yes. Please leave...so he doesn't see me die."Thace tucked Keith's head into his uniform and left the shack. He carried the little boy into his ship. Thace kept Keith on his lap as he set the ship to fly back to headquarters. To distract the kit, Thace asked, "So, Keith, how old are you?""Three!""You're such a little thing, aren't you, kit?""Not little.""It's not a bad thing, kit. Are you tired? You can take a nap if you'd like."Keith curled up in Thace's lap, yawning.
He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. He was making little sounds in his sleep that Thace recognized as typical, content Galran kit noises. He sighed in relief, mentally preparing for the confrontation of the rest of his pack, especially his mate, Ulaz.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Purr or Hum?"Red practically pranced into Black's hangar, which confused the larger lion. "What has you in such a good mood?""I just had a wonderful time with my new Paladin. I cuddled him, purring, and he even purred back! How lovely!"Black was exasperated. "Bloody hell, Red, I've had enoug- wait you said he purred?"Red was still happy. "Yup and-"Black interrupted, "Red," she sighed. "Humans by a biological standpoint can't purr.""But-" Red started."So, maybe, Red, he was humming, but not purring. Sorry to break it to you." Black flicked her tail at the smaller lion.Leaving Black's hangar, Red thought to herself, 'Hehehe. Well, my paladin isn't entirely human.'%%%Red had just come back from saving her Paladin from the Trials of Marmora. She had been worried for her cub, having such a close bond with him. So, when Black invited her to rest in her hangar, she couldn't resist.When Red laid down in her hangar, Black asked, "Are you okay, Red?""Yes." She sounded tired yet proud. "I knew
my Paladin wasn't completely human!""True. He isn't completely human, but that still doesn't mean he can purr," Black insisted.Red sniffed. "I know what I heard. He can
purr."%%%Black was surprised when Keith made his way to her a couple quintants after she chose him to be her new Paladin. She allowed him to enter her mouth and sit down in the pilot's seat. He sighed and closed his eyes. She was surprised to feel a gentle prodding at the new bond they shared. She tentatively opened it up and allowed him to go through. She met him in the space where lion and Paladin can interact freely. Keith appeared as a little child and she as a large, fluffy, black lioness. He leaned against her, burying his face in her fur. She slowly laid down, allowing him to curl up against her. She purred to him, lulling him to sleep. To her immense astonishment, he purred back! Red was right!%%%The next quintant, Black joined Red in her hangar. "Red! Red! You were right! He purrs!""Is it too early to tell you I told you so?" Red sounded so smug, but that couldn't put a damper on Black's good mood."I adore this little one!"Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Disturbances"The Blades were pleased. They were staying at the Castle of Lions with their kit, who was finally acting a little like a kit. Well, he was, when he wasn't on a mission. They knew he was a Paladin, but he finally accepted that there were things that he needed as a Galran kit, like more sleep. He was so sweet, napping in their nest, soft purrs escaping him. The Blades would have loved to keep their kit company, but the rest of the Paladins and the Alteans didn't understand that Keith needed to nap in the middle of the day.Just then, Lance's voice could be heard from the hallway. The Blades had been prepared to ignore the usually loud Paladin, but Keith whimpered a little and tossed and turned, like he was being disturbed. The closer Lance got to Keith's room the more agitated Keith became. Thace tugged his kit against him, grooming his hair in an attempt to calm him, and Antok went to the door. He opened the door when Lance had been just about to pass it. The appearance of the largest Blade caused Lance to stop moving and talking."Shh! The kit is sleeping," Antok hissed before retreating back into the room.Lance stood there for another dobosh as if trying to figure out what just happened. He shook himself before continuing his trek to his room but this time quietly. Antok could be intimidating without trying, and Lance didn't want to provoke him.%%%Once Antok reentered the room, he entered the nest and laid down on Keith's other side. He was pleased that the kit was sleeping peacefully again. It was another couple of doboshes before a couple of voices were heard. This time it seemed like the Green and Yellow Paladins were arguing about something, and their voices could be heard through the ventilation system.Thace repressed the urge to growl as that would definitely disturb the kit more than his team mates arguing. He left the nest, which gave Antok the chance to hold Keith close to him and wrap his tail around his waist. Thace followed the voices to the Green Lion hangar. The two tech geniuses were oblivious to his presence, too engrossed in their argument. Thace managed to come up behind them and land two perfect smacks to the back of their heads with a growl, leaving before the Paladins ever saw him. Pidge and Hunk rubbed the back of their heads, wondering what they did to anger one of the Blades.Thace walked back to the nest room and entered the room to see his kit sleeping peacefully. He slid back into his spot and nuzzled Keith's neck, wondering if everyone was out to disturb their kit's rest.A whistling drew their attention. From the sound of it, Coran was walking down the hallway. Ulaz stepped out of the room, just in time to meet Coran, who was on his way to the supply room to collect some cleaning supplies. Ulaz raised a hand and put a finger to his lips before directing the advisor's gaze to their nest. "Shh! You are disturbing our kit."Coran had stopped whistling the second Ulaz exited the room. When the pale doctor shushed him, Coran's gaze was directed into the room, where Keith was sleeping between Thace and Antok."Is he okay?" Coran whispered."Yes. He just hasn't been getting enough rest, especially for a kit.""He's a kit?" Coran asked in a whisper."Yes. Please be quiet.""I will." Coran walked away quietly, while Ulaz retreated back into the nest room, sitting at his kit's head and grooming his hair.It was quiet for another half a varga before the Blades heard the distinct voices of Shiro and Allura getting closer and clearer. It was obvious that they were discussing battle tactics and wanting Kolivan's opinion as the Blade leader's name was heard a couple of times. Kolivan frowned and opened the door, just as Shiro raised a hand to knock. Fortunately, Shiro was able to stop himself from continuing to knock. He lowered his hand when he caught sight of Kolivan's expression, which was borderline murderous. He was extremely close to the kit and wanted him to get the rest he deserved. He glared at the two other leaders, almost growling at them. "You do not need my opinion at this moment. You two need to be quiet as my
kit is resting. Do not disturb us again."He retreated back into the room, after ensuring that Shiro and Allura wouldn't disturb them again. He managed to slip under Keith, allowing the kit to lay on top of him. Keith purred a little louder, his hand sliding over to grasp Kolivan's braid. The leader smiled and purred to his kit, allowing him to finish his nap surrounded by his pack.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Dating In Secret"The castle ship of Altea was abuzz with excitement. Allura had announced at breakfast that she was going to open a wormhole that would lead them to Earth. All five of the Paladins were excited, but only four of them showed it. Keith didn't show that he was excited to go back. True, he didn't really have anyone waiting for him back on Earth aside from Adam, but Lance wanted to introduce him to his family.No one knew that Keith and Lance were dating. They had wanted it that way. They had kept up their normal argumentative relationship during the day, but it lacked any heat. At night, Keith invariably was woken up by a nightmare, but instead of going to the training deck like he used to, he would go next door and slide in next to Lance. He found that doing that chased away the lingering fear caused by the nightmare. When Lance woke up to find Keith snuggled up next to him, he smiled and tugged the slightly shorter Paladin closer.While they waited for Allura to create a wormhole, Lance and Keith met in secret in Keith's room. Keith tucked himself under Lance's chin, purring. Lance smiled and wrapped his arms around Keith, relishing the proximity. He never imagined that Keith could be so touchy feely. "Are you okay, baby? With going back to Earth?"The purr could be heard in Keith's voice. "Of course. I can't wait to meet your family. I would like you to meet Adam. He's very important to me.""You are important to me, so I would love to meet him, baby."Keith purred louder. "That's great. I love you, Lance.""I love you, too, Keith."%%%It didn't take too long for Allura to open the wormhole or land on Earth, using the coordinates that Shiro gave her. All of the Paladins were on the bridge, and Keith was surprised that the castle ship landed near his Pop's old shack. "Shiro, why did we land here?""I thought you might want to get stuff from your Dad's shack before we head to the Garrison," Shiro replied."The only thing I want besides clothes is my Dad's hover bike." Keith blushed.Lance stared at his secret boyfriend. "You mean, that bike we rescued Shiro on was your Dad's?""Yeah.""Do you want to do this on your own?" Shiro asked.Keith's eyes flicked between his Dad's shack and Lance before he replied, "I think I'd like Lance to help me and then I can drive us to the Garrison.""Why Lance?" Pidge asked. "You two don't get along.""Because he loves being in my presence," Lance fake boasted. "Everyone loves me."Keith rolled his eyes. "Let's go, Sharpshooter. We'll meet you guys at the Garrison."Lance shot the group a cheesy grin before rushing after Keith. Everyone waited until the pair walked into the shack before taking to the air again.%%%Lance followed Keith into the shack and was surprised when Keith reached for a doorknob that was on the right hand side of the shack. with a shaking hand. Had that door always been there? The Blue Paladin couldn't bring himself to speak, afraid of breaking the spell the old building seemed to put on his boyfriend. He cautiously approached the doorway and looked inside.He hadn't even known this room was there. There was a bed with a couple of small picture frames sitting on a small nightstand. Keith set a bag on the bed and started packing some clothes in the bag before picking up the picture frames. He put one in the bag before running his finger down the second one before it too went into the bag. He closed the bag and turned to leave the room.Lance was surprised to see tears sliding down Keith's face. He quickly crossed the room and pulled Keith into his arms, wrapping them around him. He stroked his hair and whispered sweet nothings in his ear. He was sad that he could feel Keith shaking. As much as it hurt him, he let Keith cry into his shirt. He didn't like seeing how much this hurt him.It took thirty minutes before Keith composed himself. He took a moment to wash his face, cleaning away the evidence of his breakdown. He shouldered his bag and grabbed Lance's hand, leading him outside. He climbed onto the hover bike with Lance sitting behind him, Keith handing Lance his bag. Lance threw it over his shoulder and wrapped his arms around Keith's waist. Keith started his bike and flew it to the Garrison. It seemed a shorter distance than it did when they escaped from the temporary quarantine tent that Shiro had been thrown into when he had crash landed after escaping from the Galra. It might have been because Lance was nervous about showing up with Keith by his side. They had decided to reveal their relationship to everyone.%%%The reunions occuring at the Garrison were heartfelt and teary. Sam and Colleen Holt hugged their daughter, the Garrett family had engulfed Hunk, and Shiro was hugging Adam tightly. The McClains were waiting none too patiently for their son to come. Shiro had managed to tell them that he was coming a little later before Adam had wrapped his arms around him.The roar of the engines of a hover bike drew people's attention to the two teens' arrival. Lance all but jumped off the bike before Keith turned it off, only to disappear under his family. Keith smiled and turned off his bike, sliding off at that point."Keith, is that really you?"Keith turned around and grinned at the sight of Adam slowly approaching him. "Adam! I missed you."Adam drew Keith into his arms and wrapped his arms around him. Keith closed his eyes and smiled, relaxing against Adam. Shiro wrapped his arms around Keith's other side, causing Keith to purr. "You're still my little kitten, aren't you?""Shut up," Keith replied good naturedly.%%%Lance couldn't believe his entire family was there to greet him.
They were all there; his brothers, Luis and Marco, his sisters, Veronica and Rachel, his sister-in-law Lisa, his niece and nephew, Nadia and Sylvio, his grandparents, and his parents. He grinned even wider as his siblings, niece, and nephew piled on top of him with his parents and grandparents wrapping their arms around the group.
After a couple of minutes, Lance managed to dig himself out from the bottom of the pile, only to hear his mother call out, "¡Alejandro!""¿Sí, Mamá?" [Yes, Mama?]"What were you thinking running off without a word? We thought you had died!""Ma'am, it was my fault," Shiro said. "I crashed my ship when I escaped from the Galra.""Actually, it was my fault," Keith contradicted. "I was the one who discovered the Blue Lion carvings.""Lance, Hunk, and I were the ones who snuck out of the Garrison when Shiro crashed," Pidge protested."I was the one who tracked the Fraunhofer lines that led us to the Blue Lion," Hunk pointed out."What the team is trying to say is that it wasn't one person's fault. Everyone had a hand in it," Lance clarified."I recognize Officer Shirogane and Hunk, but who are the other two?" Mrs. McClain asked."Mamá, this is Pidge AKA Katie Holt. She was at the Garrison with Hunk and me. This is Keith Kogane. He had been at the Garrison as well." Lance looked at Keith, who nodded, prompting Lance to add, "He's also my boyfriend.""WHAT?!" Adam and Shiro exclaimed together.Hunk held a hand out to Pidge, grinning. "I win."Pidge grumbled about idiotic bets, handing over her data pad. Hunk pulled his out and copied all of her files onto his for later perusal. He handed her back her data pad, which she shoved back into her pocket. She stuck her tongue out at his grin.Keith nervously turned to face Shiro and Adam. It was hard to tell what they were thinking as there were many emotions displayed on their faces, most prominent being doubt with a touch of wariness. Keith wanted to roll his eyes. Adam and Shiro were always overprotective over him. It was the main reason he didn't tell Shiro in the first place. Keith sighed. "Shiro, Adam, please. I'm an adult who can make his own choices. I didn't just jump into a relationship with Lance. We got to know each other as friends first. Then, we mutually decided to take it further; one little step at a time. We've been dating for about a year now."Shiro closed his eyes, and Keith could just tell he was repeating 'patience yields focus' over and over in his head. He could also tell it wasn't working for once. When Shiro reopened his eyes, Keith could tell he was ready to scold him, and he subconsciously took a step back.Allura noticed this and approached Shiro. She placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Keith is right, Shiro. He and Lance are both adults and have the right to make their own decisions. Coran and I knew they entered into a courtship. We Alteans have an increased sense of smell. Keith smells like Lance and vice versa."
"¡Alejandro!"
"Keith!"
"Not like that!" Keith and Lance chorused."I just like wearing his jacket and cuddling with him," Keith explained, his face as red as his jacket."I like cuddling with him too," Lance agreed."Alejandro, bring this boy over here," Mrs. McClain ordered. Lance gently guided Keith closer to his mother. She grabbed his face and turned it left and then right. "Do you love my son?""With all my heart," Keith replied without hesitation."Do you promise to watch over and protect him?""I have his back, and he has mine."Mrs. McClain released Keith's face. "Do not hurt him or you answer to all of us."While Lance's mom had been interrogating Keith, Adam and Shiro had been having their own whispered discussion."He gets shot into space, and now he's dating some boy!""Adam, Lance isn't 'some boy.' He was at the Garrison the same time Keith was."
"Takashi, we raised him. Don't we have
some
say in what goes on in his life?"
"We did raise him, Adam, but Allura's right. He's an adult now. We need to let him make his own choices.""And be there for him when/if he messes up?""Absolutely. Besides, wait until you see them interact. They actually remind me of another couple when they started dating.""Really? Who?""Us."Adam playfully pushed Shiro and called out, "Keith, Lance, come here."The two Paladins dutifully trotted over."Yes?" Keith kept an arm around Lance's waist in an uncharacteristic show of possessiveness."We understand you two are dating no matter what we say. So, Lance, if you hurt Keith, Voltron will need a new Blue Paladin," Shiro warned.Lance blanched a little while Keith chuckled at the overprotectiveness of the two Garrison officers that practically raised him at the Garrison. It was good to see everyone again and even better that everyone knew he was dating Lance.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Colleen"The ride from Plaht city to the Garrison wasn't long at all, but for Keith and Pidge, it seemed like an eternity and a second at the same time. They were riding in the same vehicle, which was pretty awesome since that meant that Keith could try to help his sister (-in-law to be) try to remain calm...or as calm as she could be with their mom coming into their line of sight.The vehicle slowed down but hadn't stopped completely before Pidge opened the door. Colleen rushed forward at the same time Pidge jumped from the vehicle, calling out, "Mom!"Keith climbed out of the vehicle slowly, not wanting to intrude on the mother/daughter bonding that was happening. Sam stepped over to Keith and drew him into his arms. "We missed you, Keith.""I missed you and Mama Colleen," Keith replied, curling into Sam's chest.As if she heard her name, Colleen looked over and gasped when she saw who her husband had in his arms. "Keith, is that really you?"Keith looked up at Colleen's question. "Mama Colleen."Colleen reached him at that moment and pulled him into her arms, tears leaping into her eyes. "I didn't even know where you were! The Garrison wouldn't tell me anything! I had no idea that you had been kicked out or had been in space!""At least I was with Katie.""Yes, but you two are grounded for disappearing on me." The grin on Colleen's face scared Keith more than the Galra Empire ever could."We helped save the universe. Doesn't that mean anything?" Pidge complained."Yes. It means that you can be grounded in peace," Colleen retorted. "And when Matt gets back, he'll be grounded as well. That way I can keep an eye on all three of my children.""Does it matter that I am technically an adult?" Keith inquired."No," was the fast reply from the Holt matriarch.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Not All Galra Are Evil"Keith couldn't believe it. He helped save Earth, and how did they treat him? The second he was healed up and released, there were Garrison officers that arrested him. He didn't get a chance to defend himself before they tazed him. He dropped quickly, and they threw him into a cell at the Garrison. He didn't even know they
had
prison cells at the Garrison, thought he supposed they may have been a recent addition when Earth had been invaded.He didn't know how long he had been down there before someone came to see him. Unfortunately, that person was Iverson. "Cadet, you have been keeping secrets from us.""What are you talking about?""You're part Galra."Keith remained quiet. How did they know? Obviously, they had found out while he was in the hospital; otherwise, they would have done something earlier, right?Iverson chuckled darkly. "You probably thought you pulled a fast one on us humans, but you didn't count on being injured and needing a blood transfusion. You were lucky we didn't just let you die."Keith's blood ran cold. They had entertained the thought of letting him die from his injuries? Surely, his team and his pack wouldn't have allowed him to die.Iverson grinned. "Nothing to say, Galra?"Keith just sat there on the little cot that was in the cell. The grin fell from Iverson's face. "I will see you later, and you will
talk."Iverson left the cell, leaving a feeling of dread that crept into Keith's stomach.
What did Iverson mean? Keith was sure he wouldn't be talking.%%%Keith was wrong. Well, sort of. He wasn't making any known words, but every time a stun gun or a whip touched him, he screamed. The taser wasn't at a high enough level to render him unconscious, which Keith would have preferred. He panted, trying to rein in his emotional response. He knew from his fight with the clone Shiro that, in desperate situations, his fangs show and his sclera turn
yellow. He didn't want to show Iverson that he could appear part Galra. Another scream was torn from his throat as a whip made contact. Keith whimpered slightly. Where was his pack, and why hadn't they come for him yet?%%%Krolia growled at the Garrison official. She had been getting the living quarters Keith had been given ready, when Keith was released from the hospital. She went to the hospital to take him back with her, but he was gone. She found out that he had been taken off the premises by a couple of Garrison officials. She hadn't panicked until no one could answer her questions about where her son was.She had left and returned with her entire pack in tow. They were all worried about Keith, because he was considered a kit in Galran society. They had been prepared to tear apart the Garrison to find their kit, when Thace heard a sound that reminded him of the torture he had endured at the hands of the Druids. His ears pinned back."I hear something." He shuddered. "It seems to be coming from the lower level.""There-there is no lo-lower level," the Garrison official stammered. Being growled at by a group of five Galra scared him. He didn't want to die, but he had been given orders to deny the existence of the lowest level."Liar. Our kit is down there." Antok's ears pinned back as well. "I hear him whining."Krolia growled even louder. Kolivan put a hand on her shoulder. "Let's go get our kit."Krolia led her pack down the stairs and down the hall and past rooms that looked like cells, where the sounds were becoming louder and clearer. When they heard their kit scream, the pack ran down the hall to the last cell and walked in on a heart breaking scene. Their kit was hanging from the ceiling by his wrists with chains. He was naked except for his boxer shorts, and his back and chest was a mess of lacerations and circular burns. His breaths were coming in pants, and his eyes looked a little unfocused.Krolia stepped forward with her eyes blazing. These humans were torturing her kit! She growled and stepped forward, flexing her claws. Before she could tear into them, Kolivan put an arm out to block her path. He looked at Iverson. "Release him."Iverson stood his ground. "No. He's..." he trailed off. Officer Shirogane had told him that the Galra in these glowing uniforms were the good guys, but the lone female in the group looked like she was ready to murder him on the spot."He's what?" Ulaz asked flatly."Part Galra," Iverson finished lamely."So you're torturing him? Release him at once!" Kolivan demanded.Iverson knew this was his last chance. Either he released the part Galra or these Galra were going to do it for him...and maybe even let the female kill him. His shoulders sagged. "Release him."As Keith was lowered, the pack rushed over and carefully nuzzled him. Ulaz inspected the marks on his chest and back, causing Keith to whimper. Krolia rumbled to him, and his eyes focused on her. He gave a soft chirp that quickly dissolved into a whimper. She nuzzled his head. "Let's get you out of here, kit."Antok gently lifted him up, trying to not put a lot of pressure on his body. He kept his left arm under Keith, letting him sit on his arm, while he put his right hand on the back of Keith's neck. Keith bowed his head against Antok's chest. Antok carried Keith out with Krolia and Ulaz hot on his heels. Thace and Kolivan stayed behind for a moment to speak with Iverson, who looked a little lost at this turn of events."What is going on?""Keith is a kit in our culture," Thace replied."What is a kit?""A kit is the term for a Galran child," Kolivan explained. "Since Galra live longer than humans, Keith is considered a kit."The blood drained from Iverson's face. "H-he's a child. I ordered the torture of a-a child.""Just because he's part Galra. The Galra are just like every race in the universe. There are those who are evil and corrupt, but that is not what the majority of Galra are. Do not judge our entire race by the acts of a few tyrants," Kolivan said. "Now, we must take our leave to care for our kit."Thace and Kolivan left without even looking back at Iverson. They quickly made it to their temporary nest to see Ulaz bandaging up their kit's chest and back. Once the bandages were wrapped, Keith snuggled up against Krolia, who started grooming his hair. Ulaz handed Keith a liquid painkiller which the kit knocked back in one go without dislodging his mom's tongue. He settled back and tried to purr, his voice scratchy and rough due to his screaming. He whined at not being able to purr properly.Ulaz nuzzled Keith's neck. "It's okay, kit. Once your throat heals up, you'll be able to purr again. Just rest, kit."Keith closed his eyes as he felt the rest of his pack crowd around him. Antok's tail wrapped around his waist, Kolivan had his face buried in the longer strands of Keith's hair, and Thace purred to him, sitting close enough that Keith could feel the vibrations. Keith sighed as he drifted off to sleep. He may have endured a horrific experience, but as long as his pack was there, he knew he was going to be okay.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Proposal"Shiro really shouldn't have been nervous. It was just
Valentine's Day, the most romantic day of the year, and he was pondering what to get his boyfriend. His head still spun at the thought of Keith
being his boyfriend.They had met by chance when Shiro had started recruiting kids for the Garrison. Keith had been an uninterested, quiet boy sitting in the classroom, looking out the window instead of paying attention to Shiro like so many of his classmates. Shiro wasn't sure what drew him to Keith, but once he saw the raw potential Keith possessed, he swore to become a mentor to him. During their time at the Garrison, he and Keith had grown closer, resulting in not only Keith confiding in Shiro but Shiro returning the favor. Keith had been happy for Shiro when he had been chosen for the Kerberos Mission, but deep down, he was devastated but not as devastated as he was when he found out that the Kerberos crew was listed as dead due to pilot error. It had been laughable. Shiro not flying perfectly on such a simple mission? Ha. Keith had known he had to find out what really happened, but all that resulted in was him getting expelled. Keith would always smirk when he remembered the good right hook he gave to Iverson. Last thing he heard as he packed his bags was that Iverson lost the use of his left eye. It served him right, trying to keep the information about Shiro away from Keith. However, that didn't matter as everything worked out in the end. He managed to rescue Shiro when he crashed (with help from three cadets) and they were launched into space by the Blue Lion and became the defenders of the universe, fighting in an intergalactic war they had had no clue about.During that time, Shiro and Keith were reacquainting themselves with one another. At first, it had been a lingering touch here and there and standing close to one another, but it soon changed to holding hands and Keith leaning against Shiro. The biggest change was sharing a bed. Keith had found out that Shiro had nightmares from his time in the arena and would wake up to see Shiro sitting up in bed, shaking slightly with unfocused eyes and his breaths coming in little pants. Keith would gently and slowly work his hands over Shiro's shoulders, softly calling out to him and using his first name to ground him in the present. It would take several minutes, but Shiro would inevitably turn to Keith and lay back down with Keith's arms around him, hoping to keep the nightmares away.It was hard when Shiro had vanished from the Black Lion after the fight with Zarkon. Keith was an emotional wreck, especially after having Black Lion choose him over the other Paladins as the new leader. He never wanted the role, even though Shiro believed in him. The little bit of time before they found Shiro was agonizing to Keith. He had gotten less sleep and was eating even less. Then, they found Shiro, but something was still off. The touches were empty, and Keith found himself sleeping alone. It didn't seem
Shiro was himself. Keith supposed that could have been from the second imprisonment, but even that sounded like a lame excuse. So, Keith began to distance himself from this not-Shiro. He joined The Blade of Marmora full time and tried not to think about Shiro.As it turned out, Keith had been right. The Shiro they had found was a clone, and Keith had been forced to fight him. The good news was that Keith found the real Shiro. Shiro had actually died during the battle with Zarkon, but the Black Lion had somehow managed to retain his essence and keep his soul alive within its consciousness. After the big battle against Lotor ended, Allura managed to put Shiro's soul into the clone's body. Then, it was time to fly to Earth to meet up with Sam Holt and retrieve the plans for a new Castle of Lions.Keith's relationship with Shiro had always taken a backseat to saving the universe, but Shiro was determined to show his boyfriend what he meant to him, especially on this day. He decided on what to get Keith, and when everything was purchased, Shiro sent Keith a message to meet him in front of the Garrison.%%%Keith had been trying on the new red uniform the Garrison had issued him, when he received the communique from Shiro. It sounded like Shiro wanted to race hover bikes like they used to. Keith grinned at the idea. He liked that being back on Earth wasn't such a bad thing, especially since Shiro wasn't leaving him alone (most of the time). He threw off the new uniform and put on some comfortable clothes. If he was going to beat Shiro, he might as well be comfortable doing it.Keith walked out of the Garrison, goggles in hand, to see Shiro standing by two hover bikes, one of which was the red one Keith had inherited from his late father. Keith grinned. "Ready to race, Kashi?""You know I am, Keith," Shiro returned, pulling the younger man close. They shared a brief kiss before parting to climb aboard their hover bikes. The race through the desert was exhilarating, the wind whipping through their hair. They took the same path Shiro had shown Keith all those years ago; the same path Keith had taken when he rescued Shiro. Shiro had been the first one to dive off the cliff back then, but Keith beat him to it this time, Shiro following soon after.Once the two men had made it to the end point they previously agreed upon, they slowed their bikes. Keith had won the race, and Shiro couldn't be any prouder of his boyfriend. Shiro hopped off his bike and approached Keith, who was gazing at the nearly setting sun that was turning the sky beautiful combinations of reds, purples, and pinks with a dash of orange. The scene of Keith staring at this amazing scenery with the sunset as a background was almost enough to stall Shiro's brain, but Shiro still had a plan to make this the Valentine's Day Keith would never forget.When Shiro approached Keith, he smiled and wrapped the dark haired man in another hug. "I never thought I'd be able to see an Earth sunset ever again, but you made that possible, Keith. Thank you.""I should be thanking you, Kashi. You gave my life purpose. I wouldn't be the man I am today without you.""Then," Shiro pulled out a box from his pocket and bent down on one knee, opening the box. "Will you, Keith Kogane, vow to be by my side forever?"Keith stared at the ring in the box in his boyfriend's hands. Was he seriously asking Keith to marry him? The ring was absolutely breathtaking. It was a simple onyx band but had three rubies in a diagonal line set in the band. Keith's eyes flicked from the ring back to Shiro's face before Keith gave the only reasonable answer. "Of course, I'll marry you, Takashi!"Shiro stood up, slipping the ring on his fiancée's finger, before pulling him in for their first kiss as an engaged couple, the sun slowly setting in the background.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Play"Kolivan was slightly nervous. Keith was supposed to be coming to visit his mother, but she had regressed last night after a nightmare and had clung to his braid. He had been about to call Shiro to let him know, when Lance called him to let him know that Keith had regressed yesterday. He and Lance had been about to agree on keeping their littles home, but Keith and Krolia had seen and reached for each other."Mama!""Keef! Come!"Lance grinned. "I guess Shiro and I will be by in a little with Keith."That had been a varga ago, and Krolia had taken to clinging to his braid while she waited for her son to join them. It did present him with another issue though. Both Keith and Krolia liked to hold onto his braid while in little space. Keith also loved to hold onto his mother's longer headfur too, but not while she was regressed. He didn't know how to resolve that issue, and he also didn't get much of a chance to think of a solution, because Shiro and Lance entered the room, the former carrying Keith, whose eyes landed on his mother's one hand which was curled around Kolivan's braid."Koli!"Shiro let Kolivan scoop Keith into his other hand. It hadn't been a good idea as Keith reached for his braid. Krolia gripped her Daddy's braid tighter and growled softly. Keith whined in want."Krolia, you have to share," Kolivan gently admonished. "Don't growl at Keith.""But, Daddy-" Krolia cut herself off with a small whine."I have an idea, but the littles have to leave your braid alone for a moment," Lance suggested."Keith, Krolia, do you want to see something?" Shiro asked, catching the littles' attention. "If so, you have to come here."Kolivan set the two littles down with a "let go, princess" directed at Krolia, who reluctantly released his braid. They went over to Shiro, who pulled out his data pad and opened up his 'little friendly' files. He chose a firework app. He held his data pad firmly and said, "Keith, show Krolia how this one works."Keith's eyes lit up. "Mama, look!" He tapped the screen, and where his finger had touched a randomly colored firework showed up before fading away. Krolia's eyes widened, and she tentatively reached out as if unsure if she was allowed to touch it. Keith nodded, and she tapped the screen, trilling when another firework appeared.With the two littles occupied, Lance turned to Kolivan. "Is it all right if I redo your braid?"Kolivan paused for a moment. His mate usually did his braid (and was the one to undo it as well because he liked to run his claws through it), but that didn't mean that only
Antok could weave the white strands. "Yes. You may."Lance grinned and swiftly undid the braid. He carefully parted the strands in half before braiding each section. He made sure each braid was exactly the same in order to prevent the littles from fighting over the braids.
Once he
was finished, he placed a braid over each shoulder. "There we go. Problem solved."Kolivan looked at the braids. They were immaculate. "Where did you learn how to braid?""When you have two older sisters, it's a handy skill to learn." Lance walked over to Shiro and the two littles, who were still engrossed in the fireworks. He grinned. He had seen Shiro playing around with the app before introducing it to Keith. He had been testing it out to make sure it was perfect for him, but did he really have to see if he could fill the screen with fireworks? He petted Krolia's headfur as he passed by, eliciting a purr from her. He smiled as he carded his fingers through Keith's hair, gaining the attention of the little. "All right, Keithy. Kashi and Daddy have to go. Be good for Kolivan. We'll be back to pick you up later."Shiro reluctantly exited out of the program much to the disappointment of the littles. Krolia tried to grab Shiro's data pad, but the Black Paladin was quicker, keeping it out of her reach.Kolivan was quick to intervene. "Krolia, that's Shiro's."She turned to face Kolivan and raised her arms. "Daddy, up?"He effortlessly scooped her up, doing to the same to Keith when he saw him lift his arms too. Each little was delighted to see a braid within easy reach and grabbed it but were also astonished to see the other little holding a braid too. "Now, say bye to the Paladins.""Bye bye!" Krolia waved with the hand that wasn't clutching her Daddy's braid."Bye, Kashi! Bye, Daddy!" Keith called.The other two caregivers were glad Keith wasn't a clingy little. As long as he had someone he trusted in the room to take care of him, he was happy. They returned to the castle ship, leaving Kolivan with two littles who were content to hold onto his braids for the moment.A sharp tug on the braid to his right made him look in that direction without moving his head too much and potentially disturbing the other little. It was Krolia. "What is it, princess?""Patrol, Daddy?""Do you two want to come on patrol with me?" Kolivan asked."Yes!" both littles chorused, excitedly.Kolivan chuckled. "Then, Keith, can you hold my data pad, and Krolia, can you help me check out the base?"Keith nodded his head and was handed the data pad, which he held onto with the hand not clinging to the braid. Krolia chirped in response and sat up a little straighter. Kolivan made sure his hold on the two littles was firm and secure (but not hard) before he exited the nest room.
It was not uncommon to see the leader of the Blades patrolling the corridors, but it was slightly less common to see him doing so with two members of his pack clinging to him. The Blades they encountered made sure to not even look at Keith or Krolia in any way other than in contentment. To do otherwise would incite the leader's ire or worse, if they made either of them upset.One of the Blades stopped and talked to Kolivan for a moment, but as he left he petted Keith's hair for a moment before walking off. Krolia whined softly at not getting pets, and Kolivan could see a tantrum coming, so he quickly made it to his office. He closed the door and set Keith down in the nest, where Keith snuggled into one of his favorite blankets and purred.Kolivan sat down at his desk, moving Krolia from his arm to his lap. He stroked her headfur, rumbling to her, which was heard in his voice. "Easy, princess. You're all right. Daddy's got you.""Daddy," Krolia sniffed."Yes, princess," Kolivan responded."Love you." She snuggled against him, drifting off. Kolivan quickly looked at Keith and saw to his relief that he had also dozed off in the nest. He breathed a sigh of
relief and nosed Krolia's headfur as he worked through some paperwork.He let the kits nap as long as they wanted, which was actually longer than normal due to the tantrum that was barely avoided. Keith was the one who actually woke up first but was content to lounge in the nest, making little chirps as he messed with the loose blankets that were kept in the nest. Kolivan kept working, alternating between checking on the littles and the report in front of him. This continued until he felt Krolia stirring. Her eyes fluttered open, and she purred when she realized that she was still on her Daddy's lap.Keith's head shot up when he heard his Mama's purr. He let out a questioning noise. "Mama okay?"Krolia and Kolivan looked at Keith. Krolia made grabby hands at her son. "Keef."Keith carefully climbed out of the nest and toddled over to where Krolia and Kolivan were. "Koli, up, please!"Kolivan carefully pulled Keith up onto his lap. Krolia pulled Keith closer and nuzzled him, still purring. Kolivan petted the littles, alternating between the two and eliciting louder purrs from them both.Just then, the door opened."Tok!" the littles chorused, sliding off Kolivan's lap.Antok grinned as he set down the food and drink he was carrying, bracing for the littles to jump on him, which they did. Krolia hung upside down from his shoulders, and Keith clung to his front, his fingers curled into the fabric of Antok's uniform. Antok rumbled to the two littles, a purr underlining his rumble. The purr was directed at his mate, Kolivan. Antok plucked Keith and Krolia off and set them in the small nest. He and Kolivan set up plates and sippy cups for them.Kolivan nuzzled Antok while they prepared plates. "You liked them hanging on you.""You do too," Antok retorted."I admit nothing."Antok nuzzled Kolivan. "Sure."The two leaders brought the food and drink into the nest for the two littles, helping them eat. Once lunch was done, Kolivan nuzzled both littles. "I have a meeting, so you two will have to stay with Antok.
I'm sure he'll take you to the training hall to play if you'd like.""Certainly, little ones," Antok replied. "If you want to play."Keith immediately clambered over to the largest Blade, was scooped up, and was tickled by Antok's tail, eliciting giggles from Keith. Krolia was more reluctant to leave Kolivan's side. Kolivan nuzzled his little. "Princess, it's okay. Daddy's not leaving. When my meeting is over, I will come get you.""Okay, Daddy." Krolia slowly left the nest and went over to the second-in-command of the Blades. He picked her up and carried both littles to an empty training hall. Keith was content to bat at his tail, while Krolia preferred to use him as her personal jungle gym, climbing all over him and hanging upside down. Antok absolutely loved
letting the littles climb all over him but didn't want to admit it. However, Kolivan knew it and had the same 'secret.'%%%The meeting didn't last long at all. Kolivan wasn't surprised either. He was the leader and what he said goes. The meeting was just asking for Kolivan's advice about security measures. Once the meeting was over, Kolivan secretly slipped into the training hall to watch his mate with their littles. He grinned at the scene and discreetly took pictures. He loved taking pictures of his littles.He put his data pad away and stepped over to his pack. Krolia was the first to notice his approach, and she trilled. Keith looked up from batting at Antok's tail for a moment, chirped, and went back to playing with the constantly moving tail. Antok looked over at his mate and nuzzled him when he got close enough. Krolia reached out for her Daddy, and Kolivan slipped her out of Antok's arms and into his own, her grabbing one of his braids. It was obvious that Krolia preferred being cared for by her Daddy, while Keith was happy with anyone who wanted to care for him. It just showed how different Krolia and Keith were when they regressed; however, Kolivan wouldn't have them any other way.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Banned"Hunk stared at Shiro in surprise. "Banned from the kitchen?""Just for the night," Shiro reassured him. "When it's time for breakfast, you can go back in.""But, what do I do, if I can't sleep?""What if we all sleep in the lounge?""Like a slumber party? Can all of us Paladins be there?"Shiro chuckled. "I'm sure I can drag Keith out of the training deck.""I'll tell Lance and Pidge!" Hunk called out, dashing away.Shiro chuckled again and headed for the training deck to drag his brother in all except blood out of there. He would have waited until Keith was done with the current level, but he wasn't battling with the gladiator or the flying drones. He had both his bayard and his Marmoran blade out and in his hands. He watched Keith move slowly. His eyes were closed, and he had his Marmora blade in its short sword form in his right hand and his bayard in his left hand. It almost looked like a dance. Shiro didn't want to disturb the teen, especially since his eyes were closed and his swords were in his hands. He was very surprised when Keith spoke up. His eyes were still closed, and he was still doing that strange, slow dance-like movement with his blades. "I know you're there, Shiro. You can talk. You won't distract me.""What are you doing, Keith?""It's a combination of Tai Chi and sword warm-ups.""Well, can you stop for a moment?"Keith stopped, opened his eyes, and lowered his swords. His bayard disappeared, and his blade shrunk back into a knife. "What's up, Shiro?""Hunk is banned from the kitchen and has requested a slumber party with all five of us. You should change into pajamas and come to the lounge."Keith sighed. "Fine. I'll be there after a shower."Shiro grinned. He knew Keith liked being involved in other activities the rest of the Paladins indulged in. "I'll see you there."Shiro returned to his room and changed into his Altean pajamas and Black Lion slippers. He went to the lounge and saw the other three Paladins there already, also dressed in their Altean pajamas with their color coordinated lion slippers. Hunk had pulled out a few blankets and pillows. He looked up. "Isn't Keith coming?""Yes but after a shower."Pidge managed to hook up her laptop to the Altean equivalent of a TV and was scrolling through the movie list with Hunk when Keith entered the lounge. He was wearing his red Altean pajamas and Red Lion slippers. He sat down on the couch next to Shiro. Hunk looked up from the list for a moment to greet Keith. "Hey, Keith. I'm glad you could make it."Keith smiled. He liked when the others were happy when he participated in their activities. "Thanks, Hunk. What are we doing tonight?""Pretty much watching a movie or two and sleeping on the floor," Hunk answered."Hey, buddy. What movie are we watching?" Lance asked.%%%Hunk was the last one to fall asleep. He looked around at his fellow Paladins. They were laying in a pile around him. He felt safe with his team mates, his friends, gathered around him to keep the insomnia at bay.%%%Coran looked in on the Paladins during the night. Lance was laying face down (on his stomach), and Shiro had his pillow against Lance's back. The eldest Paladin was lying on his side. Hunk had his legs draped over Lance as well and an arm propped up on Shiro's side. Pidge was cuddled up next to Hunk and on top of Lance's legs. Keith almost seemed to be sleeping sitting up, but he was actually leaning against Hunk's back. Blankets were covering each Paladin to a certain degree. The Altean advisor smiled. This ragtag team was rough around the edges, but they cared about each other. Maybe if Hunk slept in, he could cook them an Altean breakfast. It would be a treat indeed.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Meeting Ulaz"Thace carefully piloted the ship into the hangar of headquarters. He was nervous about what his pack was going to say about Krolia's death and the little hybrid napping in his lap. He was adorable, and Thace was all for making him part of his pack, specifically making him his kit. He landed the ship and scooped up the kit in his arms. He gave a sleepy chirp, to which Thace responded with a rumble and the words, "It's all right, kit. I've got you.""Thace?" He seemed tense."Yes, kit. It's me."Keith settled down, relaxing in his arms. He made his way to the medical bay, where his mate was working. Ulaz knew Thace was back and immediately turned around. His eyes landed on the sleeping kit in his mate's arms. He drew close. "Thace, who is this?""This is Keith. He's a Galran kit I found when I responded to a Blade distress signal.""Who sent the distress signal?""Krolia. She's dead though. This is her son. She left him her knife. His father held on until he knew his son would be taken care of.""Do you want me to look him over?"Thace debated the choice. "I don't think he's injured. He is extremely young. He's the only Galra-Human hybrid we know, so we are dealing with the unknown with him."A chirp cut their conversation short. Their gazes were drawn to the kit, who was now awake and seemingly looking at them with his dull-looking purple eyes. "Thace? Who's that?""This is Ulaz. He is a doctor and my mate.""Am I sick?""Oh, no, kit. You are fine." Thace tried to keep the worry out of his tone. He didn't want the kit to pick up on his apprehension over his dull looking eyes. "I wanted him to meet you since I want you to be a part of our pack.""Pack?" Keith cocked his head."It's like a family," Thace replied."Are you two going to be my daddies?"Thace's heart broke at the kit's question. "Yes, kit."Keith stretched up and hugged Thace around his neck. "Daddy." Then, he reached out in Ulaz's general direction. Ulaz plucked him out of Thace's arms. Keith patted his cheek before hugging him. "Papa."Ulaz then understood why Thace wanted this kit to be theirs. He was so adorable and trusting. As a deceased pack member's kit, Keith was automatically pack, not only to them but to Antok and Kolivan as well. He wondered as he looked at the kit who was napping in his arms what their leaders' reaction was going to be upon meeting their newest pack member.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Babysitting Keith"Krolia looked up at Kolivan and then back down at Keith, who was lightly dozing in her arms having just finished nursing. She half whispered, "Are you serious? Who's going to watch him, if we're all at the meeting?""We can ask him who he'd like," Kolivan suggested."I guess." Krolia sounded unsure."What's wrong, Krolia?" Thace asked."I just hope he doesn't think I'm abandoning him.""It's just for a couple vargas, not too long at all,"
Thace reassured her."We'll need his choice soon, but he should be able to finish his nap," Kolivan added.As it turned out, Keith's nap didn't last long at all; just half a varga. He blearily opened his eyes before focusing on his entire pack. He chirped, alerting them to the fact that he was awake. Krolia nuzzled her kit for a tick before carrying him off to get changed. Keith looked at the clothes she put him in. They looked like a smaller version on the clothes he wore before he got de-aged, even down to the jacket. He looked back up at his pack. "Are we going somewhere?""Yes, kit. Your Dads and I are needed at a Coalition meeting. It will only last a couple of vargas, but that means you will need to stay with someone." Krolia petted her kit."Who?""Who would you like, kit?" Antok inquired.Keith thought for a moment. "Since it's a Coalition meeting, that means Shiro has to be there...and probably Allura. So, maybe I can stay with the other Paladins?""Is that who you want, kit? Lance, Hunk, and Pidge?" Thace asked."Yeah. They'll be good." Keith snuggled against his mother, getting comfortable for the ride to the castle ship.%%%"What? You mean Keith is a baby and has been for a month, and you didn't tell us?!" Lance exclaimed.Kolivan frowned at the Blue Paladin. He had always been loud, but that was too much. Kolivan wasn't the only one who frowned at Lance."Lance, I'm pretty sure Kolivan had good reasons to not tell us about this turn of events," Shiro admonished."It wasn't necessary to inform you until we were certain that it wasn't reversible. He has been with his mother this entire time. However, since his entire pack must be at the Coalition meeting, he needs to be looked after. The only ones trustworthy enough to watch our kit are the Blue, Yellow, and Green Paladins."After Kolivan finished speaking, Krolia entered the bridge of the castle ship, holding Keith. The trio missed the look of recognition that appeared in Keith's eyes before he hid it. His pack, specifically his mother, had convinced him to give into his kit instincts, and he was going to have some fun with his former team mates, Lance in particular.Keith curled against Krolia, a hand drifting up to clutch her longer headfur, and whispered only loud enough for Krolia to hear, "Mama, I wanna stay with you."Krolia nosed her kit's hair. "I know, kit, but Lance, Pidge, and Hunk are going to take good care of you while I go talk to important people."Lance stared at the little boy. He looked exactly
like a tiny version of Keith, but he didn't seem to remember them. So, Lance decided to treat him like the baby he looked like."Your mother is right, cariño. We'll take good care of you. Now, why don't you come here to Tío Lance?" [sweetie...Uncle]Keith stared at Lance. Surely it wasn't that easy to fool Lance, but the Cuban teen seemed to be treating him like a baby. Keith hesitated but then reached out to Lance, who scooped him up and cooed to him. Keith couldn't help but purr to him, relishing in his familiar scent. Hunk came over, curiosity winning out. Keith looked up at the large teen and was instantly reminded of how nice and soft Hunk was, just like Antok. He had always gotten along with Hunk ever since his Garrison days. He knew instinctively that these two would take good care of him while his pack was at the meeting. The wild card was Pidge. She was the youngest Holt child and didn't have much contact with young children or babies, so Keith wasn't surprised that she hadn't crowded around him. He was
surprised to see her talking with his Mama, Daddy, and Papa with his bag over her shoulder. She was apparently getting the pertinent information from the adults in charge. It was then that Keith truly relaxed, relieved that the three he picked really were a good choice.Krolia smiled when she saw Keith relax in Lance's arms. She was about to tell Pidge that Keith had all his memories but didn't get the chance as the meeting was about to start. She supposed it wasn't a big deal whether the Paladins knew or not she decided as she entered the meeting room.
%%%Keith couldn't believe it. The Paladins had a large nest in the lounge. Lance had gently lowered Keith in the nest before stepping in himself. He lowered himself into the nest next to Keith, allowing the kit to explore the nest if he wanted, which he did. He touched each blanket and pillow, feeling the different textures and softness, mostly ignoring Lance's little comments like "You like that one?" or "That one's so soft, isn't it?"Lance was content to let Keith explore the nest he and the other Paladins had thrown together. They had realized that the nests Galra had were extremely
comfortable, so they constructed one to the best of their ability. Seeing a tiny version of Keith exploring the nest brought out a side of Lance that seemed to be wanting the little Galra's approval of the nest.Hunk and Pidge were actually sitting on the couch, going through the contents of the bag the Blades had given them for Keith and spreading them out on the couch. It was mostly full of diapers but had other supplies like wipes, a container of ointment, a few bottles, and a container of what appeared to be formula. There was also a change of clothes and a pacifier.Keith looked up to see what Hunk and Pidge were doing and saw his pacifier on the couch. He didn't realize his pack had brought it along. He had recently started wanting something in his mouth when going to sleep. Initially, he thought he was too old for one until his Mama had told him that Galran kits up to the age of ten had a pacifier type item and older kits up to the age of twenty had a mouth guard when they went to sleep. He toddled over and swiped his pacifier, settling down in a pile of soft blankets and popping it into his mouth.Lance had kept his eyes on what Keith was doing. He watched as he toddled over to the couch and took the pacifier that was laying there. He settled down in a pile of blankets and put it into his mouth. Lance was confused. The Blades said that Keith was the equivalent of a two-year-old, and two-year-olds didn't need pacifiers. Keith seemed to be okay though, and the Blades wouldn't let Keith use something that would be harmful to him later in life. He looked on as the little kit's eyes drooped closed, and he drifted off, softly purring in his sleep. However, what disturbed Lance more than the pacifier was the complexity of the outfit Keith was wearing. Since he was still wearing diapers, he needed to be wearing something easier to put on and take off. Lance was sure he could get his hands on a cute onesie or sleeper.%%%Keith blinked his eyes slowly as he woke up. He recognized that he was still in the lounge. How long had he napped? Surely the meeting was over by now, but why was he still with Lance, Pidge, and Hunk if that was true? Little tears appeared in Keith's eyes. He missed his Mama.Suddenly, he was scooped up by a pair of non-furry arms. He realized that Lance was laying him on the couch and knew he was getting changed. He didn't know how Lance knew that he was wet but was glad he did. He closed his eyes again, just wanting to go back to sleep to escape the reality of his Mama not being there."Aw, cariño. It's okay. The meeting is running late. Your mother was close to walking out of there, because she misses you. I told her that you were sleeping, and she let me know to change you after you woke up and to let you know she loves you very much. So, dry your tears. Everything is okay." [sweetie] Once his diaper was changed, Lance continued, "I have some new clothes for you. I know you like the clothes your pack put you in, but this will make it much easier to move around, and you'll be less likely to overheat."Keith opened his eyes to see Lance holding a disgustingly cute dark blue onesie featuring red cartoon rocket ships and green aliens with tentacles instead of arms. Keith wrinkled his nose. "No."Lance was slightly surprised that Keith could speak since he hadn't heard him make anything other than Galran noises. He smiled nonetheless. "It's okay, Keith. I'm just going to switch out your clothes.""No!""Let's not be difficult, cariño." [sweetie]"I said no, Lance. If you don't stop, I'm gonna tell Shiro," Keith said before he realized it. He hadn't meant to let them know he still had his memories.Lance sat there in shock. What came out of Keith's mouth sounded so much like his adult self that it threw him for a loop. Was it possible that this Keith still remembered everything, but if so, why was he acting like a baby?Keith shrank back from Lance and whined. Suddenly, a pair of familiar arms scooped him up, fixing his pants along the way. His nose was put next to a purple neck, and he breathed in the comforting scent of his Mama. He whimpered a little as he clutched onto her longer headfur.Krolia had been irritated that the meeting ran longer than had been intended, so when the meeting had adjourned, she raced to the lounge for her kit. She entered the lounge in time to hear him whine and scooped him up. She pulled up his pants and stuck his nose near her scent glands in an attempt to calm him. She didn't know exactly what distressed him, but she could take an educated guess based on the scene she walked in on. She stroked her kit's hair and stared at Lance, who was still holding the atrocious piece of clothing. "Lance, explain.""Why didn't someone tell us that he still remembers everything? Also, why does he act like a baby if he remembers everything? Why does he use a pacifier if he's two?""Why does it matter if he remembers everything or not? His kit instincts were hard to resist, and it wasn't good for him to deny them. Since we got him to give in to his instincts, he's been happy for the most part. As for the pacifier, it's perfectly normal. Galran kits up to the age of ten have a pacifier and older kits up to the age of twenty have a mouth guard when they go to sleep," Krolia explained before nuzzling her kit. "Now, pack everything back in the bag, and we'll take him back home.""Mama, can I see Shiro?""If you want to, kit.""I want to.""All right then." Krolia carried Keith out of the lounge and towards the bridge.Once Keith caught sight of Shiro talking to Kolivan, he reached out and exclaimed, "Shiro!"Shiro looked up at his name and saw the tiny version of Keith reaching out for him. He walked over and let Krolia place him into his arms. Keith immediately gave Shiro a hug. "I missed you, Shiro!""You remember me?""Yes. I remember everything." Keith nuzzled Shiro's head, giggling when his white floof tickled his chin."Oh, you liked that?" Shiro purposely tickled Keith's chin with his floof, eliciting more giggles from the kit. His giggles attracted the rest of his pack, who enjoyed watching their kit get tickled.Soon enough, Keith's giggles were interspersed with the words "Shiro, no!" or "Stop please!" Shiro was enjoying the beautiful giggles that he didn't heed Keith's warnings. Keith stopped giggling and reached for Krolia with a whine. She immediately plucked her kit from Shiro's grasp and knew at once what had happened. She cooed to her kit and whisked him away. Shiro stared at the retreating form of Krolia in confusion. Keith had been having so much fun. What happened?Ulaz noticed Shiro's confusion and decided to tell his favorite Paladin (since Keith was no longer a Paladin) what happened. "Shiro."Shiro looked at the pale Galra. "Ulaz, what happened? I though Keith was having a good time.""He was. However, you tickled him so much that he wet the diaper he was wearing, so he needed changed. He prefers Krolia to do that as most kits do.""Oh."Just then, Krolia came back carrying Keith, who was looking smugly over her shoulder at a pouting Lance who was trailing behind mother and son with the rest of the Garrison Trio. Hunk, who was carrying the bag of Keith supplies, walked over to Thace and handed over the bag. Thace quickly checked over the contents to ensure everything was in there, which there was."Since the meeting has adjourned, we will take our leave," Antok stated.Shiro watched as Keith waved to everyone as his mother carried him off the bridge until his gaze landed on the still pouting Lance. Once the doors closed behind the Blades, Shiro walked over to Lance, who had slumped into his Paladin seat. "What's the matter, Lance?""I forgot how devious Keith could be," Lance mumbled, sinking further into his seat.%%%Krolia settled into the nest with Keith in her lap as Kolivan and Antok prepped the ship for the trip back to headquarters. Krolia nuzzled her kit. "Did you enjoy your time with Lance, Pidge, and Hunk, my kit?""Yes. I forgot how gullible Lance could be," Keith mumbled as he nestled against his mother as the ship left the Castle of Lions and headed home.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Attachment""Keith? Keith, where are you?" Lance called out. He had just woken up and was surprised (and sad) that he was apparently alone. He may be the prince of Altea, but he was just a little kid.The entire royal family had received death threats and their close allies, The Blade of Marmora, had provided bodyguards. The two leaders, Kolivan and Antok, guarded the King and Queen, while Ulaz protected Allura, and Thace guarded Lance. Thace had his son accompanying him, and he and Lance took quite a shine to each other. Lance learned that Thace's son was named Keith and was only half-Galra. He also learned that Keith's mother was dead and vowed to not bring that subject up ever. Keith didn't have many Galran features at first glance, but Lance saw little bits here and there as the two boys spent their days together. He had pale peach skin, a mop of black hair on his head, and no claws, but he did have fangs, purple cheek stripes, a long thin tail, and fluffy ears that looked rather large on his frame. One of the most distinct features (in Lance's opinion) were his eyes. They had white sclera, violet irises, and black pupils.Suddenly, the bedroom room bursted open, revealing Thace on the other side, a clawed hand on the hilt of his sword and his yellow eyes darting around the room, searching for a threat. His eyes ended up on the young Altean prince sitting up in the bed, his white hair mussed from sleeping. He approached the bed and gently stroked Lance's hair. "What's wrong, Prince Lance? Why aren't you asleep?"Lance's blue Altean marks glowed slightly. "Keith was here when I went to sleep, but now he's not here. I had a bad dream that Keith wasn't real."Thace felt bad for the prince. He knew his son and the prince were destined for each other, which was one reason Keith was allowed to come with them. He felt bad that Lance had a nightmare the night King Alfor asked to meet with Keith (and Kolivan) to assess whether Keith would treat Lance right in the future. He didn't know what Alfor was going to ask, but Thace did know one thing. The prince wasn't going to get any more sleep without seeing Keith.Thace scooped up the prince and cuddled him close to his chest. He left the room, explaining what was going on. "Your father wanted to talk to Keith; however, I think it would be better to have you see Keith before anything else."Thace made it to King Alfor's chambers and, shifting Lance to one arm, he knocked on the door urgently. Kolivan opened the door. "Thace, Prince Lance, what is the matter?"Lance glanced past his father's bodyguard and into his room, seeing Keith standing there. Tears fell from Lance's eyes, and he jumped from Thace's arms and dashed into the room with a cry of "Keith!"Keith turned in time to catch the prince in his arms. Lance's arms went around his neck as his own wrapped around him in a protective manner. His ears flicked in distress as Lance sobbed into his shirt. His tail rubbed up and down Lance's back, trying to soothe the young Altean. He purred to him, which was heard in his voice when he spoke. "Hey, Lance. What happened?"Lance rubbed his face against Keith's shirt, both of them uncaring that his shirt was getting wet. "I dreamt that you weren't real, and then, when I woke up, you weren't there."Keith whimpered and buried his face in Lance's star-kissed hair. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there when you woke up. Let's go back to your room. You need sleep." Keith quickly looked at King Alfor, who nodded in approval. He knew this boy would do anything for his son (now and in the future).Keith escorted Lance back to his room and tucked him in. However, Lance held out his arms and pouted slightly. Keith couldn't resist the prince's unvoiced request. The half-Galra slipped under the covers and wrapped his arms around the royal Altean, who snuggled against his chest. Being snuggled up with each other lulled the two children to sleep, Keith's tail wrapping itself around Lance's waist sometime during the night.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Infilatrated"
It had taken a full deca-phoebe, but Rhyndas had finally done it. He found the coordinates where the Prince was, how to get into and out of the base, and a few of the names of the Prince's pack. Finding out their names was the easiest piece of intel. It just took watching them and following them while they were on their vacation a deca-phoebe ago. Finding the coordinates of their base was relatively easy as well. It just took a tracking beacon being carefully concealed on their pod. The hard part was finding out how to get into and out of their base. It being between two black holes and a giant blue star proved to be a challenge. He knew it had to be possible or they wouldn't have had their base there. Watching the base quintant in and quintant out was exhausting, but he didn't trust anyone else to assist him. They would just take all the glory for themselves. He had to do it on his own and off the radar. That was why it took a full deca-phoebe, but finally the quintant had come to infiltrate the base and get the Prince back to the Empire. He would be rewarded handsomely and finally get the recognition he so rightly deserved.He had stolen a rebel ship that was small enough to fly under the radar. He waited until a small ship flew towards the base before darting out and following the ship through the rough push-pull of the black holes and the star. It was agonizing to follow the very narrow path, but he finally made it to what he assumed was the base. He sneakily followed the ship into an open hangar and powered down his ship but didn't immediately exit it.He peered out the small window in the side of the ship and let out a sigh of relief when he didn't see anyone approaching his ship.
He waited until the room seemed to be clear of personnel. He was wearing clothes that concealed his purple fur and fluffy ears. What he needed to do was steal a uniform that looked like one of theirs; that way he could blend in and move around with no one being the wiser.He skirted around the perimeter of the room, ducking beneath large ships and keeping his eyes on the guards as they checked a pad that had some kind of list on it, if he had to guess what it was. The tick the guard was busy Rhyndas slipped out of the hangar. He quickly looked left and right, and to his relief, the corridor was empty. Now, he had to find a spare uniform.%%%Lotor was having an easy day. His pack insisted that even though he and Regris were older now that they still take it easy every now and then. He was on his way back to the nest from his father's office. His younger siblings liked when he made up stories and told them when they were laying in the nest. At that point, Keith and Acxa were ill with a simple Galran disease that wasn't contagious and confined to the nest. Krolia had been beside herself while her twins were in quarantine when their illness was at its worst. It was too similar to her nightmare where Keith was in quarantine. Fortunately, he wasn't alone, and Ulaz knew what was wrong with them. It had only been a couple of quintants in quarantine, while Krolia had been nearly inconsolable. Once the twins were released, Krolia didn't let them out of her sight. That had been a quintant ago, and she was just
starting to relax a bit. The twins weren't going anywhere until they felt better.%%%Rhyndas finally found a spare uniform in a small bedroom that he stumbled upon. Fortunately, it was empty, and he was able to change clothes quickly. He burned the clothes he had been wearing in a washroom so no one would be the wiser. He pulled up the hood and activated the mask, which felt weird to him, but he was willing to deal with it so he could get his hands on the Prince. He just hoped the Prince wasn't wearing a mask or in a big group. He really just wanted a quick grab and go.%%%Lotor turned the corner and had to move out of the way of a masked Blade. He didn't recognize the Blade but that wasn't unusual. However, he was recognizable as Kolivan's kit...or so he thought. The unknown Blade paused as he went passed him. "Prince Lotor?"Lotor paused. When was the last time someone called him by his old title? He didn't know. He still turned around and replied, "Yes?"%%%Rhyndas couldn't believe his luck. He turned the corner, and there was Prince Lotor...alone. Still, he had to be careful. "Prince Lotor?"The Prince stopped, turned around, and responded, "Yes?"Rhyndas grinned behind the mask and grabbed the Prince's arm. The Prince immediately tried to yank his arm back, but when that failed, he let out a high-pitched whine before Rhyndas managed to sedate him with a compound he brought with him as a back-up plan. Now, he had to make it back to the hangar.%%%Kolivan was finishing up reading the last report, his mind wandering off to wonder how the twins were doing. He decided to finish going over the report before going to check on the two youngest members of his pack when he heard the high-pitched whine. His head shot up as he recognized that whine as Lotor's. His eyes narrowed as he stood up. Why would his kit let out a high-pitched whine of distress? The whine called out for pack to come help and wasn't used lightly. He rushed out of his office and in the direction the whine had come from. He let out a roar in answer to Lotor's whine but was concerned that he didn't receive a response. He rushed down the corridors, searching for his kit.%%%Rhyndas resisted the urge to groan. The Prince was heavier than he looked. He also had to carry him in his arms and not thrown over his shoulder like he had originally intended. Since he was disguised as a member of this group, he had to carry the Prince like he had spied other members carrying their kits. This was slow going. He hoped he wouldn't get caught.%%%Ulaz's head shot up when he heard Lotor's whine followed by Kolivan's roar. He was concerned when there was no reply and left the med bay to see if he could help in some way. Maybe he could even find Lotor.%%%Antok had been play fighting with his kit when they both heard the whine and the roar. They paused their playing. "Regris, go back to the nest. I will investigate what is going on.""Yes, Dad." Regris hurried off to the nest, meeting up with Thace, who was exiting the nest."Go in, kit, and stay with your siblings and mother. Your pack will find your brother."Regris let his tail trail across Thace's arm. Thace smiled until the door closed behind the eldest kit. The smile faded from his face. He understood the level of distress. His parents felt the same level of distress when they lost his siblings. He didn't want his pack to experience that distress. He hurried to the location the whine originated from.%%%Rhyndas recognized the corridor near the hangar and was relieved that he would be able to put down the Prince when they got to a ship. However, he didn't anticipate meeting up with a member of the organization. This one was pale and just a little shorter than he was. Even though he was shorter than he was, Rhyndas could tell that he was protective of the kits in his care.%%%Ulaz didn't know the Blade holding Lotor. He was wearing a non-descript Blade mask and had his hood up. However, he didn't have a Marmoran blade anywhere on his person. That was the major tip off. This Blade wasn't a Blade at all. He growled at this being pretending to be a Blade. He was an infiltrator, who was kidnapping the leader's kit. Ulaz growled loudly. "Put the kit down.""No."Ulaz approached the kidnapper and growled again. "Give me the kit.""Never!"Ulaz stopped approaching the intruder when movement from the corridor directly across from him caught his eye. He didn't make any motion that he had seen Antok. He made a series of minute hand motions with his right hand (which was by his side), which Antok understood.Antok slowly snuck up behind the intruder and used his tail to trip him up before Ulaz joined in. The tick the intruder was off balance, Ulaz
managed to pull the unconscious kit from his claws. He held him close as Antok pinned the faux Blade. Kolivan and Thace arrived only a couple of ticks after the skirmish, Kolivan immediately going over to his kit's side. Ulaz gently pried one of Lotor's eyelids open and breathed a sigh of relief. He recognized the sedative used on the kit. "He's been sedated. It's a commonly used kit sedative with no lasting effects. He will come to in a varga."Kolivan combed his claws through his kit's hair before turning to the intruder. "We have some very important questions for you. Your answers will determine your fate.""I will take the kit back to the nest room and join you after," Ulaz said as Antok and Thace bodily moved the intruder."Alert Krolia and Taulol as they will want a hand in this," Kolivan ordered.Ulaz swiftly carried the unconscious kit to the nest, where his mother and the rest of his siblings were cuddled up, worried about him. When Krolia saw him, she reached out and gently pulled him out of Ulaz's arms. She nuzzled him and was concerned about the lack of response, letting out a worried questioning noise. "It's okay, Krolia. He had been sedated by someone who tried to kidnap him. Antok and I prevented him from leaving with Lotor and the rest of the pack are setting
up the interrogation."Krolia growled as she cradled her kit closer. "I want to look the being in the face who thought he could get away with stealing my kit, but my kits need me.""Mom, I'll watch everyone while you confront the guy who thought stealing my first brother was a good idea," Regris offered."Are you sure, my kit?" Krolia asked."I'm sure, Mom. Everyone, just come here, and wait for Mom to come back," Regris said as Krolia laid Lotor in his eldest brother's arms. The other kits gathered around the two eldest.Krolia followed Ulaz out of the nest. He mentioned, "We need to get Taulol, because she'll want to be a part of this."%%%Rhyndas was sitting in a chair, cuffed with his arms behind him, and his legs were tied to the chair legs. He could see three out of the four male Galra that were part of the Prince's pack standing before him. He had learned all of the names of the adults in the Prince's pack. The leader and fatherly figure to the Prince was named Kolivan. The large, looming Galra with a tail was Antok. The vibrant violet furred Galra was named Thace. The missing male was a pale Galra named Ulaz.There were two females as well. He wasn't as concerned about the one named Taulol as he was about the one named Krolia. Krolia was the one the Prince called mom. He hoped she wouldnt be there during his interrogation.The intensity of Kolivan's gaze made him nervous enough until the door opened, admitting Ulaz, Taulol, and, to his dismay, Krolia. Krolia marched right up to him and grabbed a handful of his headfur, yanking it down so she could see his face. She snarled as her grip tightened. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped him as his fur felt it was going to be ripped out by the root. It was a relief when she released him. He slumped forward as best he could as he watched Taulol holding Krolia in her arms, stroking her headfur. With the two females occupied, the four males started their line of questioning."Are you alone?"Rhyndas didn't answer. He wasn't going to give away any of his plans to these Galra. Krolia growled again, slipping out of Taulol's grasp. She stalked forward and gripped his headfur again. She yanked down. "Tell them what they want to know, or I promise you a slow, painful death, starting with ripping out your fur."Rhyndas whimpered at the threat, and one look at her face told him that she was neither lying nor exaggerating. Kolivan repeated his question. "Are you alone?""Yes. It was just me that infiltrated your base.""Does anyone know you're here?" Ulaz questioned."No. I told no one where I was going.""Did you tell anyone about your plans?" Antok inquired."No. Everyone else would have taken all the glory for themselves.""Why did you try to kidnap Lotor?" Thace asked."I was going to return him to the Empire and finally get the recognition I deserve.""He's not the Prince of the Empire anymore for future reference," Krolia hissed as she released her hold on Rhyndas's headfur. She headed for the door but paused in its frame. "Though your future will never come to pass. I leave your fate in the capable claws of my pack as I have kits to take care of."She walked out the door, knowing that would be the last time she would see the intruder. She made it back to the nest, where her younger kits were still cuddled up against Regris, who held a still unconscious Lotor. However, the younger ones were napping. Krolia slipped into the nest and checked on the kits before Regris passed his brother over to her. As soon as he was in her arms, Lotor shifted and slowly opened his eyes with a whine. She purred to him, allowing him to come to the realization that he was safe with his pack.His eyes landed on her, and he nuzzled her in relief. "Mom. Was me being kidnapped just a dream?""Unfortunately, no, kit. Someone did try to kidnap you, but your pack stopped him. Your Dads are taking care of him right now. They will come by once they are done," Krolia reassured him.Lotor snuggled against his mom and waited until the rest of the pack had gathered in the nest. Each of the Dads held the kit they were closest to, Ulaz letting Taulol hold Keith. Kolivan wrapped his arms around Lotor but didn't pull him away from Krolia, knowing how Lotor preferred to be held by both of his parents when something was wrong. Kolivan relished holding his kit after disposing of the intruder that attempted to kidnap him, rumbling to him. He had never realized how much he feared his kit leaving until he was faced with it. He hoped he wouldn't have to deal with it again until it was Lotor's decision to do so.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I'm Used To It"
I'm used to it.
Keith dragged himself into his room at the Garrison. He didn't know how or why Shiro got him a room by himself. He was used to sharing with other kids.
I'm used to being left out.
His foster siblings always refused to let him participate in anything family related. That led him to believe that he wasn't part of the family or welcomed in the family.
I'm used to being forgotten about.
His fellow students at the Garrison didn't like him much either. Either they thought he thought he was too good or they thought they were too good for him. Whichever one it was didn't matter, since it led to him being forgotten about by the students at the Garrison.
I'm used to being ignored.
The teachers were just as bad. Oh sure, there were some good ones like Adam and Shiro, but Keith was just waiting for them to ask him to do something wrong or being ignored like the rest of the teachers did.
I'm used to getting the blame.
His foster parents never believed him when he said he didn't start the fights or didn't break the expensive vase that lay shattered at his feet. No matter what happened. It was always his fault whether he was present or not.
So, don't feel bad if you do any of these things to me.
Keith looked at the new team he was on. They looked so relaxed and at ease (as much as Shiro could be) that Keith still felt like an outsider to the group.
I've learned to keep my expectations low.
He turned and left the lounge, never realizing the four pairs of eyes watching his retreat. They figured he was going to the training deck, which he was.
So, none of these things hurt anymore.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Bubble Wrap"Krolia grinned as she purchased the items. She couldn't wait to get them back to headquarters and show her pack, especially her kits, what she bought. Her grin stayed on her face for the entire trip back to headquarters and even stayed as she walked back to the nest. She knew her kits would be waking up from their nap soon, and she wanted to be there and have the bubble wrap open for her kits to enjoy.Keith slowly opened his eyes, which landed on Krolia, whose grin was as radiant as the star protecting their base. He chirped, getting her attention. She opened her arms, and Keith dove into them, tucking himself under her chin. He liked that he fit there comfortably. He was purring as he waited for his siblings to awaken.Krolia rumbled to her kit. He was so sweet, once he indulged some of his kit instincts. He craved touch though. Growing up on Earth caused him to be touch-starved. He was getting better, though, with help from his pack. She could tell that he loved when they doted on him.
It didn't take much longer before Acxa and Regris woke up. They too tucked themselves against their mom until they woke up completely, both purring along with Keith.Once they were completely awake, Acxa had to ask about her mom's grin. "Why are you smiling like that, Mom?""I got you kits some bubble wrap." Krolia pulled the large packages of bubble wrap into the nest.Keith grinned and all but pounced on one of the packages. He ripped open the plastic covering the bubble wrap. He pulled out the bubble wrap and immediately popped several of the bubbles in rapid succession.Regris and Acxa looked at their brother in surprise. The excitement was rolling off him in waves that were almost tangible. They cautiously took their own packages of the bubble wrap and opened them. Regris experimentally popped one and was equally surprised and excited. Acxa held no reservations and joined her siblings in popping the bubbles. The kits' chirps of amusement filled the nest and lured the rest of their pack in.Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz stood in the door of their nest room, watching in shock as their three kits popped...what was it? Thace let out a questioning noise, which caught Keith's attention. He looked up from popping and grinned at his four father figures. "Hi. Mom got us bubble wrap, and we find this amusing.""Isn't that what you mentioned we should wrap you three in to keep you safe? Why do you find this amusing?" Ulaz asked."I'm not sure why, but we do," Regris answered. Keith grinned and went back to popping his bubble wrap.Krolia watched her kits as they tore through their rolls of bubble wrap, popping the bubbles as they went. She laughed at the pure joy on her kits' faces. That was definitely a good idea, and Krolia was more than willing to purchase more, especially if it amused all three of her kits.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"The Leaders"Kolivan was in his office as usual, trying to read through report his operatives submitted. It was useless because he kept being distracted by his mate, Antok. The tailed Blade had already undid his braid and was running his claws through the white strands. Kolivan tried and ultimately failed to keep the purr from being heard.Antok grinned as he heard his mate beginning to purr. Even though Kolivan was the leader, he usually listened to Antok, being his second-in-command. "'Van, you need to take a break. At least put the data pad down. I won't make you leave your office."Kolivan sighed, which came out as a strange sound due to him still purring. "All right, Antok. You win."Kolivan set down his data pad and let his mate relieve the tension in his shoulders, allowing himself to purr a little louder. Antok grinned even wider. Kolivan was adorable in his opinion.A knock at the door disrupted the leaders. Kolivan stopped purring and growled. "Come in."It was a surprise when Thace walked in with a tiny alien in his arms. His Blade operative walked up to his desk. "Leader, I responded to a Blade distress signal that was broadcast from a primitive planet. It turned out to be Krolia, but she passed on before I got there. However, this is her kit.""Where is his father?" Antok asked."Deceased as well. He passed after assuring that I would take care of Keith. Krolia also left him her blade.""Daddy?"Kolivan and Antok looked at the little kit. "Did he just call you 'Daddy?'""Yes. Ulaz and I are going to raise him," Thace replied with confidence. "What is it, kit?""Who are they?""Kolivan and Antok, our two leaders and members of our pack. Did you want to go to them?"Keith nodded hesitantly. Thace put him in Kolivan's arms, saying, "This is Kolivan."Keith patted Kolivan on his cheek before hugging him around the neck. Kolivan looked surprised before putting an arm around the little kit. Keith was so cute."Welcome, little one, to the Blade of Marmora," Kolivan stated, to which Keith responded with a purr. "Here, Antok. Hold our newest pack member."Kolivan put Keith securely in his mate's arms. Antok stared at the little kit, who patted the tall Blade's cheek before he hugged him around the neck. The kit had pale peach skin color, black hair, no claws, no fangs, and strange dull looking purple eyes. "He's adorable, but what's wrong with his eyes?""I don't know. He looked like that when I found him," Thace admitted."Have Ulaz check him over then," Kolivan suggested.Antok gently put Keith back in Thace's arms but not without ruffling his hair a little. "Come along, little kit. We're going to have Ulaz check you over, okay?"Keith laid his head on Thace's shoulder. "Okay, Daddy."Thace carried Keith to the med bay and placed him on an examination bed before calling out, "Ulaz!"Ulaz walked out of his office. "Hello, Thace. Hello, Keith.""Ulaz, can you look Keith over?" Thace shuffled a tad closer to Ulaz. He whispered, "His eyes worry me, my mate. He may not be able to see properly."Ulaz briefly nuzzled Thace in order to calm him. "I will do a full check up. Please wait in the front of the med bay. I will bring our kit out to you after I finish."Thace ruffled Keith's hair. "Your Papa is going to be giving you a check up. Since you are living with us, we need to make sure we know everything about you. I will be waiting until he is done.""Okay. Love you, Daddy."Thace bumped his nose against Keith's temple in a Galran kiss. "Love you, kit."Ulaz ushered Thace away from the bed and pulled a curtain around it, preventing Thace from seeing Keith. An uneasy feeling filled Thace as Ulaz began his exam, and the violet colored Blade started pacing.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Too Fragile"Thace was worried. It had slowly become his normal feeling ever since their little kit became part of his pack those three to four movements ago. Even though he looked human, he was part Galra. However, the kit seemed to be taking after his human side as he couldn't even hold his head up. He was sure most Galran kits could at least do that by this time. Was his kit too fragile to survive out here? He didn't want to even consider any alternative. He loved the little kit too much to not want him around.He scooped up the kit and cradled him close to his chest, being careful to support his head. He must have been solely focused on his kit, because he missed the leader, Kolivan, entering the nest."He is adorable, isn't he?"Thace jumped, clutching the tiny kit closer. "Kolivan! Don't sneak up on me, especially when I'm holding Keith.""Then, be more aware of your surroundings." Kolivan reached forward and gently stroked Keith's black wisps of hair with a single claw. The little kit gurgled and closed his beautiful purple eyes, clearly enjoying the affection."He is adorable, but why can't he hold his head up yet? Is he too frail?""According to Ulaz, this kit is on target, using human standards.""So, this is normal?" Thace sighed, relaxing a little at Kolivan's nod. He purred to the tiny kit, who was now napping in his arms. He leaned back against the side of the nest, which allowed the kit to stretch out on top of him. So, the kit wasn't too fragile to stay with them. That was a relief.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Forbidden"Pidge wasn't Galran, but she felt like growling. How could they ban her from her lab, which was Green Lion's hangar? Shiro had assured her that if they were attacked that she would be allowed to get to her lion. The tech genius went to Allura, hoping that she could override Shiro's decision. However, her hopes were dashed when the princess told her that she wouldn't go against Shiro's decision since it "wasn't detrimental to the whole saving the universe thing" and "everyone needs a break." Pidge had never felt so betrayed since her mom threw out a container of peanut butter that Pidge could of have gotten another spoonful out of.She slunk off the bridge and headed for the lounge. Maybe her laptop would still be stuffed between the cushions, and she could snag it and sit in her room, typing and working on at least one of the many various programs she had running at any one time. Her hopes were dashed once again, when she walked in, and it was obvious that her laptop was not between the cushions. She didn't even want
to stay in the lounge, not when Lance was laying on top of Shiro who was laying on the couch.PDA grossed her out, especially Lance's. She loved the Cuban as a brother, but he could be quite annoying as he was very affectionate to everyone, even his friends, which confused the hell out of Keith. Pidge snickered to herself when she remembered seeing the usually focused Red Paladin staring off into space, occasionally touching his right cheek. As it turned out, Lance pecked Keith's cheek in response to Keith giving Lance a genuine compliment. Poor Keith was having a gay crisis, especially since Lance was dating his brother. Fortunately, Keith wasn't kept in the dark as Shiro told him what Lance meant by the kiss.Also fortunately for Pidge, Keith was not in the lounge, which meant he was probably in the training deck. Hunk was probably baking in the kitchen, a place she was unofficially banned from. Hunk didn't mind if she sat there and talked to him, but she was not allowed to help, not even getting things! Where could she go?%%%Shiro cracked an eye when the door to the lounge opened. He was not surprised when Pidge walked in. He knew the youngest Paladin would be after her lap top since she was banned from her lab. He had hidden her lap top in his room and would return it to the girl in the morning. He wondered what she would do with her free time. He could see the options fly across her mind. He knew his brother was on the training deck and Hunk was in the kitchen. With Lance laying on him, she wouldn't want to stay in the lounge either. It was an intriguing dilemma. Where would she go?%%%With one last look at the apparently dozing couple, Pidge turned on her heel and headed for the training deck. Coran had shown her how to get into the observation deck without having to go through the main floor of the training deck, which meant she wouldn't have to disturb Keith. Maybe she could assist him with achieving harder levels. The group was on level 5 together. She wondered what level Keith was on. She made it into the observation deck and looked at the displays. Her mouth almost dropped open in shock. He was on level 10! She shouldn't really be shocked as he was almost always on the training deck, but to be on a level twice as high as the level the entire team was on, that meant he was doing nothing but training. Didn't he have any hobbies? He- Pidge stopped. Those were the questions Shiro threw at her when he originally banned her from her lab.Pidge watched as Keith tore through gladiator after gladiator, her gaze not really seeing her team mate. She hadn't really thought about why
Shiro had banned her from her lab. She really needed to do something other than tinker with tech apparently.%%%"End training sequence!"Keith retreated to the wall, retrieving a small towel to mop up his sweat. Working on this slightly lower level than he was used to was good for a warm up. He had noticed that Pidge was in the observation deck. Maybe he could get her to whip up something to give him a really good workout.He took out the data pad from his jacket pocket that was on the sidelines. He tapped the message app. "Hey, Pidge."%%%Pidge was shocked out of her thoughts when her data pad dinged. She fished it out of her pocket and was surprised to see Keith on the screen. "Hey, Pidge.""Hi, Keith. What's up?""Do you think you could whip up a program to give me a really good workout?"Pidge paused. She could, and it wouldn't take too long, but did she really want to? Initially, she had come here for that express purpose, but then she realized what Shiro had been telling her, and Keith was the same way."I could, but Shiro would prefer if you weren't here all day.""Why didn't he tell me that himself?"Pidge made a face. "He's currently being a bed."Keith's face scrunched up. "I never understand Lance."Pidge laughed. "How about you take a shower, and we can talk?""About what?"
"Anything, up to and including your crush on Lance.""I don't have a crush on Lance!""Sure, sure, Emo boy. Go take a shower, and then we can go sit...well, not the lounge because that's where Shiro and Lance are and not my room because there's no room for two people.""My room is clean. Do you want to meet there?"Pidge grinned. "Sure thing. See you there!"The link was terminated, and Pidge could see Keith gathering up his jacket and extra water pouches before leaving. She couldn't help but grin again. She got along well with Keith. He reminded her a lot of herself. They were loners, but where she surrounded herself with tech, Keith was by himself. She was determined to change that, and, hey, maybe this counted as something to do that didn't involve tech.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"His Empress"Keith was sitting in the Galra fighter, mostly in shock of what he almost did. He piloted the little ship into the Castle of Lions' hangar on autopilot but didn't leave the fighter. He couldn't believe that he almost crashed into the cruiser. He almost died. He buried his face into his hands, and his whole body shuddered as sobs racked his frame."KEITH!"Keith didn't even react when he heard Lotor's voice calling out to him. The door was wrenched open, and Lotor rushed into the cockpit. Keith couldn't do anything but sob. It broke Lotor's heart to see the little part-Galra curled up in the pilot's seat, sobbing, when he had been known to be fierce on the battlefield and on the training deck."Keith, what happened?" Lotor tried again.Keith managed to lift his head to look at his boyfriend with miserable purple eyes. Lotor wrapped his arms around Keith and lifted him out of the pilot's seat and up to his chest. Keith tiredly laid his head against Lotor's chest, his tears slowing now that he was with Lotor.The Prince had taken a liking to Keith when they had met on the battlefield but grew closer when he had joined the Blade of Marmora. There had been times where Keith was sent on solo missions and met with Lotor in secret after his mission was completed. They loved spending time with each other and being in each other's company. The little meetings turned into trysts that occured more often. They slowly became lovers with Lotor promising to protect Keith and have him rule by his side once he became the emperor instead of the emperor pro tem. Keith couldn't wait to be by Lotor's side.Lotor carried Keith into the ex-Paladin's old room. He settled onto the bed with Keith still in his arms. "Are you doing better, my Empress?"The title was more of a joke than serious between the two hybrids, but Keith secretly loved when Lotor called him his Empress. "Yes."Lotor let Keith uncurl and turned his face to bury it in his neck. "Was that you that almost crashed into the cruiser?"The response was barely a whisper. "Yes."Lotor petted Keith's raven hair. "Why would you even consider that, my love?""I-I thought it would w-work.""Shh. Calm your breathing. You are safe now. I have you, my Empress."Keith tried to calm his breathing as the Prince instructed. He was just so tired, and his eyes slid shut on their own accord.Lotor realized that Keith had fallen asleep. He carefully maneuvered the sleeping hybrid into a more comfortable position. He studied his face and noticed with dismay that he was exhausted. Lotor frowned. He may be bringing Keith with him sooner than he intended if neither the Paladins nor the Blades were capable of taking care of him.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Perturbed"Lance shot up in bed with a shout. He was drenched in sweat and panting. His right hand drifted over to land on his boyfriend, only for it to come in contact with a cold, empty spot. His head turned, and his eyes widened in surprise. Where was he?Lance climbed out of bed, snagged his robe, and put it on as he slipped on his Blue Lion slippers. He strode out of his room, his stride surprisingly strong despite not knowing where his mate was. He had a sneaking suspicion where he had gone. If it had been five months ago, Lance would have known that Keith was on the training deck. However, now, Keith was more than likely in the kitchen.It had been a surprise to everyone (except Lance and Shiro) that Keith was an omega. Everyone had assumed that he was an alpha with his temper and attitude. Lance had realized that Keith's temper and attitude was an attempt to keep others away, so he wouldn't get hurt anymore. Lance had wormed his way past Keith's tough exterior to find the soft, sweet Omega underneath. Once Keith realized that Lance wasn't going to hurt him, he was more willing to show affection to the Alpha. The next logical step for them was to enter into a relationship. Lance claimed Keith as his during one of Keith's heats, which actually happened at the same time as one of Lance's ruts.They hadn't intended on Keith becoming pregnant, but it was a happy surprise. Keith was astonishingly parental, which given his childhood wasn't something Lance thought he'd see. It was so sweet when he caught sight of his Omega rubbing his swollen belly and murmuring to the baby growing inside.Lately, Keith had been waking up hungry in the middle of the night. Lance had told Keith to wake him up, and he'd go with him. Keith refused, saying that Lance deserved to sleep. So, Lance walked into the kitchen to see his Omega sitting on the counter with Hunk in the kitchen as well. There was a plate of some kind of finger food in Keith's hands. Lance was simultaneously
surprised and not surprised that Hunk was in the kitchen. However, normally the Yellow Paladin was baking some kind of sweet, but that night, he was cooking something light yet savory. No doubt it was due to Keith's pregnancy. Keith hadn't been wanting sweets later in his pregnancy.Keith realized his Alpha had arrived, set his plate down, and reached out to him. Lance immediately came over and managed to help his Omega get down off the counter. Keith tucked himself against Lance and wrapped his tail around his waist, wanting his scent all over him. Lance reached over and snagged a morsel of food and pressed it to Keith's lips, which parted when he realized that his Alpha was feeding him. A purr escaped him, which caught Hunk's attention.The large Beta was glad that Lance had come for Keith. He had been baking when Keith had wandered in, tears in his eyes and his fluffy ears droopy. Hunk asked Keith what happened. As it turned out, when he left the room he shared with Lance, he had run into Allura, who was the only one unhappy with Keith's pregnancy. **She was cruel to Keith, stating that she hoped he wouldn't be able to carry the baby to term.** Keith had managed to stumble into the kitchen soon after, glad to get away from the princess and to not be alone. He trusted the kind Beta and was more than happy to get a hug. He really wanted Lance, but he was still hungry too. His stomach decided that that was a good time to rumble, causing Hunk to laugh. He gently lifted Keith and placed him up on the counter.
He started cooking for the upset Omega, setting a plate of food in his hands when it was done. Hunk was glad when Lance came into the kitchen, obviously looking for his mate. Lance was a good Alpha for Keith.Lance could tell something had upset Keith earlier, judging by his scent. It was tangy like a lime cocktail, which definitely didn't mix well with the usual scent of cinnamon and chocolate his Omega had, and with how stale it smelled, Lance also knew that Hunk wasn't the one who upset him. Lance knew who had upset Keith. There was only one person on the castle ship who didn't like the fact that Keith was expecting. Lance didn't know why Allura was upset that Keith was pregnant. It wasn't like they were down a Paladin. They had six Paladins anyway. No matter who was there/available, they would always be able to form Voltron and defend the universe. Even with Keith not allowed to fly Red (or Black), they still had enough Paladins, so Lance didn't know what the Princess's problem was.Keith snuggled against his Alpha, wanting his calming scent all over him. His run in with Allura disturbed him, and he knew why she was upset with him. It all came back to his Galran genes. She was disgusted that he looked more Galran now that he was expecting. He had a long thin purple tail, fluffy purple ears nestled into his hair, and small fangs. Lance adored his looks and told him that he hoped their baby would have some Galran features and asked if Keith would keep the features he had after he had their baby. Keith didn't know whether or not their baby would have any distinctly Galran features or if he would keep the ones he currently had.However, it hurt every time Allura ignored his presence when he was with someone and bit out cruel statements to him when they were alone. Keith tried to stay with someone at all times, but he had been tired and not thinking clearly earlier that night. It had been easy for her to corner him. Now, he just wanted to stay with his Alpha and not go near the princess without someone by his side.Lance continued to feed Keith until the plate was empty and was happy that his Omega's scent had lost that tangy smell. He reached up and rubbed Keith's ears. "You okay, now, baby?"Keith purred; he loved when Lance rubbed his ears. "As long as you stay with me, Alpha.""What happened, my love?""Allura cornered me and was mean." Keith was vague and hoped he didn't have to continue.Lance clutched his Omega closer, continuing to rub his ears. He didn't know exactly what the princess said to distress his mate but wasn't going to ask since he wanted his mate to be relaxed and calm while carrying his baby. He wrapped his arms around his waist with his hands on Keith's baby bump and nuzzled his scent gland on his neck. "Come back to bed, Omega. I'll hold you so no one can hurt you without going through me first.""Can I have the entire team with us?" Keith whimpered.Lance rubbed Keith's belly. "If that's what you want, baby."Keith nodded. "Please.""Well, you're in luck, Keith. Pidge and Shiro are in the lounge, waiting for me to come back with some snacks. We can all go there together," Hunk mentioned.
Keith perked up at the mention of the rest of the team and going there together. The three of them made their way to the lounge, and, to Keith's delight, Shiro and Pidge were still awake. Shiro looked up when the door opened, admitting the rest of the team. He took in Keith's posture and held his arms open for his brother. Keith made a questioning noise at his mate, who rumbled to him and released his hold. He knew that Keith was wanting affection from both Shiro and himself. He let Keith position himself next to Shiro before he settled on Keith's other side. Keith's tail wrapped itself around Lance's waist again, and his purr started up again but softly.Shiro wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders, letting Keith lay his head against his shoulders. His protective Alpha and older brother instincts told him that his younger brother, who was also the only Omega in the pack, was hurting. He was glad that the entire team was there and willing to comfort Keith.Pidge was disturbed at the behavior of the team's Omega. Normally, he was feisty, even when he wasn't expecting. Seeing him looking down made her Beta instincts flare up. Betas weren't the dynamic that was ruled by their instincts, but they loved to make sure everyone in their pack was cared for and loved. She gathered around the trio of Paladins, sitting between Shiro's legs and Keith's legs. She leaned against Keith's side, trying to not put any extra pressure on his belly. Her presence caused Keith's purr to get louder.Hunk had laid out on the couch above the group. The snacks were within the group's reach, and Hunk had his hand gently stroking Keith's hair. Hearing his loud purr settled his Beta instincts.Keith was feeling a lot better being surrounded by his team, feeling them pressed up against him in some way. He was able to fall asleep in the protective embrace of his team, knowing he was safe no matter what.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Forged In Fire"The Paladins were outside, enjoying the pleasant weather of the planet they had landed on. It was a nice change of pace from being in the endless vastness of space. However, they weren't
allowed to just relax in the twin suns. They still had to train, but they had decided to do the mind meld in the warmth of the suns before bonding further with their lions, who were nearby.It was getting hotter than the group of five realized. Pidge was the one who was getting the hottest and fanned herself, imagining that she had some shade. There was a rustling sound before the heat diminished over her and her team mates. She opened her eyes to see if someone (or her lion) had blocked the suns only to be shocked that a tree was twisted in her direction to cover the Paladins with its branches. She gasped, breaking the mental link she had with the other Paladins."Ow! What's the big idea, gremlin?" Lance groused. "We were onto something.""The tree moved! I was wishing we had some cover, and it twisted itself to cover us!" Pidge insisted. Just then, she heard a soft rumbling from the bond she had with her lion. She cocked her head and followed the bond into the space where Paladin and lion could interact freely. "Green?""You did that, my Paladin. You have been able to achieve a strong enough bond with me that you have been able to unlock your abilities as the Guardian of the forest.""Abilities? You mean I can control plants?""Yes, Paladin.""Have the others unlocked their abilities?"Green flicked her tail and cocked her head. Suddenly, the other lionesses appeared followed shortly by the other Paladins. She took in the sight of the other Paladins. Shiro looked mostly the same, except his hair was completely black and didn't have the Galra arm or his nose scar. Hunk looked exactly the same as usual. Lance looked like a pre-teen. She looked normal as well except for her hair now reached her mid back. However, she didn't see Keith anywhere. She looked around, attracting the others' attention. Shiro smiled. "Don't worry, Katie. Keith is here.""Where?"Shiro looked over his shoulder, and a little boy peeked out from his behind Shiro's waist. He moved out from behind Shiro completely, flinching slightly when Shiro placed a gentle hand on his head."Keith?" Pidge questioned."Yeah. It's me," Keith groused. A soft rumble attracted his attention. The young boy turned to face his red lioness. "Red.""Come here, cub." Red laid down and waited for her Paladin to come over and curl up against her, softly purring to each other."Not that I mind, but why were we called here?" Shiro asked."Pidge found out she has unlocked her abilities as the Guardian of the forest and asked if the rest of you had," Green answered."Abilities?""Each of you were able to unlock your abilities related to your Guardian roles," Blue nudged Lance lightly so not as to knock him over. He turned and hugged her around her neck."So, what can we control?" Lance inquired."You can control water, Lancey Lance.""You have power of the wind," Black told Shiro."You can control the land," Yellow informed her Paladin.Red didn't speak out loud to her Paladin. She spoke directly into his mind as she licked his hair. "You can control fire, my cub." She felt him stiffen at the admission. She purred louder to him and continued licking him. Red realized her Paladin was trying to regain his control over his composure, so she let them drift into their bond where they would have some privacy. "There we go, cub. Now, we are alone. If you need to cry, go ahead. No one will see you."Keith curled against Red tighter and cried. If he was honest with himself, he was scared of being able to control fire. He had lost his father in a fire and knew how devastating fire could be. He didn't want to use his new powers if he could help it.%%%The lounge was abuzz with the excited chatter of the Paladins or, rather, most of them. They each had such a strong bond with his (or her) lion that the lion shared powers with her Paladin based on what they were the guardian of. Shiro could control wind, Pidge plants, Lance water, and Hunk the land. The four of them had used their new powers frequently in battle and even trained using their new abilities with varying degrees of success.The only Paladin who hadn't used his new powers was Keith. He received the power of fire but was reluctant to use it, because he knew how devastating fire could be, since he lost his father in a fire; something he hadn't told anyone about (not even Shiro). Also, he didn't let the other Paladins know he could control fire and simply kept using his bayard in battle. After several missions where Shiro, Pidge, Lance, and Hunk used their powers and Keith didn't, Shiro asked, "Keith, I know you can control fire. Why aren't you using it?"Keith froze. How had Shiro figured that out? He thought he had been so careful to not use his powers at all. He noticed Lance, Pidge, and Hunk peering at him curiously, which snapped him out of his shock. He managed to escape the other Paladins and ran to the Red Lion's hangar. She knelt down to allow him entrance and quickly put up her particle barrier before anyone could get close. Red purred to her cub as he sat in the pilot's seat, shaking slightly."What's wrong, cub?""Why did you give me power over fire? I lost my father in a fire.""You are strong and can help save the universe, because even though you lost a part of yourself that day, you are forged in fire, stronger than before. You are an exploding star that no one can touch, yet its light protects those who deserve it. I love you, my cub."%%%The very next day was another mission. This one was a little different than the previous ones due to the fact that Keith had gotten separated from the rest of the Paladins. It ended up being fortuitous, because the rest of the Paladins ended up being captured. When Keith saw that, he ran towards the Galra who had his friends cornered and his hands just bursted
into flames, which he used to decimate the troops, because these Paladins, his pack, were under his jurisdiction, under this star’s protection.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Krolia's Little Kit"Keith trudged into headquarters from the pod he piloted in. It was difficult due to him being in between head spaces. He fought to be as big as he could while piloting the pod. He knew it wasn't a good idea as fighting being little usually caused him to regress further than normal, but at least his Mama and Kol Kol were here and waiting for him in the nest.%%%Krolia was fidgeting, trying not to be impatient. Kolivan could tell she wanted Keith to be home right then. She was holding Keith's favorite plushie, a Red Lion, petting it almost unconsciously. Kolivan smiled and, settling behind Krolia, stroked her headfur. They heard the soft patter of feet nearing their nest room. Krolia smiled when the door opened, allowing Keith entrance. Her smile faltered when she saw tiny tears at the corners of his eyes.Krolia quickly crossed the room and scooped up her kit, nuzzling him and handing him Red. He cuddled his plushie and tucked his head against his Mama's neck, and whimpered, "Mama."Krolia rumbled to her kit as she efficiently changed him into a diaper and soft pajamas. She carried him to the nest and Kolivan. The leader petted the little's hair, earning a purr from the kit. Kolivan smiled and nosed his hair. Keith chirped at the familiar gesture. He loved when Kol Kol messed with his hair. "Kol Kol!"Kolivan nosed Keith's hair again. He had caught a whiff of a quickly dissipating scent that worried him. It smelled like he was forcing himself to be big before he got to the nest. That wasn't healthy for the kit to force himself to be big when he needed/wanted to regress. He wanted to talk to him about it but knew he would have to wait until the kit wasn't feeling little anymore. For now, though, he had a little to care for.%%%Keith loved being there with his Mama and Kol Kol. They took real good care of him, especially since he was so little. However, he was so tired, and his Mama was so soft and warm. He snuggled against and purred to her, eyes drifting closed. Krolia groomed the front of her kit's hair as he drifted off to sleep, his purrs changing into the purrs of a sleeping kit.Kolivan laid down on his little's other side, burying his face in the longer strands of Keith's hair. He loved when his kit came home. Whether he was little or big didn't make a difference to Kolivan. Keith was part of his pack, specifically he was his kit, and Kolivan had promised to take care of him.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Denial"Keith stumbled into headquarters, just barely able to catch himself before he fell. He was exhausted, and part of him wanted nothing more than to curl up in his pack's nest. He shook his head resolutely. No. He didn't deserve it. He was a burden and not a good kit. He didn't deserve the comfort of his pack or any of the stuff his Galran instincts wanted him to do.He didn't count on another Blade noticing what he was doing. Captain Lovan was a senior member of the organization but came from a large family and knew how kits were supposed to behave. She had recognized the kit as Krolia's the tick he appeared at headquarters the first time. She and Krolia had been close friends, and other Blades had joked that they were siblings because they looked so similar. Only her headfur was different. Lovan's headfur was a singular color, a deep magenta. She loved Krolia like a sister and, by extension, Keith like a nephew. It hurt her to see him denying his kit instincts. The latest incident that stuck in her mind was when she had been giving him a hug after a rigorous training exercise. He had melted against her and started purring but then stopped and stood up straight. She withdrew her arms and repressed the urge to whine when he walked away. She decided, then and there, to talk to the kit's pack.Lovan had to wait until the beginning of the night cycle to ensure that she could talk to all four of the highest ranking Blades at the same time. She was slightly nervous as they were her superiors, but she felt a duty to inform them of their kit's actions. The kit may have been officially a part of their pack, but he was also unofficially the entire organization's kit. She squared her shoulders and knocked firmly on the door.Thace opened the door and smiled at Lovan. He gestured for her to enter. "Captain Lovan, come in."She smiled in return and accepted his offer. She stepped into the nest room and was slightly surprised to see Kolivan with his braid undone, and his mate running his claws through the white strands. It was strange to see the two leaders so relaxed but a relief at the same time.She was keenly aware of all four pairs of eyes on her, so she took a deep breath before speaking. "Leaders, I don't know if you were aware of what your kit has been doing." At their bewildered stares, she continued. "He has been denying his kit instincts. He recently stopped himself from purring when I was giving him a hug. I also haven't heard any Galran noises out of him for a couple of days."All four members of Keith's pack were upset at what their kit had been doing. They were curious why he hadn't been sleeping in their nest lately and were waiting to see if he was finally going to join them after the short mission he just returned from. Antok growled and withdrew his claws from Kolivan's white strands, swiftly rebraiding them."I will go get our kit. Thank you for letting us know, Captain," Antok murmured as he passed her. He stalked down the hall and towards Keith's small room. He figured that's where the kit might be. He would probably be changing his clothes before heading towards the training hall. Before they included him into their pack, he constantly trained and ate little. He thought their kit was getting better after all this time. He approached the kit's room, when the door opened up and Keith appeared, wearing his black shirt and pants with his red, white, and black boots. Keith stopped short at the sight of Antok in the hall. He didn't know what Antok was doing there as he had never seen him in that part of the base before."Antok?"Antok growled, causing Keith to shrink back. Antok snatched the kit up and threw him over his shoulder. Keith wiggled, trying to get down. Antok jostled him, smacking him lightly with his tail. "Stop it, kit."Keith had no choice but to lay there over the second-in-command's shoulder and be taken wherever Antok was taking him. He wasn't surprised to see it was the pack's nest room. Keith was effortlessly plopped in the nest, Antok settling in next to him. He took a deep breath. "What's going on?""That's our question, kit," Ulaz replied."We have been informed that you have been ignoring your kit instincts," Kolivan said."You also haven't been sleeping in our nest, and we deserve to know why," Thace added.Keith lowered his head, biting his lower lip to prevent the whine from slipping out. "I'm not a good enough kit for you guys. I'm nothing but a burden who doesn't deserve any of these luxuries.""Luxuries?! Luxuries?! Your kit instincts are not luxuries. They are vital to your development," Antok responded.Keith partially curled in on himself. "See? I'm not a good kit. A good kit would have known that. You having to tell me proves that much. I'm just a waste of your time."Antok pulled Keith onto his lap, wrapping his tail around his waist and rumbling to him. "You are no burden, kit. You are our precious kit. You will never be a waste of time. You weren't raised Galra, so you didn't know."Thace sat down next to Antok and groomed Keith's hair. Ulaz settled in in front of Thace, nuzzling Keith's neck. "You were right though. You aren't a good kit. You are a great
kit."Keith couldn't stop the tears from escaping his eyes or the whines from his throat. Kolivan came over and rubbed his back. "It's all right, kit. You just didn't understand. You know now, and we expect you to indulge in them. For now, you need to stay here and let us dote on you."Keith's tears dried up, and his whines subsided. His eyes drooped closed. He hadn't been sleeping well and was finally feeling the effects. He was lulled to sleep surrounded by the warmth of the pack, the soft purrs of a sleeping kit finally filling the room.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Cherry Blossoms"It was a beautiful sight. A forest of sakura trees that somehow remained untouched in the Galra invasion that had ravaged most of the planet. The branches swayed in the gentle breeze that blew Keith's long hair about his face. Shiro had told him all about the meaning of the cherry blossoms:
life, death, and renewal.Life was precious, no matter where it originated from. Humans, Alteans, Galra, Taujeerians, Olkari, Arusians, Balmerans, and many more including hybrids were all made of the same cosmic dust and were all related to one another, according to the Olkari. No one race was better or worse than any other race, even though there were a few individuals who decided to go down the path of evil.Every planet that was conquered by the Galra Empire had suffered loss of life, a great tragedy. Keith wanted to give back to those planets, to help rebuild, to allow beauty to be restored to them. The inhabitants deserved to see their planets restored to their former glory.Now, he would be able to do just that. He was now the leader of the Blade of Marmora since Kolivan was one of the representatives from Daibazaal for the Galactic Coalition. Keith gave a little laugh as the cherry blossoms floated around him. He was glad he turned down their offer for him to be their representative. He wasn't a diplomacy kind of guy, even after spending two years on the space whale with
his mom. He learned much during that time and matured even more; however, it didn't make a difference. He just wasn't cut out for diplomatic meetings and stuffy offices. He was more than happy to roam the stars with his team of new Blades. Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid were his
Blades. The fact that Acxa joined the Blades wasn't a surprise. It was a surprise that Ezor and Zethrid did. He knew that Zethrid went wherever Ezor did.His eyes were drawn to those three, who were standing in the same grove he was. Each one was dressed in their new Blade of Marmora uniforms, which looked good on them, in his opinion. Acxa looked happy to be on surrounded by the falling sakura petals as did Ezor. Zethrid looked...Keith supposed the best word to use was apprehensive about...the situation, maybe? Perhaps it could have just been because the sakura petals were fragile and pale pink. Zethrid and fragility just didn't go together.A gust blew the fallen cherry blossoms up and around Keith, who simply closed his eyes, obviously enjoying the experience. It was another thing Shiro had explained to him about cherry blossoms. Cherry blossoms were a reminder to pay attention to everything with all of the senses you were born with. Many people and races were reliant on what they see rather than what they feel or smell. Keith had learned that Galra, even hybrids, had a sensitive sense of smell. However, learning to differentiate between scents was a difficult lesson to learn, but that was something he was beginning to learn. He could smell the approach of his team through the sakura petals."Ready to go, Keith?" Acxa asked tentatively.Keith opened his eyes with a smile. "Yes. Let's go."He walked behind his Blades. It was definitely a fitting time for his first mission as Blade Leader. Springtime on Earth was a time for new beginnings after all.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Supporting the Paladins"Allura was having a boring day piloting the castle ship. She was on the lookout for any approaching Galra outside but wasn't expecting five Blades to be storming onto her bridge."Princess, we must speak with you," Kolivan requested."What is it?""Did you know how old your Paladins are?" Thace was having trouble reigning in his anger."No. I assumed they were adults."Krolia growled. "By human standards, only Shiro is an adult, but only barely. Everyone else are kits!"Allura's hands left the pillars they had been resting on and flew to her mouth. "Kits? Are you sure? The defenders of the universe are mere children? That cannot be!"Ulaz handed her a data pad. "I took the liberty of translating the Paladins' files to Galran and then to Altean, so everyone would be able to read and understand them."Allura gasped in horror. It was true. She knew the Blades considered Keith (and his twin and Regris) kits, but the other Paladins were young as well. She turned to the Blades. "We must stop them! They are on the training deck!""Why don't you sound the alarm? That will attract their attention and draw them here," Antok suggested."Good idea. However, is there a way not to have the alarm sound in the lounge? Our other two kits are resting," Krolia requested."It is possible. Allow me a moment," Allura stated as she pulled up the ship's programs. She quickly input a temporary silence on the lounge, where the Blades had set up a large nest, before she activated the alarm.It didn't take long for the sound of pounding feet to be heard. The door leading to the bridge opened, and the Paladins rushed in. Allura turned off the alarm.Lance looked around and groaned. "Not another test? I was just about to beat Keith's score!"Keith scoffed. "In your dreams, Sharpshooter." He noticed the looks his pack was giving him and the rest of the team and whined softly.Krolia beckoned him over. "Come here, kit." Keith walked over, and Krolia pulled him close. "You shouldn't be training right now, kit. You have been training long enough today. You need rest."Keith nuzzled his mom's neck and whispered, "Yes, Mama."He liked calling her Mama but didn't want the other Paladins to hear him, because he figured they (or at least Lance) might tease him for it. He knew his mom liked it as well as the rest of the pack. In fact, his siblings had taken to calling her Mama as well, which Keith didn't mind. He may have started calling her by that name, but that didn't mean no one else could."It wasn't a real alarm, Paladins, nor was it a test. I have called you all here for a very important reason," Allura began to explain. "The Blades have informed me of some very distressing facts. Facts that you Paladins have been hiding from us.""Hiding? We haven't hidden anything from you," Lance insisted. Thace growled at him, which made Lance cringe. Ulaz put a hand on Thace's arm, calming him enough to stop growling."None of you told us your ages," Ulaz answered. Keith made a half questioning noise at Ulaz's statement. "Yes, even you, kit. We had to find out exactly how old you were by your file. I had to convert Earth years to deca-phoebes in order to put things into perspective. I can't believe we are letting kits defend the universe."Lance started snickering. He knew what Ulaz meant by the term 'kits.' The Blue Paladin nudged Shiro in the side. "Hey, I guess our allies realized that you were the youngest after all."Shiro scowled. "Not funny, Lance. I am not the youngest. My birthday may have only occured six times so far, but I am physically twenty-five.""Your birthday has only occured six times?" Ulaz stared at his second favorite Paladin in horror. "That means you are the youngest of the group!"Keith tried to muffle his laughter by burying his face against his mother's neck but was failing miserably. Shiro shot a glare in Keith's direction. "You are not helping, Keith.""Not my intention." Keith huffed, which turned into a purr when his mother started carding her claws through his hair."My pack, we must deal with these unruly kits," Krolia announced."Now, wait a minute," Shiro started before Kolivan grabbed him. He was unceremoniously thrown over the Blade Leader's shoulder. Hunk was picked up by Antok, Thace grabbed ahold of Lance, and Ulaz had scooped up Pidge.Krolia tugged Keith, who was still purring, a little closer. "Come along, kit. You and the other kits need to rest."Keith nuzzled Krolia again before walking with her to the lounge. "All right, Mama."Mother and son followed the other Blades to the lounge. The doors opened, revealing Regris holding Acxa and petting her headfur. The girl was shaking slightly, which caught Krolia's attention. With a rumble to Keith, she withdrew her claws and slipped into the nest, pulling Acxa out of Regris's arms and into her lap. Krolia purred to her daughter, who nuzzled her. "Mama.""What happened, kit?""Nightmare." Acxa snuggled closer to her mother, taking comfort in her scent.Keith slid into the nest between his mom and Regris, who started grooming the younger kit's hair. While Krolia and Regris were taking care of the twins, the other Blades deposited the rest of the Paladins into the nest, which confused Regris. He continued grooming his brother's hair but also gave a questioning noise, to which Antok answered with a rumble. "It's all right, kit. We found out that the Paladins are also kits.""Kits who were training too much," Thace added."Sounds like another kit we have," Regris said, pausing in grooming Keith's hair to do so. He resumed the grooming once he finished speaking.
Keith was too busy purring to respond."We're not as young as you think we are, especially me," Shiro said, trying again to convince the Blades."Shh, kit. You are all tired, especially you, Shiro," Kolivan pointed out.The Garrison Trio snickered at Shiro's put out expression. Yelps left them as they were tucked against the Blade that carried them there."Rest, kits. We are here to watch over you," Ulaz rumbled.Soft purrs were heard, and everyone realized that Keith and Acxa were already asleep. Regris was curled around his brother, his eyes drooping closed. Kolivan dragged Shiro closer and ran his claws through the Paladin's short hair. Shiro couldn't help but lean against the leader's chest, his eyes halfway closed. The other three took their cues from their leader and dragged the Paladin they carried close to them. Antok rubbed Hunk's back. Ulaz pulled Pidge into his lap and nuzzled the youngest Paladin's neck. She closed her eyes and relaxed. Thace tugged Lance as close as he could and nuzzled his neck as well, resisting the urge to groom Lance's hair like he liked doing to Keith. The Paladins didn't know what was happening, but they soon drifted off to sleep, snuggled against a Blade and the myriad of pillows and blankets.The Blades were pleased that all of their kits were sleeping. It was an impulse to take care of the Paladins, but they were tempted to adopt them, to make them part of their pack, at least while they were in space and apart from their families.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Adjustment"Thace looked around at the nest, where their two kits were napping. It was such a strange thing, having two kits in their pack. He adored Keith and Regris but was sad that the two kits didn't have mother figures in their lives.Ulaz slipped his arms around his mate and nuzzled his neck. "What's on your mind, my mate?""Just our pack now having two kits. It's such a strange but welcome idea.""Regris is not like Keith. Keith loves to spend his time with us, but Regris was used to spending time either alone or with his mom. He will probably like to continue at least the alone part.""But kits aren't supposed to be alone," Thace countered."I know that, but I don't want to disrupt this kit's routine more than it already has been," Ulaz soothed, grooming his mate's headfur."I understand that. He's been through enough, and he's only a couple deca-phoebes older than Keith."A whine drew their attention to their newest kit. Regris was twitching and letting out little whines and mewls of distress. Thace reached out and scooped up the distressed kit, rumbling to him. He stroked his headfur, providing comfort to the kit. It didn't take long for Regris to wake up, his eyes unfocused and wide and breaths coming in little pants. He whined and curled his tail around his legs. Thace cradled the kit close to his chest, rumbling soothingly to him. Regris's eyes focused on the soothing Galra holding him. His breathing slowed and evened out, a word escaping on an exhale. "Thace.""That's right, kit. I'm here. I've got you."He curled against Thace, wrapping his tail around one of his wrists. "Don't leave me.""Never, kit. We're here for you." Regris's eyes closed tiredly. Thace held onto the kit as he fell back asleep. He laid down next to his pack's other kit, who instinctively snuggled against him. Ulaz reached out and stroked Keith's hair. The two adult Galra locked eyes with each other. "You're wrong, my mate. This kit doesn't want to be left alone."%%%Antok watched over his pack's kits as they tumbled again and again in one of the smaller training halls. Antok's tail swished against the floor as he kept an eye on them. Even though they were too young to truly train, Antok could tell what tactics they two kits would be employing when they were old enough to join the adult operatives. Keith would be taking advantage of his smaller size and fast reflexes where Regris would use his tail much like Antok himself did.As much fun as watching the kits was, Antok was itching to interact with them. He let out a short roar, catching the two kits' attention. He approached the kits, arms outstretched and claws flexing in an obvious invitation. The two kits exchanged a look before they jumped onto Antok. It was obvious that Antok was used to playing with only one kit as the combination of the two kits working together made the second-in-command of the Blades lose his footing. Antok landed on the floor of the training hall on his back as the two kits playfully growled and pinned his limbs. Keith had his legs, and Regis had his arms and his tail, which was pinned by his own smaller tail. Antok was just glad that no one was there to see this. Unbeknownst to the large Blade, his mate was watching in one of the viewing areas and was recording the entire session. Kolivan was going to enjoy teasing his mate about this, good naturedly, of course.%%%Kolivan watched the two kits out of the corner of his eyes as they ate. He didn't really have to watch Keith as the young kit knew he had to eat whatever Ulaz put on his plate, but Kolivan didn't want to make Regris uneasy if the kit caught him watching him. The leader just wanted to make sure their newest kit was adjusting to his new situation as well as could be expected. He watched as the two kits ate their food with the enthusiasm of the young kits they were.Regris looked curiously at something on Keith's plate. He gestured at the generous pile of odd colored stuff. "What's this?""Hmm? Oh, Papa says it's called chocolate pudding. I'm not allowed to have it often as it has a lot of sugar in it. Have you had it before?"Regris tilted his head as he gazed at the stuff. "I don't think so."Keith looked to his left. "Papa, can Regris have a bite of my pudding? He hasn't had it before."Ulaz looked from Keith's face to Regris's. It slightly surprised him as Keith was protective of whenever he allow the kit to have the pudding. He hadn't thought that Keith would offer to share his favorite treat with his new pack brother. "Of course he can, kit, if he wants to.""Thanks!" The youngest kit turned back to Regris. "You want to try some?"Regris shyly nodded. Keith nudged his plate closer to the tailed kit and gestured to his pudding. Regris scooped up some on his spoon and stuck the spoon in his mouth. He removed the spoon and swallowed the pudding. His eyes widened, and he trilled in pleasure. It was then that Kolivan knew he didn't have to worry about their newest kit. He was going to fit in with their pack very nicely.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Repercussions"Lotor was couldn't believe he had been kidnapped and almost taken back to the Emperor. It was his worst nightmare; something that he had dreamed when he had been first rescued by his mom and before his dad accepted him as his kit. His home had become a safe haven where no one could get him, but in the span of a few vargas his world had been flipped onto its head. He was afraid of traveling the corridors alone and flinched when he saw a Blade in a non descript mask. He only relaxed when he saw the soft glow of a Marmoran blade usually strapped to the Blade's back. The Blades didn't take offense to their leader's kit's actions. They had been debriefed on what happened, so they understood.Krolia was worried about her second eldest kit. He seemed afraid like he might be abducted any tick. He was always with someone, usually either her or Kolivan, though he did spend a tiny bit of time with Regris and the rest of his siblings. She had to do something to reassure him of his safety. At that moment, he was in the nest with her and his siblings, the younger ones napping. Krolia shuffled a little closer to Lotor and wrapped her arms around him, allowing her purr to soothe him.Lotor sighed and relaxed in his mom's arms. He knew he was safe there. His pack wouldn't let anything happen to him. He knew
that, but he couldn't help but feel anxious when he was by himself. He often asked for one of his siblings (mostly his brothers, especially Keith) to accompany him, no matter where he was going.Keith was happy to keep one of his older brothers company. He was just happy enough to be let out of the nest. His twin and he had been sick the previous phoebe, and their mother was just letting out a couple quintants ago. The tick Lotor asked him to come with him, he was ecstatic. He loved spending time with Lotor. He explained things to him, even when he wasn't supposed to be listening. He learned so much when Kolivan forgets he's in the nest in his office. He knew Kolivan didn't really forget he was there, but Kolivan just wasn't used to him being there when Lotor was and being quiet. It was at his mom's behest that he rest when he 'tagged along with Lotor' as she phrased it. He felt fine, but Krolia insisted that he still needed rest. He felt a bit silly, but that was the price he had to pay to make sure his brother felt safe around their home, then he'd gladly pay the price.Kolivan watched his eldest kit out of the corner of his eye as he read over the reports from operatives that had passed by primitive planets, including Earth. The most in depth reports were several deca-phoebes old and needed updating, but even the stealthiest Blades had issues remaining unseen all quintant. Observations were all well and good, but the best report were from interactions.However, he had to put those reports on hold as he had a kit that needed reassurance that he was safe at headquarters. They had all sorts of safety procedures in place, but maybe Lotor would like to come up with his own? Perhaps that would give the kit the peace of mind his kidnapper had stolen. Kolivan cursed Rhyndas in his mind, even though the Empire soldier was dead. The Blade Leader calmed himself down before addressing the eldest kit in the room, "Lotor."Lotor looked up from reading on his data pad. "Yes, Dad?""Come here, kit." Kolivan gestured for Lotor to join him. Lotor put down his data pad and walked over to his father, who pulled him onto his lap. This surprised Lotor. He thought he was too old to sit on his father's lap. Kolivan could tell what his kit was thinking and nuzzled his head. "You will never be too old to sit with me. Now, I was thinking. Would a new safety procedure put your mind at ease?"Lotor shrugged. "Maybe.""One that you
come up with?"Lotor perked up at the suggestion. "May I?"Kolivan smiled. "Of course, my kit. Do you have an idea already?"Lotor nodded. "How about when someone approaches the base before they even get to go through the star, they have to identify themselves, and once they are granted entrance, they have to land outside the base, not directly in the hangar? Then, one or two Blades come out to grant them entrance and stay with them until they reach their destination."Kolivan smiled as he wrote down the suggestion his kit said. He had no issues putting this safety procedure into place, especially if it would give his kit the reassurance that no one will be able to get in without detection.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"No Birthday""Start training level five!"Keith took a steadying breath, even though he knew it wouldn't work, but he couldn't allow himself to get worked up while he was on the training deck. Da-Lance would be upset with him if he knew he was on the training deck while fighting to stay big. Keith didn't want to regress right now, because his little side would want a big fuss to be made over his birthday, but there was no one else around. Shiro, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and Allura were doing a 'show of arms' air show in the lions and wouldn't be back until late that night since there was to be a banquet in their honor.Keith had come in from a stressful Blade mission while the team had been preparing for the show. Coran let Keith in, gave him a rough and overenthusiastic back pat (as usual), and let him do his own thing. Keith had switched out of his Blade uniform and into his casual clothes minus his red and white jacket. He had been tempted to steal into Lance's room and nick his Daddy's jacket, so he could snuggle with it, but that wasn't ideal. He settled for going to the training deck to pass the time. However, that proved to be a bad idea as he got hurt when he focused waned. He was knocked to the floor with a shallow gash to his left forearm. He managed to shout "End training sequence!" before regressing and bursting into tears.%%%The air show just ended, and the Paladins were setting their lions down, when Red roared and took off for the castle with Lance still inside."Whoa, girl! What's the matter?" Lance received a roar and a picture of Keith crying in response. He pushed the controls for Red to go faster. If something was wrong with Keith, then that was more important than a banquet.Red landed in her hangar and bent down so her secondary Paladin could run out of her mouth. Lance's long legs carried him swiftly to the training deck. He could tell that's where Keith was from the picture Red sent his way. He could hear the crying from the other side of the door. He pried open the door and rushed over to Keith. "Keith, buddy? What happened?"Keith turned his tear streaked face to meet Lance's concerned gaze. "D-Daddy! H-Hurts!"Lance reached out and picked up his little. "Shh, baby. I know. How about we get Uncle Coran to bandage this up and then we can get you changed? Does that sound good?"Keith nodded, cradling his left arm and sniffling. Lance carefully and quickly carried his baby to the infirmary and was able to call Coran when he sat down on an examination bed with Keith still in his arms. When Coran came in, he was surprised to see Keith lightly dozing in Lance's arms."What happened here?""I don't know. We had just finished the air show when Red took off. She showed me an image of Keith crying on the training deck, and when I got there, he was already hurt and regressed. Can you bandage his arm?"'Of course, I can. The poor boy was looking torn when I welcomed him home, but I didn't think he was about to regress," Coran mentioned as
he got the supplies."He might have been in between head spaces," Lance suggested, "but why would he have gone to the training deck? I've told him that it was dangerous to train, especially if he is fighting his regression...that must be what he was doing! He didn't want
to regress and thought training would help him stay big."Coran tsked as he bandaged the little's arm. "Fortunately, it was a shallow cut. He's good to go, number three.""Thanks, Coran." Lance gently slid off the bed but ended up jostling his baby, who whined in his sleep. "Shh, cariño. It's all right. Daddy's got you." [sweetie]Keith quieted down when he heard his Daddy's voice and his special name Daddy called him. He laid his head against Daddy's shoulder and nuzzled it, taking in Daddy's scent. He smelled like the ocean and safety, which was heavenly to the little.Lance made it to his room in record time and had to regretfully put his baby down to change both of their clothes. Keith's eyes popped open the tick he was laid down, and he whined, reaching out for his Daddy to pick him back up."Hang on, cariño. I have to change my clothes as well as yours, so you have to wait a tick." Lance quickly changed into his blue Altean pajamas and gathered the supplies he needed for Keith. He stripped the baby of his clothes and quickly diapered him. He put on a pair of red footie pajamas and grabbed his jacket. He didn't know why, but Keith loved being wrapped in the jacket instead of a blanket. Lance also grabbed the Red Lion plushie, which he handed to the baby, who snuggled with it. Lance wrapped Keith up in his jacket and picked him up, carrying him to his bed. He sat down with Keith securely in his arms. "Baby, why didn't you want to be little today?""Cuz it's my birfday and no party." The little sniffled.Lance froze. It was true. There was no party planned, but that was only because they didn't know Keith was going to be there on his birthday. That and normally, Keith didn't want his birthday to be a big deal. Apparently, his little side took offense to that. The little wanted his birthday to be a big deal. "Aw, baby. I'm sorry we didn't have anything planned for your birthday. We didn't know if you were going to be with us or with Kolivan. It's no excuse, but maybe we can make it up to you?""How?""We can spend the night here and tomorrow, we can do things you like. We might even be able to get a Hunk made cake."Keith snuggled a little further into Daddy's jacket, immersing himself in the safe ocean scent. Lance smiled at his little as he fished into his jacket pockets, looking for a pacifier. He usually carried one in his jacket pockets. His hand closed around one, and he pulled it out in triumph. He pressed it against Keith's lips, and the little instinctively opened his mouth for one of his favorite comfort items. He sucked on it as his eyes closed. His Daddy was humming a song, which made him fall asleep. It may have not been the ideal birthday, but at least he had his Daddy with him.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Walking Into Walls"
*Thump*
Thace cringed as he heard the thump and subsequent cry. It wasn't the cry of a hurt kit though; merely a surprised kit. Their kit was trying to cope with his lack of sight. It came as a shock that Keith didn't know that some beings could see; that his lack of sight wasn't
actually the norm. He had said that Keith was going to be a legend in their ranks, but at this moment, it sounded like a long shot.
*Thump*
Especially if the kit kept walking into things like walls. Thace had considered starting out in one of the training halls, but it wouldn't have given the kit anything to avoid, which would have defeated the purpose of the exercise, so that's why they were in Thace's and Ulaz's quarters. It was exceedingly hard not to scoop up the kit and comfort him as Thace wanted to do.They only had the kit for a couple of movements at this point, and Thace was stuck in perpetual overprotective Dad mode. If he honest with himself, he had started it when he had picked up the kit in Keith's biological father's shack back on Earth. Looking back on it, Thace should have questioned why Keith patted everyone on their cheek before hugging them. He didn't, because he assumed it was a human thing. They didn't know anything about humans let alone a Galra human hybrid, so they were lost.
*Thump*
Thace winced as tears appeared in Keith's dull-looking purple eyes. Thace immediately swooped in and scooped up the kit, nuzzling and rumbling to him. Keith whimpered but knew that it was his Daddy who had him by his scent. He had learned to differentiate between the four Blades who were his pack by their scents. Each one smelled of what they called Luxite and something else. Ulaz smelled like calming lavender. Thace's scent was of family. Antok smelled like a fir tree forest. Kolivan, however, smelled solely of Luxite. It was comforting to know who was with him without relying on them to tell him. His Daddy holding him calmed him down enough for him to start purring back as he buried his face in his neck."You're all right, kit. You're all right." Once Thace realized that Keith was calmed down, he asked, "Do you want to try again?""I think so, Daddy, but it's so hard."Thace set Keith back on his feet but kept his hands on Keith's shoulders. "Everything makes a sound; your heartbeat, your footfalls, your voice. These noises come off as sound waves that bounce off objects around you. It changes the pitch and length when they bounce off the objects and come back to you. You can determine where things are in relation to you by the echoes. You practice this, and you'll get so good at it that you'll be able to do it without needing to get a base line every time."That sounded amazing to the little three deca-phoebe old. His Daddy thought he could do that if he practiced enough? He wanted to show him that he could do it. So, his steps could show him how far away something was, but how could they do that if he walked so softly? Maybe he had to walk harder? Heavier? Keith nodded resolutely. He could do this and knew his Daddy knew this as he felt his hands leave his shoulders. Keith started walking but with heavier foot falls this time. The sounds were different than before. They were varying pitches and lengths. It was hard to determine where they were coming from."Daddy? I think I need help to figure out where things are," Keith sounded a little heartbroken that he couldn't do it, even after his Daddy's explanation.Thace's heart broke at his kit's tone. "Let's try it a different way, kit." He scooped up his kit, who scrambled up to sit on his shoulders, and walked out of the room.He walked into training hall B, which was thankfully empty. He set the kit down, and Keith looked up at him. "Where are we, Daddy?""This is training hall B. We are going to start with an empty room. Once you get used to the idea of using the sound of your feet or your heartbeat to determine where the walls are, we'll introduce obstacles for you to avoid.""Okay, Daddy." Keith made sure to walk heavily and listen to the different pitches. It took a little bit and several thumps, but Keith eventually stopped bumping into the walls. Thace knew it was a small victory and that until Keith got used to using the echoes to determine location of things that the kit was going to keep bumping into things, but since it was only a couple of movements since they adopted the kit, it was good progress.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Overworked"Keith stared at the communique he received from Thace. "Are you serious? Kolivan is alone at headquarters?""Yes, kit. The rest of us had to go on this mission, but Kolivan said he was going to go over the reports that he received from other Blades while we were gone."Keith whined softly. He knew it wasn't good for Kolivan to be holed up in his office for the whole day. "I'm going to headquarters. Maybe I can get Kolivan to not overwork himself."Antok snorted, having heard their kit's comment. "Good luck, kit. You're going to need it."%%%"Princess, I need one of the pods, unless I can use Red. I need to get to headquarters."Allura stared at Keith. She knew the Paladin was talking about the Blade of Marmora headquarters. "Is it urgent, Keith? Do you want me to wormhole us over there?""Would you? That would save a lot of time.""Of course, I'd be willing to as long as you tell me what's going on while we're on our way." Allura opened up a wormhole as Keith sat down in the Red Paladin seat."I received a message from Thace, Ulaz, and Antok. They're on a mission, but Kolivan is still at headquarters and is intent on overworking himself. I want to make sure he is taking care of himself.""I hope he takes your advice. He seems quite stubborn," Allura commented. "Here we are. I'm stopping back here, so we don't get the hail.""That's fine. Thank you so much, Princess. This means so much to me." Keith stood up and was surprised when Allura hugged him."They're your family, Keith, like you're a part of ours. Now, hurry and take care."Keith purred to Allura for a tick before rushing off to the hangar. He hopped into a pod and prepped it for take off. He quickly shot out of the hangar, and it didn't take long for his pod to get hailed."Identify yourself.""This is Blade of Marmora Operative Keith. I'm here to see Leader Kolivan.""Welcome, Operative Keith. Please navigate the route carefully."Keith rolled his eyes. He disliked being told to fly carefully. It made him want to fly recklessly, just to spite whoever added that comment. He flew the pod into headquarters and was pleased that the hangar was open for him to land in.He expertly landed the pod in the hangar and disembarked from the pod. He landed gracefully. A couple of Blades who were guarding the hangar looked at him as he made his way to the door, which made Keith realize that he wasn't wearing his Marmoran uniform. He quickly unsheathed his Blade, letting it transform into its short sword form, which showed the Blades he was a member. They let him leave the hangar, and Keith let the blade deactivate, it shrinking back into a knife, before he resheathed it.He headed for Kolivan's office, knowing that he could just enter the Blade Leader's office without having to knock. It was one of the perks of being part of Kolivan's pack.%%%Kolivan had been sitting at his desk for far too long, but he had to get these reports done. He hadn't slept well the previous night. His subconscious was plagued by nightmares of the deaths of his pack, especially their kit. He had spent most of the night curled into Antok's larger frame, taking comfort in his bulk and his scent; however, sleep was still elusive. It was one of the reasons he stayed behind at headquarters instead of joining the rest of the pack on the mission. Reading reports was extremely dull and boring, which made Kolivan unwillingly fall asleep at his desk.%%%The trip to Kolivan's office wasn't as long as Keith remembered it to be, and he pushed open the door. He wasn't surprised to see Kolivan sitting at his desk, but what was surprising was that his data pad was balanced precariously on slackened claws and his eyes were closed. Keith cocked his head. Had Kolivan fallen asleep sitting up? Keith cautiously approached the desk and snagged his leader's data pad before it could fall and placed it gently on the desktop. He stared at Kolivan. How could he move him to the nest? He knew he couldn't move him on his own and leaving him there wasn't really an option either. What could he do? He wanted to whine but was afraid of disturbing Kolivan. He quickly stepped out of the office, closing the door behind him, and slumped against the wall. The whine he let out was loud and slightly sad.%%%The loud yet sad whine startled Eldir. It was clearly a kit's call, but he wasn't aware of any kits on the base. He knew the leader's pack had adopted a kit, but he wasn't always at headquarters. Nevertheless, Eldir decided to check on the call. He heard the whine again as he neared Kolivan's office and stopped short at the figure slumped against the wall outside their leader's office. He was definitely young yet alien looking. He had pale peach colored skin and a lot of black headfur that reached almost to his shoulders. He didn't appear to have any claws and wasn't wearing a uniform but a black shirt, a pair of black pants, red and white and black boots, and a red and white short jacket."Hello?"The alien's head shot up, revealing violet irises surrounded by white sclera, and he let out a questioning noise. Eldir realized that this alien was indeed a Galran kit."Calm, little one. Where is your pack?""Most are on a mission, but Kolivan is here. He fell asleep at his desk, and I don't know how to get him to the nest.""Ah, so you
are the leader's kit. Stay calm, and I'll take Kolivan to his nest.""Can you?" Relief was easily heard in the kit's voice."Of course, little one.""Keith.""What?""My name is Keith."Eldir chuckled. "All right, Keith. Let me pick up Kolivan, and then we can go to your nest." Eldir entered the nearby office and had to hold back a tsk as Kolivan was sleeping sitting up. He shook his head slightly as he gently picked up the younger Galra as easily as one would pick up a kit. Even though Eldir was much older than Kolivan, his strength wasn't diminished due to his age.When he exited the office, Keith was at his side immediately. He gently brushed his hand over Kolivan's red markings, letting out a purr, which Kolivan responded to, even in his sleep. A soft rumble left the leader, which soothed the kit at least a little. When Eldir began carrying Kolivan in the direction of his nest, Keith was at his heels. The trek to Kolivan's nest was quick and quiet. Keith opened the door, leading the way into the nest room. Eldir wasn't surprised at the size of the nest as he remembered that the leader's pack was quite large and consisted of several adult Galra. He gently laid Kolivan in the nest and had to suppress a chuckle as the kit practically dove into the nest and snuggled up against their leader, whispering, "Thank you."Eldir knelt down and stroked Keith's hair. "You are welcome, little one. Kolivan has always been a stubborn kit."Keith let out a quiet questioning noise, one that conveyed confusion. Eldir chuckled and replied, "I am a senior member of the Blades, so I knew Kolivan when he was a kit. He was always stubborn.""Stop telling my kit stories." Kolivan blearily opened his eyes halfway."Kolivan!" Keith exclaimed, nuzzling his leader. Kolivan wrapped an arm around Keith, pulling him closer.Eldir smiled. "I am not telling him anything but the truth." He put a hand on Kolivan's shoulder. "You need to rest here and wait for your pack to return. You haven't had enough sleep, my kit."Keith watched as the senior Blade walked out of the door. "Kolivan, who exactly was that?"Kolivan sighed and nuzzled his kit. "That, kit, was my father."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"A Feathered Reveal"Keith was the one who woke up first and felt better than ever. He wondered why until he rolled his shoulders and his wings moved. That was right. His mates had seen his wings out and absolutely loved them. Not all humans had wings, which was why Shiro and Lance didn't question why he didn't have wings. He couldn't believe that he was about to leave his room with his wings out. He wasn't too worried about Hunk's reaction or Pidge's, for that matter. Hunk was simply too kind to say anything mean about any of his team mates, and Pidge was just curious. Keith expected questions from the shorter tech genius before the quintant was over.His musing was cut short when he felt Lance's wings shift and slide across his body, curling around him and bringing him even closer. "Good morning, Keith."Keith smiled and kissed Lance softly. "Good morning, Lance.""How are you feeling?""Better than normal actually. I never realized how much hiding my wings made my shoulders ache."Lance brought his hands from where they were resting on Keith's waist up to Keith's shoulders. He massaged them a little and noticed the difference immediately. He moved his hands to Keith's wings and caressed them, making Keith smile sweetly. In the short time he had them out, he learned that he loved having his wings caressed.Suddenly, Shiro's wings dragged both of his boyfriends closer. Lance turned his head to meet Shiro's grey eyes as they gazed at both slightly younger males. He gave a kiss to the top of each one's head. "Morning. We need to get up. Allura has a meeting planned this morning.""A meeting with who?" Keith asked."The Blades, specifically Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz."Keith smiled. Those were the four that he was closest to, the ones he considered his pack. He was interested what their reactions to his wings would be. "Is it over the comms or are they coming in person?""I think it's in person," Shiro replied."Let's go then," Keith said."Of course, koibito. I know you are excited to see your pack again." [sweetheart]Keith smiled again as Shiro and Lance unwrapped their wings and dashed from the bed. He gathered his clothes and entered the bathroom to take a shower, leaving his boyfriends the choice of whether to join him or wait.Once all three were finished, they had a little bit of time before the Blades were scheduled to arrive, so they took the opportunity to get some breakfast. Shiro and Lance didn't get so much as a second look, but Keith got a double take."So, Keith, since when did you have wings?" Pidge inquired, adjusting her glasses."I've always had them. I never liked the way I looked with them out, so I kept the hidden," Keith admitted."So why now?" Pidge asked."These two saw me with them out and convinced me to not hide them anymore," Keith answered, curling a wing around each of his mates."Ugh, not in front of my food goo, please," Pidge groused.The trio of mates grinned, and Keith and Lance took seats at the table, while Shiro went into the kitchen to fetch him and his mates food. Shiro wasn't surprised to see Hunk still in the kitchen. "Hi, Hunk."Hunk spun around. "Oh, hi, Shiro." Shiro tucked his wings against his back so as not to take up too much room in the kitchen while he went about filling three bowls with food goo. "Here, Shiro. Let me help you carry the bowls into the dining area.""As long as you don't drop it." Shiro handed Hunk one of the bowls."Why would I drop it?""Because Keith actually has wings. He had been hiding them, because he didn't like the way he looked with them out, but they are beautiful. They are such a deep black that they shine a bluish-purple.""I'd love to see them.""Well, he's in the dining area with Lance and Pidge right now," Shiro stated as he led Hunk out of the kitchen.Hunk set the bowl down at the empty spot on Keith's left. "Hi, Keith. You look good, man."Keith smiled but was slightly unnerved. He wasn't used to getting so much attention. "Thanks."Hunk fidgeted slightly before asking, "Can I...touch them?"Keith was taken aback at the question. He paused before he said, "I guess so."Hunk noticed his hesitation. "If you'd rather I didn't, it's okay. You don't have to say yes just because I asked.""It's okay, Hunk. It just startled me a little. I'm not used to all this attention. You can touch them." Keith let his left wing extend slightly in Hunk's direction, encouraging the Yellow Paladin to make contact with the inky feathers. Hunk's fingers were light, making the contact feel as gentle as a butterfly's and just as fleeting. Keith grinned and pushed his left wing a little further into Hunk's hand. "You don't have to be that gentle, Hunk.""One of my moms had wings, and she always told us to be careful.""I understand. I'm just letting you know that mine aren't as fragile." Keith closed his eyes as Hunk caressed his wing, enjoying the sensation."I'm glad you're enjoying this, koibito, but you need to eat before the Blades show up," Shiro said before he took a bite of his food goo. [sweetheart]. Keith reluctantly began eating, knowing his older mate was right. Lance had already dug into his food goo, and if his pack learned that he hadn't been eating, they would be cross with him.Just as Keith finished his bowl, Allura's voice was heard over the comm system. "Paladins, report to the hangar."Keith grinned and hurriedly put his bowl in the kitchen. He dashed into the hangar in time to see his pack exiting their ship. He ran over and jumped onto Thace, tucking his wings against his back and calling out, "Thace!"%%%Thace caught Keith with no problem, wrapping an arm around him, but was surprised at the different texture he felt around his kit's waist. He looked at his kit's back and was startled to see wings. "Kit? Why do you have wings?"The rest of Keith's pack gathered around and examined Keith's wings."When did you get these, kit?""Do they hurt?"Keith laughed and nuzzled the closest pack member which was Kolivan, who hadn't spoken yet. He rumbled to Keith. "I've always had them. I've just been hiding them since I didn't like the way I looked with them out. Lance and Shiro found out by accident but love the way I look with them out."Kolivan gently nuzzled Keith's head. "You do
look good, kit. I cannot imagine hiding them felt good."Keith blushed slightly. "No. It didn't feel good after a bit of hiding them."Ulaz gently ran a hand over Keith's right wing, eliciting a purr from him. "Then, don't hide them anymore, kit."%%%Allura was surprised when Keith ran in, sporting wings of the deepest black. She wondered when another of her Paladins got wings. She had been about to inquire when the Blades did just that. Instead, she listened to Keith's explanation. She felt sad that Keith felt he had to hide his wings. They really were a gorgeous color, especially with the bluish-purple sheen they had when the castle lights hit them just right.Once Keith stepped back from the Blades, she stepped forward. "Keith."Keith stiffened slightly at her tone and turned around. At the sight of her frown, his wings started closing around him. Her eyes widened at the act, and she closed the distance between them. "Keith, don't, please. I'm not mad that you have wings. They're gorgeous."She tentatively reached out and stroked his feathers, coaxing them open in her gentleness. Keith peeked out of the protection his wings provided at the princess. Her smile put him at ease, which allowed his wings to open. He stole a quick look at his mates, who nodded at him, knowing what he was thinking. He gently and slowly curled a wing around Allura and pulled her close. "Thank you, Princess."Allura had been surprised when she felt one of Keith's wings curl around her. She smiled when she heard him thank her. "You have no reason to thank me. It would be wrong of me to judge you based on this new knowledge. I learned that lesson already."%%%The Blades were pleased that the princess wasn't going to condemn their kit over his wings. She seemed to have learned an important lesson of judging others based on characteristics they were born with and had no choice about. It was a mark of how much this group of defenders had come that they accepted each other, no matter what new information came to light.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Beloved"Keith was on the training deck...again. Lotor sighed. His intended was insane. Lotor finally realized that. He trained more often and longer than everyone else on the castle ship combined. No one could persuade him to stop; not the princess, not any of the Paladins, not any of the Blades.The Blades were confusing to Lotor. They considered Keith their kit but also as a full member of their organization. It was an oxymoron. A kit shouldn't be fighting in an adult's war, but then again, Keith didn't consider himself a full kit. He was considered an adult on Earth, which was where he grew up.Lotor was just starting to understand where Keith stood in relation to everyone and everything. He was a human Galran hybrid who grew up on a primitive planet, was insanely intelligent, sensitive to quintessence, quite skilled with any sword/knife he wielded, and was a naturally skilled pilot. Even though he had a short temper at times, Lotor had seen the softer side of him. During the night cycle, Keith had started coming to Lotor more often, wanting comfort, especially after a nightmare, which he was prone to having. Lotor never turned him away. He was initially surprised that the hybrid had come to him instead of his pack or any of the other Paladins until Keith confided in him that he felt comfortable, safe, with Lotor. After that, Lotor welcomed Keith any time at night. It got to the point that Lotor asked Keith if he wanted to stay with him instead of sleeping alone. He wasn't surprised when he readily accepted his offer.He supposed that was the beginning of their relationship. Everytime Lotor and Keith ran into each other, Keith had a purr that couldn't be heard by anyone who didn't have sensitive hearing. By the looks the princess kept giving them, she had heard her Paladin purring. Lotor couldn't tell if she approved of it or not, but it didn't matter to him. He liked that Keith was getting more comfortable around him. Lotor was willing to get even closer to him, but he felt like he had to talk to Keith and his pack to make sure his intentions were clear.It was clear that Keith wasn't versed in Galran culture and therefore wasn't aware of what he had been doing. This was what led Lotor to sit in front of the four Blades and Keith. Lotor resisted the urge to tug Keith against his side and nuzzle him and, instead, calmly asked the Blades for the honor of courting Keith. The Blades were skeptical at first, so it came as no surprise that Keith was the one who asked what he meant. Lotor smiled and explained that he wanted to seek his affection, his love.Keith was shocked. He hadn't thought that Lotor would want to...date him, if he understood the term correctly. He cocked his head and thought about it or would have if Antok hadn't started growling. Acting on instinct, Keith whined at Antok and darted over to Lotor's side. Antok stopped growling and blinked at Keith's actions."Kit?"Keith blinked, apparently not realizing he had moved, and his eyes widened. Lotor wrapped an arm around Keith and tugged him closer, nuzzling him gently, trying to calm him down. Keith leaned against Lotor, relishing in the feeling of safety.Thace realized what just happened. Keith's instincts had already claimed Lotor as his mate. He rumbled to both younger Galra, gaining their attention. "Whether we like it or not, Keith's instincts have already claimed Lotor as his mate. To deny them would be wrong."It was a monumental moment, winning the Blades' approval, though Lotor supposed that was more Keith proving to his pack that he liked Lotor more than Lotor winning the Blades' approval. After that tense moment in the Blades' nest room, Keith was a bit more affectionate to Lotor but only behind closed doors, and Lotor had been looking to see where Keith went in his down time. More often than not, Keith was on the training deck, which infuriated Lotor more and more, especially when he found out how
his beloved trained.Lotor growled as he gazed at the nearly transparent controls of the training deck that displayed the past few vargas the Red Paladin had been in there. It was the same training exercise and level over and over again, but the time had been getting faster and the overall score had been rising as well. Lotor's eyebrows raised, gracefully arching over his astonished eyes. Was Keith trying to get a perfect score before moving onto the next level? Lotor frowned and swiftly exited the observation area, heading for the main floor."End training sequence!"%%%Keith had been so focused on the training exercise that he didn't notice Lotor's entrance until he heard, "End training sequence!"Keith wiped his brow with the back of his hand and looked up at Lotor. "Why'd you do that?"Lotor approached Keith,
swept him closer, and held him against his chest, running his claws through the slightly sweaty raven locks. "You have been in here too long, my beloved."Keith blushed at the term of endearment. He was still getting used to the idea of dating Lotor, though he was finding himself liking it more and more as the quintants went by. "Why do you say that? It's only been a few vargas. Not much time to get in a good workout."Lotor blinked at Keith's unvoiced admission. Keith all but said that he was willing to spend a good portion of the quintant on the training deck. He rearranged the position of his hands and picked up Keith, essentially throwing him over his shoulder. "You are done for the quintant. You will take a shower and relax with me in our room."Even though he was slightly embarrassed at being thrown over Lotor's shoulder, Keith couldn't help but purr at the level of concern his boyfriend was showing him. He may have been a little miffed at being forced to stop training for the quintant, but he couldn't say no to spending time just relaxing with Lotor. He just needed to take a shower first.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Integration"Krolia opened her eyes and looked around her nest. She had fallen asleep with her kit snuggled against her, but he wasn't there now. Her head shot up in alarm. Where was he? Soft purring penetrated her panicked brain. She realized it was coming from a little bit away from her but
figured it was just Antok since he was sleeping near her. She only gave it the briefest of glances, because she didn't see her kit anywhere. It was only another tick of alarm before she saw her little kit curled up on Antok's chest, the end of his tiny tail tapping in response to his dream. She realized that he was the one purring and relaxed as she gazed at her kit. She couldn't believe she was a mother. It had been a spur of the moment, almost instinctual reaction to the sight of the kit being restrained. It was a reaction she never regretted and would gladly do so again and again.She had grown up without any siblings and always wanted a large family. She was happy to be a part of Kolivan's pack, which included Kolivan (of course), Antok, Ulaz, and Thace. She considered Ulaz and Thace siblings and was close to Kolivan and Antok, even though she was younger than they were. She was also close with Taulol, the fluffy purple female Blade that she was sent on missions with, and considered her a sister.Movement drew her attention back to the curled up kit that was just waking up. He lifted his head and softly chirped when he met her gaze. She smiled and rumbled to him. Regris slowly slid off Antok's chest until he was between Krolia and Antok. Krolia nosed his headfur and asked, "When did you move over to Antok, little one?""Da-Antok was making a weird sound in his sleep, and I wanted to comfort him. I thought maybe sleeping on him would let him know he wasn't alone."Krolia blinked before what Regris said sank in. "Did you just almost call Antok 'Dad?'"Regris ducked his head. "I'm sorry. I-""No, no, kit. It's quite all right, if you consider Antok your dad. I find it quite adorable. You do resemble him a bit." Truthfully, Krolia found the idea hilarious, but she didn't know why, so she couldn't even explain it to her kit.%%%Antok was awake the entire time ever since Regris slid off his chest. It touched him that sometime during the night cycle the kit climbed up and curled up on his chest. Even though he was asleep, he could feel the warmth radiating from the little kit. How one kit could be so warm wasn't something Antok could figure out. He hadn't realized that Regris would consider him his dad. He was pleased that this little kit loved him enough to call him 'Dad.' He turned onto his side, facing Regris, and wrapped his tail around the kit's tiny waist. He ever so gently bumped his nose against Regris's temple in a Galran kiss (one between family members). "Love you, kit."%%%If Regris was surprised to feel his Dad's tail wrap around his waist, he was moreso when Antok bumped his nose against his temple. "Love you, kit."Regris purred and hooked his tail on the end of Antok's. "Love you, too, Dad."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Emotional"Keith entered his room, longing to slam the door. He never hated the automatic doors more than he did at that moment. Automatic doors didn't allow him to take some of his anger out on the door. He growled as he yanked off his boots and threw them at the closet; both made satisfying thuds but did little else to sate his anger. He shimmied out of his jacket and tossed it onto the dresser. He unclipped his utility belt and tossed it on the dresser to join his jacket. He changed out of his black shirt and pants, tossing them aside as well, and pulled on a pair of soft, grey pants and a muted, overly large red shirt. He climbed onto his bed and hid under the large blanket that his pack had bought for him, still growling every so often. He didn't know why he was so angry, but he was and didn't want to take it out on anyone else.%%%Lance was wandering aimlessly around the castle's corridors. He was bored and couldn't come up with anything that sounded good. He wasn't in the mood to play the video game he and Pidge had bought, he didn't want to train (besides, he figured Keith was on the training deck), and Hunk and Pidge were busy; Hunk in the kitchen and Pidge in her lab. He supposed he could see what Shiro and Allura were doing but didn't want to run the risk of interrupting a private moment, something that was happening with more frequency.As he passed by the Paladins' rooms, he heard a growl, which made him freeze. Who was growling, where were they, and, most importantly, why? He looked at the door he was in front of and noticed it was Keith's room. Lance raised an eyebrow. Wasn't Keith on the training deck?Another growl coming from Keith's room made Lance realize that it wasn't an angry sound as he had expected. He knew what different growls sounded like, especially feline growls. He and his siblings had taken in every stray animal that crossed their paths back on Earth, and most of them were cats. Most people thought when cats growled that meant they were angry, but the McClain children knew better. There were growls that were angry, certainly, but there were also growls that conveyed a multitude of different emotions. Sometimes fear, loneliness, or sorrow were conveyed by not only the expected yowls and whines but by the growls as well.However, there weren't any cats on the ship; just one part Galra. Now, Lance wasn't saying that Keith was a cat, but the Galra were basically giant space cats, and Keith was
part Galra. Lance was sure that Keith's growls weren't angry, but perhaps it was difficult for him to voice what he was feeling. The Blue Paladin squared his shoulders and knocked on the door. The growl he received was completely expected. He opened the door and called out gently, "Keith, buddy, may I come in?"The growls stopped suddenly, and the ensuing silence was almost deafening until Keith's voice broke it. "I...guess."Lance entered Keith's room, allowing the door too close behind him, but didn't come much closer. He didn't want to crowd Keith.%%%Keith was surprised when Lance knocked on his door, asking if he could come in. He also surprised himself with his answer, hesitant as it was. He didn't know why he let Lance enter his room while he was angry, and yet, ever since Lance entered, his anger lessened. He moved the blanket off of his head and peered at Lance, who was still standing by the door. He caught Lance's gaze and was pleasantly shocked to see it wasn't full of pity or fear. He couldn't explain why he did his next set of actions, but he held out his arms.Lance was astonished at Keith's actions. He was very clearly asking for a hug, something that Lance wouldn't deny him of. Lance immediately went over to Keith and wrapped his arms around him. Keith melted against Lance and laid his head on his shoulder, feeling his anger dissipate quickly and completely. It felt so good to have Lance's arms around him, but he didn't know why. It felt even better when Lance laid his head on top of his. Keith couldn't help but purr and try to get even closer.Hearing Keith purr made Lance smile, but when Keith pressed even closer, Lance raised an eyebrow. Taking a chance, Lance dragged the purring teen onto his lap, hoping he wasn't overstepping his bounds. He sighed inaudibly in relief when he heard Keith purr louder.Keith purred louder and snuggled against Lance. Maybe this was what he actually needed. He would ask his pack about it later, but right now, he was going to enjoy Lance's company. He closed his eyes, feeling sleepy. As he drifted off, he heard Lance whisper, "I love you, Keith."He murmured just before he fell asleep, "Love you, Lance."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Cold Shouldered"Keith stumbled into his pack's nest, tears blinding him. He whined, and, to his dismay, there was no answer. He whined again, and again there was no answer. He curled around a pillow that held his mom's scent, whining and crying.%%%Krolia sighed. She was on her way back to the nest after overseeing training of some the younger Blades. She didn't mind training Blades as she had done that before she had been stranded on Earth eighteen deca-phoebes ago, but her instincts were telling her something was wrong. She hurried to the nest, and, right before she opened the door, she heard it. Her kit was crying and whining. She opened the door, and her heart broke. Keith, her beloved kit, was in the nest, curled around one of her favorite pillows. There were tears sliding down his cheeks, leaving vertical streaks down his cheek stripes. Krolia entered the nest, rumbling to her kit. His head shot up when he heard her rumble. He whined and held his arms out for her. She didn't hesitate and scooped him up, holding him close and nosing his hair. He grasped on to her uniform, his whining quieting into whimpers."Kit, what happened?"Keith whimpered and snuggled against his mom, too upset to speak. Krolia gave off a questioning noise, which received a whine in response. She hummed to him, and Keith gave off a huff. Krolia went back to nosing his hair, switching to grooming, glad that he was no longer whining.She couldn't believe that there were still races that were so racist against Galra that they were cruel to anyone who had even a drop of Galra blood in their veins. Apparently, Voltron had just liberated a planet from the clutches of the Empire, but the inhabitants weren't pleased that one of their saviors had Galra blood. There were several comments, some veiled and some obvious, that were made. Keith felt rejected as he witnessed the other Paladins receiving the inhabitants thanks, where he only received glares and hurtful comments. He had even received a death threat! Fortunately, he was able to flee to Red Lion, who wouldn't let anyone get to her Paladin, whom she considered her cub. Krolia found this comforting as she wasn't always with her son, so there was someone who would look out for him in her absence. At least he made it back to headquarters as soon as he could. She could care for him now that he had come home.She reached up and stroked his cheek stripes. They had recently shown up, much to Keith's delight. He loved that he was getting more Galran features, even though it seemed to be causing some problems with his work as a Paladin of Voltron. He had expressed to her that he hoped he would develop more at some point and maybe look more like her. She heard his even breathing, which indicated
that
he had fallen asleep. He was still slightly distressed, which would explain why he wasn't purring yet. Once he calmed down enough, he would purr. For now, though, Krolia would hold him in her arms and provide him with the comfort he needed.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Stolen Moments"Keith expertly piloted the ship into the rebel base.
He knew this was strictly business, but he was alone for a change and who said he coudn't visit his boyfriend while he was there? He exited the ship and was almost immediately tackled but remained on his feet."KEITH!""Matt." Keith rubbed his head against Matt's and purred. Matt wrapped his arms around his boyfriend, who purred louder. "I missed you, Mattie.""I missed you, too, kitty.""I have information for the Coalition," Keith said, holding out a chip, "but I wanted to see you."Matt accepted the chip. "We can take this to Olia and then spend some time together before either of us have to go on a mission. When do you have to report back to the Blades?""Kolivan didn't say, which, now that I think about it, was strange.""Maybe he knows that we're dating.""Maybe. Galra do have a strong sense of smell. He probably smelled you on me after our last meeting."Matt led Keith down to the control center of the base. "We don't meet often enough. I can't wait for this war to be over, so we can be together."Upon hearing Matt's voice, Captain Olia turned around. Her eyes widened when she saw Keith in his BoM uniform. "I wasn't expecting a Blade to be coming."Matt stepped over. "Relax, Olia. Keith is here for a couple of reasons. One is to give this information chip to you and the other is me."Keith shook his head at Matt's cocky attitude. Olia raised an eyebrow but took the chip. "What kind of information is on here?"Keith shrugged. "Kolivan just said to give it to the Coalition, and I decided to visit Matt since it's been awhile since I've seen him.""I'll examine this while you spend some time together." Olia dismissed them.Matt grinned and pulled Keith away. Keith was confused as to where Matt was leading him until the door opened, revealing Matt's room. Keith grinned as he saw how neat and orderly his room was; a complete opposite to what Pidge's room was.Matt grinned even wider and pushed Keith onto the bed. Keith landed on his back, and Matt pounced on him. Keith caught Matt and flipped him over so Matt was laying on the bed with Keith leaning over him. Keith leaned down and kissed the rebel. He kissed back and ran his fingers through Keith's hair. Matt loved Keith's hair and running his fingers through it, causing Keith to purr. "I love you, Mattie.""Love you, too, kitty." Matt knew he and Keith didn't have much time and would very soon have to part ways to continue their work to end the war. For now, they would savor any moments they could get.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Training"Kolivan and Antok were annoyed. That much was obvious. Why they were annoyed was simple. Their kit was on the training deck. They were pleased that he liked to train, but he trained
way
too much, especially for a kit. Normally, they would let him do his training as he also found it enjoyable, but he had been in there for the past two vargas and was due for a nap. Their kit was such a young kit that it was unbelievable how skilled he was in combat.They entered the training deck and heard, "Start training level fifteen."Kolivan growled. "End training sequence!"When the gladiator bot slumped to the floor, Keith looked up in surprise. Seeing the two eldest Blades in his pack, Keith let out a chirp. He sheathed his Marmora blade and turned to face them with a smile on his face. The smile faded when he saw the severe looks on two of his pack members' faces. "What's wrong?""You shouldn't be on the training deck so much, kit," Antok growled.Keith took a step back with a slight whimper. He didn't like when any of his pack growled at him. Antok stopped growling and advanced on his kit. In the blink of an eye, he picked Keith up and slung him over his shoulder. Keith was shocked as he laid face down over the largest Blade's shoulder. He felt Antok carry him off the training deck and could barely see Kolivan walking next o his mate. He made a questioning noise at his leader.Kolivan rumbled to Keith. "You're okay, kit. You just need to relax now as you have been on the training deck for far too long. We are taking you to the nest."Keith wiggled in an attempt to get Antok to put him down. All he got in response was a sharp smack to his butt from Antok's tail.%%%Pidge and Hunk were waiting in Red Lion's hangar for Keith to join them. He said he would get Red to let them install a cloaking device in her. That had been a varga and a half ago, and they hadn't seen any sign of him. Hunk sighed and looked at Pidge. She was sitting down and was typing quickly on her lap top. "Maybe he forgot."Not looking up from her lap top and her fingers not slowing, she replied, "He's probably on the training deck."Hunk groaned. "In that case, he will be in there for the rest of the day.""Unless we make him leave."Hunk raised an eyebrow. "Is that possible?""Yeah. We can end the training sequence and you can literally pick him up."Hunk seemed hesitant. "Do you think that would be okay? I mean, picking him up.""He should be fine, but if you'd like, that can be a last resort. If we remind him about the lion repairs, he might come willingly.""Okay. Let's go." Hunk and Pidge left Red's hangar and headed for the training deck.It came as no surprise that Keith was in the middle of an intense workout. The Green and Yellow Paladins watched as he finished the level he was on with a swing of his bayard. He wiped the sweat off his brow with the back of his exposed arm. "Start training level ten."Pidge rolled her eyes. "End training sequence."Keith whirled around to face the duo that had interrupted his training with a severe frown on his face until he saw the expectant look on Pidge's face. His expression morphed into one of realization. "Oh! I'm sorry. I forgot about letting you two into Red so you can install the cloaking device in her. Let me shower, and then I will be right there.""If you're not, Hunk is going to sling you over his shoulder!" Pidge shouted at Keith's back as he was already heading towards the showers.%%%Shiro entered the bridge and looked around. None of the Paladin seats were up, except for his. He sighed. He thought Keith was going to join him to do maneuvers with the defense drones. He must have looked sad, because Allura noticed and asked, "What's the matter, Shiro?""Keith was supposed to meet me here on the bridge.""He probably got held up. How long ago were you supposed to meet?""Only thirty doboshes ago.""Let me check the cameras. Maybe I can find him."Shiro stepped next to Allura as she flicked through the security cameras. He still couldn't believe he was dating this amazing woman. He had to force his eyes to the cameras but couldn't stop his left hand from wrapping around her waist."Wait. There he is." Shiro pointed at one of the cameras. It was the training deck. Shiro sighed, watching Keith tear through a gladiator bot with his Marmora blade. "Of course, he's on the training deck. I almost regret Coran showing it to us after that first battle. Keith does nothing else but train.""Go ahead and get him out of there, Shiro. He's been in there for three vargas."
Shiro nodded and hurried to the training deck. Three vargas? Was Keith crazy? He wondered if Keith had taken any breaks or had eaten or drank anything recently or at all. He made the decision to take Keith to the kitchen once he got him off the training deck. The doors to the training deck opened, admitting him. His frown deepened when he heard Keith call out, "Start training level twenty-five."Three gladiator bots dropped down before Shiro could blink. Keith flipped his Marmora blade around in his hand so that it was rear facing before Shiro found his voice. "End training sequence!"The gladiators powered down, causing Keith to stumble as he tried to stop his momentum. Fortunately, he didn't fall. He turned to see who had disrupted his training and maybe yell at them. When he saw Shiro and the severe look on his face, any retort Keith had thought of died on his tongue. His Marmora blade shrunk back into its knife form, and he sheathed it. "Shiro?"Shiro stalked forward. "Why have you been here for three vargas? Have you even eaten today?" At Keith's wide eyes, Shiro pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand. "Of course not. Why do you do this to yourself, Keith?""I don't mean to intentionally skip meals. It just happens sometimes.""It happens too much. Now, either get to the kitchen or I will carry you there!""I need a shower before I eat, Shiro.""Ten doboshes.""Fifteen. My hair is thick.""Fifteen it is. If you're not on your way to the kitchen in fifteen doboshes, I will
carry you."Keith saluted Shiro and hurried off to the showers. He didn't have any doubt in his mind that Shiro would follow through with his threat.%%%Lance was humming to himself as he washed off the face mask, making sure he got rid of any residue that may have remained on his face. He reentered his bedroom and smiled when he saw his boyfriend's Red Lion slippers sitting near the foot of the bed where he liked to keep them. He liked sharing a room with Keith. Lance got cold easily, and Keith practically radiated heat. He was like Lance's personal furnace, which also gave Lance another
reason to snuggle; not that he needed another reason. He was concerned where Keith was. He was supposed to be back here already. It had been two and a half vargas!Lance sighed, tied his robe over his Blue Paladin pajamas, and slipped on his Blue Lion slippers. He left his room, having a hunch as to his boyfriend's location. Keith was more than likely on the training deck. He didn't really do anything else unless he was pulled out. He entered the training deck and stopped short. Keith was using both his bayard and his Marmora blade to take down gladiator bots. Once the three he was dealing with were taken down, he called out, "Start training level eighteen!"Lance rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, left foot tapping. "End training sequence!"Keith turned around, and his eyes took in Lance's state of dress. They widened comically as he took in Lance's position. His bayard deactivated, and his Marmora blade shrunk back into its knife form. Keith sheathed the knife and said sheepishly, "Hey, Lance. I guess it's bedtime?""It's past
time for bed.""So...does that mean I can keep going?"Lance took a deep breath. "Babe, I love you, but if you don't come with me, I will make you regret it."Keith blinked and hung his bayard on his belt. "I'm coming, Lance, but first, I need a shower.""Come take a shower in our room and then come to bed.""All right, Lance."%%%Thace and Ulaz didn't understand their kit. They had just returned from a mission, and he wasn't there to greet them like he usually was. Keith had always made it a point to greet any of his pack members when they returned from a mission, no matter what he was doing. The only way he was delayed was if the Paladins were on a mission of their own, but they knew he wasn't because when they asked for docking permission, they saw Shiro and Lance on the bridge. That meant that all of the Paladins weren't on a mission, so where was their kit? They stopped by the nest room to drop off their gear and to check and see if Keith had fallen asleep there as it was time for his nap. Keith wasn't there, but the rest of their pack was. Thace let out a questioning sound to which Antok replied with a huff. Thace groaned. Of course
their kit was on the training deck.Thace and Ulaz made their way to the training deck and into the observation area. They could easily see Keith tearing through gladiator after gladiator armed only with his bayard. Thace checked the logs and hissed. "He's been in here for three and a half vargas!"They rushed out of the observation area and onto the main floor in time to hear Keith call out, "Begin training level twenty-seven."Ulaz growled. "End training sequence!"Keith turned around and chirped in surprise. He hadn't realized that the rest of his pack had returned. He deactivated his bayard, hanging it on his belt, before dashing over to greet them. Thace held an arm out, preventing Keith from reaching them. Keith stopped short and let out a questioning noise. Why wasn't Thace letting him hug them?"You have been in here for three and a half vargas when you should have been napping," Thace half-scolded.Keith whimpered slightly. He really didn't like disappointing his pack. Ulaz put his hand on his mate's outstretched arm and purred to him. Once Thace lowered his arm, Ulaz held out his arms in an obvious invitation to come get a hug. "Come here, kit."Keith immediately dashed over to them, tucking his head under Ulaz's chin. Thace put arms around Keith's other side, giving him a hug as well. Keith nuzzled his head against their chests. "I'm sorry. When I'm here, I lose all track of time. I don't intentionally mean to stay in here for multiple vargas at a time.""Well, it's time for your nap, kit. You are well overdue," Thace explained."All right, but I need a shower before I come to the nest.""You have fifteen doboshes, kit, and if you aren't in the nest by that time, I will haul you out of there myself," Thace promised."I know you will. Fifteen doboshes, I promise." Keith nuzzled each Blade before he left the training deck for a shower.%%%The door to the lounge opened, catching the attention of the other four Paladins relaxing in there. Lance perked up when he saw his boyfriend enter. "Keith!"Keith smiled and sat down next to the Blue Paladin, snuggling against him. Lance wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Hi, Lance.""Not that I'm complaining, but what are you doing here?""I figured I'd relax here with you guys...if that's okay.""Of course it's okay. I'm just glad you're not training right now." Lance kissed him on the lips. Keith kissed back, closing his eyes, and was glad he decided not to go train today.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Significant"Shiro turned a page. He was relaxing on one of the couches in the lounge. He was stretched out with one of his legs up on the couch cushions and the other planted on the floor and his back resting against the back of the couch. He seemed unaware of his surroundings which was how he missed his boyfriend coming into the lounge.Keith peeked into the lounge, and his eyes lit up at the sight of Shiro relaxing on one of the couches. He grinned and walked over. He quickly planted himself on the couch, laying against Shiro. He was laid out with his legs next to Shiro's on the couch, and his head was pillowed on Shiro's thigh.As soon as Shiro felt some weight against him, he looked up and saw Keith cuddled up against him. He smiled and started carding his fingers through Keith's long hair. Keith closed his eyes, enjoying Shiro's ministrations, and started purring.Shiro grinned when he heard Keith purring. It was a relatively new thing that had come from Keith accepting his Galran heritage. Once Keith had accepted it, some instincts showed up like being more touchy feely/affectionate and purring. The Blades had told Keith that Galra were affectionate beings by nature and kits, which was what he was considered due to his age, needed a lot of affection. Shiro was more than happy to provide that affection for Keith, and Keith knew that.Keith nuzzled Shiro's thigh. He loved Shiro so much. What he hadn't told him was that his Galran instincts had claimed Shiro as his mate. He wanted to tell him, but he had to find the right time to do so. They had been very busy with fending off the Galra, liberating planets, and meeting with Coalition members. Keith knew he had to wait until Shiro was relaxed, which he was now. He realized that the time had finally come."Shiro?"Shiro looked away from the book and at Keith's anxious face. "What's wrong, koibito?" [sweetheart]Keith paused but forged ahead. "I wanted to tell you something my pack told me."Shiro closed his book and set it aside, giving Keith his undivided attention. It was something else that Keith liked. Whenever he wanted to talk to Shiro, the man always stopped whatever he was doing as long as it wasn't super important. "What did they tell you?""They were telling me about my instincts. They said that sometimes something happens." Shiro raised an eyebrow at the vagueness of Keith's statement. Keith blushed and took a deep breath. "My instincts have recognized you as my mate."Shiro blinked and then smiled. "Is that what you are worried about?" Keith nodded against Shiro's thigh. "That's all right, koibito. I don't mind being your mate." [sweetheart]Keith sighed in relief and smiled. He purred at Shiro, and Shiro
bent over and kissed his forehead. "It's a very nice thing indeed."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Gestation"Shiro smiled as his Omegas snuggled against his sides, wrapping an arm around each one. Both of them were being extra snuggly lately, but he knew why. Their scents gave it away. They were expecting, and Shiro absolutely loved it.Lance had fallen pregnant first and basked in the attention both of his mates lavished on him. His scent sweetened slightly from coffee, vanilla, and the saltiness of the sea to an almost latte smell. Keith absolutely loved the new latte smell, even though he was used to the espresso smell his Omega usually smelled like. He asked Shiro to bring him vanilla lattes, which the Alpha was more than happy to supply him with.When Keith had become pregnant a month later, he had tried to hide the fact, because he felt like it would take away from Lance's pregnancy. Lance, having been snuggling with Keith, had noticed first, and proceeded to keep his nose near one of Keith's scent glands in his neck. Shiro had noticed later when his scent changed from cinnamon, chocolate, and the desert heat to an almost s'mores scent, an extra sweetness having been added. Lance loved the slight change in Keith's scent, even though he kept requesting Shiro make and bring him s'mores. Once Shiro realized why, he found it amusing. Both of his Omegas craved the thing the other Omega smelled like.Purring drew Shiro out of his thoughts. Keith was purring in his sleep. Lance smiled sleepily, snuggling further into his Alpha. Shiro nuzzled Lance's head. "Go ahead and take a nap, Lance. You need the sleep."Lance closed his eyes, falling asleep easily. Both Omegas were pretty far into their pregnancies, Lance being a month further along than Keith. Their stomachs were quite swollen, and the children growing were using a lot of their "mother's" energy to develop properly. However, both children seemed to be more active at night, disturbing his Omegas' sleep. They tried to stay quiet, so they didn't disturb Shiro, but he knew anyway.Their scents had a unique smell that only showed up when someone was tired, so he let them take as many naps as they wanted and for however long they wanted. He took care of his Omegas as his Alpha instincts dictated.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Date""Adam, I'm home," Shiro called out as he walked through the door. He closed it behind him and tossed his messenger style bag onto the couch in the apartment he shared with his fiancée. He was confused when he didn't get a reply. Adam always made it home before he did.He looked around to see if anything was out of place, which nothing was. He sniffed the air, but there was no lingering smell of lovingly prepared food. It sort of scared Shiro as he didn't know how to cook. Well, he tried, but everything he touched burned. Adam told him he wasn't allowed to cook anything in their kitchen.Shiro went to their bedroom. Everything was as he left it this morning. Adam hadn't even been home yet! Shiro pulled out his data pad.'Where are you?''Adam?''Why aren't you answering?''Please.''Takashi? What's wrong?''I was worried when you weren't home.''I had a meeting. Didn't you remember?''I told you this morning.''Oh, right.''You didn't remember.''No.''Idiot.''But I'm your idiot.''You're lucky I love you.''So, what are we doing about dinner?''How about we try that new restaurant?''See you in twenty.'Shiro grinned. He had a dinner date with his fiancée to get ready for.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hiatus"Keith walked into the Green Lion hangar and wasn't surprised that Pidge was working there. She was seated at the little table with her lap top sitting on its surface, her fingers going a million miles an hour. He grinned. She was such a tech genius, and it threw him, the technological concepts she tried to explain to him. He just didn't understand it, just as she didn't understand how to fight with a sword. One thing that he did
understand was that they both put their all in everything they did, including their relationship.Keith wasn't sure exactly when they started dating. He started spending more time with her after he started trying to lead Voltron when Shiro disappeared after their fight with Zarkon. He didn't want to spend all his time on the training deck and Lance wanted to try to talk to him. He wasn't in the mood to talk. Hunk spent a lot of time in the kitchen, and Keith didn't feel comfortable in the kitchen. He also didn't feel comfortable in Allura's presence, even though she apologized for her actions towards him after his heritage had come to light. It was almost by default that he found himself in Pidge's company more often.At first, it was just in silence, especially since she was absorbed in whatever program she was working on. Then, she asked him for a tool or piece of tech every now and then, which then turned to him asking if she wanted any help. He wasn't much help, but sometimes talking out loud let Pidge figure out what the issue was.They continued spending time together even outside Pidge's lab. Keith noticed that Pidge tended to neglect herself in favor of coding and other programs. He started making sure there were snacks and drinks nearby so she ate and drank. He made her take a break when she got frustrated with her work. He even massaged her shoulders and let her relax. The first time she leaned against him, he couldn't help but purr, which caused her to lean against him more often.It seemed like a natural progression after that. She continued leaning against him, but now, Keith wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her head. Their first kiss was sweet, chaste, and unexpected. He had been in the habit of nosing her hair and pressing kisses into her neck. She turned to ask him a question just as he went to kiss her neck, and their lips met. Her question disappeared from her brain when her lips met his. Now, they kissed more often, and she still leaned against him, earning purrs from him.%%%Keith smiled as he approached Pidge. She was buried in her work as usual. He sat down on the top of the table, reached over, and tapped the top of her head. Her head shot up, and she smiled at him. She stood up and walked over to him, stretching. He wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose in her hair. She leaned against him, relaxing and smiling bigger when she heard his purr which also came across in his voice when he said, "You need a break.""Mmm-hmm." Keith nuzzled her head and picked her up. He carried her to the lounge and laid down on the couch with her lying on top of him. "You said I needed a break, not that you'd be watching me."Keith snorted. "You and I both know that if no one is there, you will scurry back to your lab."Pidge chuckled. "You know me well."Keith ran his fingers through her hair. "Just relax. Your lap top will be there when you get back.""All right, Keith. You win.""Of course I do, not that you had much of a choice."Pidge pushed on his shoulder before she snuggled into his chest, his purring relaxing her to the point that she fell asleep.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Giggle"Keith giggled as Shiro tickled his belly. "Dada!""That's right, baby. Dada's tickling you. I love hearing you giggle."Keith giggled hard. He was super tiny, having had a rough Blade mission where he lost a partner. He was able to request a visit to the castle of lions and pilot a pod without regressing. He was able to to exit the pod, but he regressed super tiny. He sank to his knees before plopping all the way down. He was only a year old and alone, so he cried.Shiro had been on his way to the hangar to greet Keith and heard him crying. He hurried over to his little and picked him up. "Keith?""D-D-Dada!"Shiro cradled Keith and carried him back to his room. He changed him out of his BoM uniform and into a diaper and a pair of red footie pajamas. Keith tucked himself into Shiro's chest, nuzzling him. He was scared and sad but didn't know why. He just wanted his Dada.Shiro knew that Keith regressed super small and realized that he wouldn't know why Keith regressed, but it didn't matter too much. He was going to take of the little and hopefully cheer him up. He wasn't crying anymore but was still sniffling.There was one guaranteed way to cheer up his little, tickling. Shiro carried him to the lounge and laid him down on the floor and leaned over him. He lowered his head until his floof hovered over the baby's belly for a second before
he proceeded to tickle him. Giggles bubbled out of the little, delighting his caregiver. He may not know why his baby was so little, but he could cheer him up.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Little Blade"A commotion in the lounge attracted Kolivan's attention. Four of the Paladins were crouched on the floor, looking under a table that had been placed between the couches. He entered the lounge and approached the crouched Paladins. "What is going on?""Kol Kol?" A young voice was heard. It was one that Kolivan hadn't heard in deca-phoebes.He bent down and looked under the table. There hiding under the table was a small child with big purple eyes and wild, thick, black hair down to his shoulders. He had a long black shirt on and a familiar red and white jacket. In front of him, he held the unawakened form of a Marmora blade. All of these things added up to one conclusion. The Red Paladin had inexplicably become a child, an obviously scared child. Kolivan held out a hand. "Come here, Little Blade."Keith scrambled out from under the table, skirting around the other Paladins, and practically dove into Kolivan's arms. "Where are Daddy and Papa? Who are these people? Where are we? Where's Antok?""Slow down, little one. One question at a time," Kolivan said as he swept Keith up in his arms. He stood up, and Keith scrambled to sit on one of Kolivan's shoulders. "I don't know where Thace or Ulaz are. These are the Paladins of Voltron. We are in the Castle Ship of Altea. Antok should be around here nearby.""Can we go find Daddy and Papa?" Keith asked."Yes." Kolivan carried Keith away from the confused Paladins. He was confused himself as to how this happened, but he didn't want to scare the child anymore than he was. It wasn't long before they spotted Ulaz."Papa!" Keith tried to jump down from Kolivan's shoulder but the leader caught him. Keith ended up at the right height to give a surprised Ulaz a hug around his neck."Keith? What's going on?""I'm sorry, Papa. I know I'm not supposed to leave my room by myself, but I had a bad dream, and I couldn't find anyone except the strangers. I'm just glad Kol Kol found me." Ulaz just held onto his son. Keith hadn't called him Papa since he realized that he wasn't his biological father. It saddened Ulaz when Keith came to that conclusion. "Can we find Daddy now?"Ulaz knew where Thace was. He was on the training deck, waiting for Keith and Antok to join him. In fact, Ulaz had been on his way there to tell Thace that Keith was unable to train with him. "Of course, kit."%%%"DADDY!" Keith raced over to Thace and wrapped his arms around his leg. "I missed you so much!"Thace swept his small son into his arms. "Keith? What happened?""I had a bad dream, Daddy!" Keith nuzzled Thace's neck. Thace felt bad for his now small kit. He purred to him to calm him down. Keith was happy that his Daddy wasn't upset with him. He was even purring to him! That made Keith even happier, which made him purr back to his Daddy.Thace smiled at Keith. He was happy that he was calling him Daddy again and purring to him. It had been too long for either of those two things. Ulaz came over and wrapped his arms around the purring kit and joined in on the purring.The door opened again and in walked..."Antok!" The purr in Keith's voice was easily heard as he was still being held by his Daddy and Papa.The tall Galra stopped short and looked in Thace's direction where he had heard a young voice. "Keith?"Kolivan approached Antok from behind. "Our Keith is a young kit again. He doesn't remember anything from these past deca-phoebes.""He remembers us at least," Antok mentioned."He doesn't remember the Paladins. He was scared of them when he encountered them," Kolivan said."Strange. I always thought Keith was close to the Black Paladin.""It apparently started at the Garrison.""How did this happen?""I don't know. He was hiding from the Paladins when I found them."The two leaders watched their kit with his fathers, hoping they'd be able to figure out what happened.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Fire and Water"Keith groaned as he shook his wings. He despised getting them wet. That was to be expected, being a fire fey. His mate, though, was a powerful water fey, who could control most forms of water from the gentle morning dew to the destructive tsunamis. What he couldn't
control was the rain storms that had drenched their neighborhood.They had been careful to watch the weather and knew they were due for another storm, but when they received a message from Shiro that Adam needed Lance's help, they couldn't refuse. Lance wasn't just
a water fey. He also had healing powers. He could heal most injuries, including but not limited to magical maladies. Shiro and Adam didn't live too far from Keith and Lance, so Keith didn't expect to get drenched on their way there. Once the rain started, it didn't stop and only seemed to get worse.Once they reached Shiro's and Adam's home, Keith was absolutely soaked and looked miserable. Lance was similarly soaked but looked like he was having the time of his life. Being a water fey, he loved being immersed and surrounded by water. Shiro tried not laughing at Keith's put out expression, but it was hard. He let the two wet fey into his home and handed them towels to dry off. Once they were dry, they went their separate ways. Keith went over to the fire to further dry and replenish the magic in his wings, and Shiro led Lance over to where his mate was laying.Adam, like Shiro, was a shifter. They were magical beings that could change forms without the aid of nature or talismans. Shiro could shift into a wolf and Adam an eagle. Adam had caught the eye of a poacher, who had shot him. Fortunately, it was a normal poacher with regular lead ammunition. Shiro had taken care of the poacher before carrying his wounded mate back to their home. Adam was able to shift back to human form but was bleeding.It was a simple fix, but shifters were met with some prejudice even in the magical world, so very few beings wanted to help them. Lance had no such issues. He wanted to help anyone who needed his help no matter who or what they were or did. It was in his nature to be trusting, something that drew Keith to him in the first place.Normally, fey of completely opposite elements didn't interact, but Keith and Lance were so completely enthralled with one another that they didn't care what anyone else thought. After they got to know each other, they were still enraptured with each other that they knew it had to mean that they were destined to become mates. It wasn't unheard of to have predestined mates, but it was becoming less common. However, that didn't stop Keith and Lance from staying by the other's side, but no matter how much Keith loved Lance, he still despised getting his wings wet.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Plans For Departure"Kolivan sat at his desk. He was discreetly copying files and documents while looking like he was simply doing his job as the Emperor's aide. It hadn't always been his position. At one time, he had been the Emperor's body guard and confidante. Ever since he had come back to life, he had changed. Even the birth of his son, which should've been a cause for celebration, was met with apathy. Only Kolivan and Dayak had looked out for (and cared for, in Kolivan's case) the child."Kolivan?" a tiny voice called out.Kolivan looked up sharply, eyes softening when he saw Lotor standing in his doorway. A tick later, Dayak appeared, "My apologies, Kolivan. I will deal with him, and he shan't bother you.""No. Leave him here. He should have learned some empirical matters by now." Kolivan waved a hand at Dayak, effectively dismissing her. Once she was gone, he motioned for Lotor to come closer. He swept the kit close and stroked his hair.Lotor nuzzled Kolivan's shoulder. "Daddy."Kolivan pulled Lotor up onto his lap, softly rumbling to the kit. Lotor knew Zarkon was his father, but the only one who was even remotely fatherly to him was Kolivan. "I missed you today, kit. Were you good today? Did you listen to Dayak?"Lotor purred softly. "Yes, Daddy. I was very good today. I listened to and did everything Dayak asked me to. She only hit me a few times!" He nuzzled Kolivan's neck. "I missed you, Daddy."Kolivan clutched the kit tighter. He hadn't told him about him having to leave, but he had to leave in order to form a resistance group to fight the Emperor. He already had a few members who were interested in joining him, but they hadn't been able to meet up. All he had to do was finish copying the files and documents, and then he could leave high command...and break a kit's heart in the process. He wished he could bring the kit with him. Kolivan blinked. Why couldn't he bring the kit with him?"Lotor, would you be willing to leave all this behind and come live with me?""What do you mean, Daddy?""I am leaving tonight, kit. I am asking if you want to come live with me."Lotor's eyes lit up. "Yes. I want to live with you, Daddy."Kolivan bumped his nose against Lotor's temple in a Galran kiss (one between family members). "We need to go pack a small bag of clothes for you. I will put you to bed and then, later, come get you and we will leave as quickly as possible." Kolivan stood up. "Now, it is getting late, kit. Time for you to get to bed."Lotor followed dutifully behind Kolivan as the pair made their way to the prince's chambers. While Lotor got ready for bed, Kolivan packed a small bag of clothes and stashed it under the kit's bed, so it was out of sight. He tucked the kit in bed and bumped his nose against his temple again."Night, Daddy.""Night, kit. I will come get you when the time comes." Kolivan gently closed the doors and returned to his office. He had to work quicker. He now had a deadline and precious cargo, neither of which he could lose.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Weary"Keith yawned and stumbled into Red's hangar. The mechanical lion activated and leaned down, letting her Paladin inside. Keith gratefully sank into the pilot's seat and tiredly smiled. "Hi, Red."He felt a prodding at the back of his mind where the bond between Paladin and lion was. Keith followed Red through the bond. He shielded his eyes as he went through the bright flash. Once the light dimmed again, Keith opened his eyes. He saw his fluffy red lioness laying down nearby. He smiled, walked over, and curled up against her. She purred to him. "How are you doing, my cub?""I'm really tired, Red. We have been defending the universe from the Galra and unable to sleep. We just got to a safe area, and we're finally able to get rest. I wanted to be with you."Red purred louder. "Then, stay here with me, cub. I'm here for you."Keith snuggled against his lioness. His child body was small enough to curl up against her red fur and keep warm. He purred back softly, drifting off to sleep.%%%Shiro was making his rounds, making sure his fellow Paladins had gone to bed. Even though he was exceedingly tired as well, he wanted to make sure his teammates were well rested, especially since they were just teenagers. He was happy that he found Lance, Hunk, and Pidge in their rooms but was worried when he didn't see Keith in his room. He quickly checked the training deck and was grateful that it was empty, but where was Keith?He was just starting to worry when he felt a prodding at the back of his mind where his bond with Black was located. He pushed back against it, not wanting to go through the bond in the middle of the hallway. He received a purr and the reassurance that Keith was safe. He still felt apprehensive and knew that it wouldn't go away until he saw Keith himself. Black chuckled and sent a picture of little Keith curled up with a red furry lioness.Shiro smiled as he realized that Keith was sleeping with Red. That was okay as long as he was resting. With Black purring in the back of his mind, Shiro trudged his way to his room to hopefully get some rest, because he knew he'd need it. After all, being the defenders of the universe wasn't easy.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Task"Lance was sneaking down the castle corridors in the middle of the night. He technically didn't need to be sneaking, being the prince, but he wasn't really supposed to be out of bed in the middle of the night. He had found out that there was a private conversation between his father and his bodyguard, and he wanted to know what happened, because Keith hadn't returned to his post, which was Lance's bedroom. He peered down corridors and inside rooms, trying to catch a glimpse of his bodyguard, be it his purple tail or his black hair, two colors that stood out in the Altean palace.
It didn't take too long to find him in the garden.He was standing in the middle of the garden looking up at the starry sky. There was a light breeze that ruffled his hair and moved his short, light purple fur. His violet and amber eyes were locked onto the stars, but his fluffy ears caught the slight sound of Lance's entrance. He tore his gaze away and let his eyes fall onto Lance. He smiled as Lance came closer and tugged Keith into his arms. Keith wrapped his arms around the prince and purred to him, a sound Lance loved hearing."When you didn't come back, I got worried," Lance whispered.Keith nuzzled Lance's head. "I'm sorry, Lance. I just had to think about something.""Anything I can help with?""Not really. It's just something you're father wants me to do that I have to figure out how
I'm supposed to do it."Lance smiled. Lately, his father had been giving Keith tasks to do without telling him how they were supposed to be done, just telling him what the outcome was to be. Lance wasn't sure why his father was asking his bodyguard to do these things, but he knew that there had to be a purpose behind them.Keith knew why King Alfor was asking him to do these tasks. He was preparing him to take his place by Lance's side. Keith had to figure out how he wanted to propose to Lance. He knew no matter what he did, Lance would say 'yes,' so that was one less worry, but he also wanted it to be romantic but not cliché. It was the last task given to him by the King, and he wanted it to go perfectly. Lance deserved no less.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Plushie"Keith was glad he was at the space mall with Matt and Pidge. They were there specifically to get little supplies. Matt was picking up the practical supplies while Pidge was keeping a discreet eye on Keith. Keith had been acting a little strange all day, which made Pidge and Matt think he was in between head spaces. The Green Paladin watched as her fellow little walked up and down the stuffed toy aisle, almost as if on a mission.Keith was definitely in between head spaces, he knew that. It was the main reason he volunteered to go with Matt and Pidge. Matt was his caregiver, and Pidge was a fellow little. The younger tech genius didn't regress as often as Keith did, but when she did, the two of them had a blast. Right now, his attention had been captured by the stuffed animals. He wanted a new plushie, one that's really big and extremely soft and cuddly; something that he could even cuddle when he was big. Only thing was, he couldn't find the plushie he wanted. He looked from side to side at all the different plushies , and his eyes filled with tears. He was too little to deal with all of the choices surrounding him and sank down, the tears spilling out of his eyes and down his cheeks.%%%Pidge noticed Keith sinking into little space immediately when she saw the tears in his eyes. She darted to the next aisle over. "Matt! Keith needs you!"Matt's head shot up, and it was only a tick later before he heard his little crying. He dashed into the neighboring aisle and over to Keith. "Hey, baby, it's okay. Daddy's here.""D-D-Daddy." Keith raised his arms, clearly wanting picked up. Matt set down all the items he had collected so far in favor of comforting his little.Matt drew Keith into his arms and settled down in the plushie aisle. "You're okay, baby. Daddy's got you."Pidge looked around, trying to figure out what had set Keith off. She couldn't see anything, so she sat down next to her brother and her fellow little. "Keithy, what happened?"Keith looked over at Pidge. "Wan' a plushie...no find.""What kind do you want?""Big, soft, kitty."Pidge put a hand on Matt's shoulder. "Take care of him, and I'll see if I can find one.""Buy this stuff too. I'm going to change him and calm him down."Pidge scooped up the items Matt had collected so far and walked down the aisle, carefully scrutinizing any cat plushie she saw. With Pidge dealing with buying things and trying to find a plushie for Keith, Matt could concentrate on Keith. He stood up, making sure his bag was over his shoulder and his hold on his little was strong, and walked out of the store.He quickly located a bathroom and fortunately the family bathroom was vacant. Matt slipped in and locked the door. He quickly stripped Keith down and put on a diaper, a muted red onesie, and black elastic waisted pants. He pulled out a red pacifier on a white leash. He clipped it to the onesie and rubbed the pacifier against Keith's lips. The little gratefully accepted the paci, sucking on it while his Daddy packed everything away. Matt shouldered the bag and scooped Keith back up, the little grabbing onto Matt's blue-grey shirt. Matt sat down on the bench outside the little store and waited for Pidge to join them.%%%Pidge could understand why Keith regressed. She was getting frustrated with the lack of large cat plushies, and it wasn't even for her! She shifted all the items Matt had chosen and kept searching. After about half a varga, she was about to give up when she spotted a humongous snow leopard barely within her reach. She stood on her tiptoes and managed to snag the plushie. She made her way to the register and paid for all the items before leaving the store. She saw Matt sitting on the bench outside the store with Keith settled on his lap, mostly asleep. Pidge shook the large plushie, letting Matt know she found one."Let's go home. He needs a proper nap. A busy mall thoroughfare is not a good place for a nap," Matt said, securely holding Keith in his arms. Keith whined softly at the sudden movement. "You're okay, sweetie. We're going home.""Hey, Keithy," Pidge piped up. "I found a new friend for you."Keith's eyes opened a little wider to take in what Pidge was holding. His mouth opened, pacifier falling out, and he said, "Kitty!"He reached out for the plushie, and Pidge gave the snow leopard to him. He cuddled it and accepted his pacifier back when Matt rubbed it against his lips again. As Keith drifted off back to sleep, the Holt siblings shared a fist bump in quiet celebration of a job well done.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Affiliation"Kolivan walked into the nest room to check on the two kits and their mom. He was pleased to see that they were all napping. He quietly entered the nest and settled near the newest kit. He softly petted the kit's headfur, a smile crossing his face when the kit purred a little louder in response to the petting. He couldn't believe he originally wanted Krolia to put this kit back on a deserted planet. He had been sentencing the kit to death. Looking back on it now, Kolivan couldn't imagine his life without Lotor in it. He was truly a sweet kit and a good addition to his pack. He laid down and curled around the kit, burying his face in the longer strands of his headfur.%%%Krolia blearily opened her eyes and saw her two kits were still nestled near her. Her eyes opened a bit more when she saw Kolivan curled around her youngest kit. His face was buried in Lotor's white strands, and he seemed to be sleeping. He also had an arm wrapped around the kit's waist. Krolia smiled at that. She was amazed at how close Lotor and Kolivan had become in so short a time, especially since Kolivan initially didn't want the kit to stay. He said it was because he didn't want a rogue Blade operating out there, and that might have been the initial reason, but she knew that if questioned about it now, he would say that his
kit wan't going anywhere.Lotor was actually the first kit to wake up as Regris liked sleeping in.The youngest kit opened his eyes and shifted slightly, confused when his movements were much more difficult to do. He let out a confused chirp, which was answered by a deep rumble from behind him. He turned his head slightly and saw Kolivan laying behind him, still asleep. His instincts answered Lotor's chirp, even in his sleep. Lotor smiled and turned around in his dad's grasp, nuzzling into his chest
when he got all the way turned around and purring to him. He absolutely loved his pack with his new family members, especially his Mama, his Dad, and his brother.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Phantasm"A scream startled Adam awake. What was that? His eyes darted back and forth until another scream rang through the apartment. He realized that the scream had come from the spare room. Adam launched himself out of the bed when he realized that the spare room wasn't a spare room anymore. He had recently adopted an orphan boy. He dashed to the room and saw his son sitting up in his bed, panting harshly."Keith?"The raven haired boy looked up at his bespectacled guardian. "Adam?"Adam knelt down by the bed and held his arms open. "Do you want a hug?"Keith looked at him with red rimmed eyes and timidly nodded. Adam held his arms open wider, into which Keith threw himself. Adam closed them around the young boy. Keith was only seven-years-old and had been in several foster homes already, even though he had only been in the system for a year ever since his dad had died in that fire.Adam felt his pajama top grow wet and the small boy start to shake again. He started stroking Keith's hair, trying to comfort him. "You're all right, Keith. I've got you.""C-Can I sleep with you t-tonight? Please?"The fear in Keith's voice broke Adam's heart, and he also knew how much it hurt Keith to ask that. The stutter spoke levels about the amount of fear of rejection and resignation of being told no that Keith was experiencing. "Of course you can, buddy. Let's take your blanket too."Adam shifted his hold on the little boy in order to snag the red fleece blanket that Adam had bought specifically for Keith when he first fostered him. Adam didn't miss the way Keith clung to the collar of Adam's pajama top as if he was afraid of being put down. Adam had no desire to put Keith down anywhere but on his bed. He carried the boy to his queen size bed and laid him down, draping the red blanket over him. He laid down next to him and asked, "Are you cold, Keith?"Keith nodded hesitantly, and Adam draped his large teal fuzzy blanket over to two of them, smiling when Keith scooted a bit closer. Adam wrapped his arms around his son. "Get some more rest, Keith. I'm here. I'll always be here for you, son."Keith was just drifting off, but Adam could have sworn he heard him say, "Love you, Dad."Adam smiled sleepily and responded, "Love you too, kiddo."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Artistic"Lance hung up his apron in the back of Altea Coffee Shoppe and Bakery. He had done a double shift that day as a favor for his boss, Allura, and a fellow barista, Plaxum. Plaxum had to take the day off, because she was sick. Lance had agreed to cover her shift if she covered his. She agreed, because it was just a twenty-four hour stomach bug. This gave Lance the entire next day off. He wondered what he would do with his first day off in a month on his walk home."¡Hola, Mamá, I'm home!" Lance called out when he walked into his home."Hola, mijo. How was work?"Lance smiled and hugged his mother. "It was good today. I worked with Hunk as usual. I covered an extra shift today so I have tomorrow off.""Oh, splendid! Rachel needs someone to go with her to the artist studio."Lance's eyes lit up. "Did she get an offer?""Sort of," Rachel replied. "I was ringing up a customer who was buying a lot of art supplies and chatted him up. His name is Thace, and as it turns out, he works at Marmora Studios! He asked me to come by tomorrow."Lance grinned. His sister worked at a popular craft store, Arusian Craft Supplies, and it finally paid off. She had been drawing for years and had wanted to work for an art studio. Marmora Studios was well known for hiring artists that had an eye for beauty. Everyone knew the names of the four executives (Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz). It was promising that one of these higher ups in the studio had taken an interest in his sister.%%%Keith was still in his office. He had just earned himself an office in the Marmora Studios. Most people didn't realize that Keith was actually related to Thace. He was his mother's uncle and had taken him in when his parents passed away. Even though they were related, the execs didn't give Keith a position until he proved himself an artist.Thace passed by Keith's office and wasn't surprised to see the light was still on. He knew his nephew (?) was a workaholic and needed to tell him to come home or he was liable to work all night. "Keith?""Hold on a sec, Thace. I am almost done." Keith was sketching in a sketchbook and had his tongue poking out a tiny bit.Thace walked into the office and sat down in one of the comfortable chairs in Keith's small office to wait for him to be done.
Thace didn't have long to wait to see the smile on Keith's face that showed up whenever he finished a sketch. He stood up and walked over to the chair. There wasn't a desk as Keith didn't want one. A simple table with a comfortable chair behind it was all he really needed. There were other smaller tables that were around too; one that held a laptop and another one that held a large coffee cup that was emblazoned with the words 'Altea Coffee Shoppe and Bakery' and in handwritten black sharpie 'Keith Kogane.'"May I see it?" Thace asked, knowing that Keith may very well refuse."If you'd like to," Keith replied, handing over his sketchbook open to the latest sketch.Thace looked at the picture. It was of a young man in an apron that said 'Altea Coffee Shoppe and Bakery' and a name tag that said 'Lance.' He was holding a large coffee cup that had the same logo that was on his apron. He had a dazzling smile that exuded charm. Thace was surprised. Keith didn't usually draw people. "This is very good, Keith. I take it this Lance is a real person.""Yes. I think I might add color to this one.""Really?" Now, Thace was truly impressed. Keith wasn't known for adding color to his sketches unless he was passionate about the subject of his sketch."Yes, but I will have to wait until tomorrow. If I power up my lap top now, Kolivan will have my head," Keith said with a wry little smile. The head and founder of Marmora Studios had a soft spot for their newest artist but was also strict on how long he could work."Yes, so go ahead and pack up. I'll meet you at the car in ten minutes." Thace ruffled Keith's hair on his way out. He walked over to his car and saw with pleasure that his husband was waiting at the passenger door and scrolling through his phone.When Ulaz looked up, he remarked, "Hey, Thace. What took so long?""Keith wanted to finish up the sketch he was doing." Thace unlocked the car.Ulaz smiled as he and Thace got into the car. "He works so hard all the time. He needs to take some of the time off he's accrued all ready. Maybe tomorrow?"The back door opened, and Keith slid in. "Not tomorrow. I have a project I want to add color to."Ulaz knew how rare that was and didn't push the issue any further. The car was silent on the drive home.%%% The Next DayRachel was slightly nervous. It was her first talk with an art studio. She wanted to make a good impression and also to make sure that she didn't get cold feet and not show up. That's why Lance was coming with her. She was glad that her twin had the day off and was willing to come with her. She had already almost forgot to bring her portfolio, but Lance had already grabbed it and brought it along. She didn't know what she would have done without him. He kept her company on the walk to the art studio, which wasn't too far away and was near the coffee shop Lance worked at.He accompanied her into the building and over to the receptionist desk but let her do the talking. He settled onto a brown leather sofa in the waiting room. He had been so focused on making sure Rachel had everything she needed that he had forgotten to bring something to occupy his time. What was he going to do?%%%Keith was a little disappointed as he left Altea Coffee Shoppe and Bakery. The cute barista wasn't there today, but he still ordered his large caramel macchiato without cream. He did get some information on the color scheme of the aprons of the coffee shop, but he had been hoping to see the barista. He shuffled over to Marmora Studios and entered the building. He stopped short just inside the door. There sitting on one of the leather couches was the cute barista. What was he doing there?%%%Lance looked when the door opened and was surprised when the gorgeous guy who ordered the caramel macchiato yesterday walk in. Lance couldn't help but smile. Maybe he'd be able to have something to do.%%%Keith approached Lance and asked, "Are you waiting to see one of the executives?"Lance shook his head. "No. My twin did, and I accompanied her here." He gave a short laugh. "I just forgot to bring something to do."Keith suppressed his smile. Maybe his luck had changed. "Would you like to come to my office?""Your office?"Keith did grin then. "I work here."%%%Lance looked around the room as he sat in one of the plush chairs in Keith's office. He had asked and answered a few questions as he realized that he didn't really know anything about Keith and vice versa. Keith surprised himself by answering the questions as he surreptitiously studied Lance to get the colors right for his hair, eyes, and skin color. Lance didn't seem to notice, which suited him just fine. He didn't like anyone seeing partially done sketches. Full sketches not yet colored? Yes, but not once he started coloring them. He never thought he would be able to add the colors to one of his sketches with the subject sitting right in front of him.Keith looked up to see Lance staring at him. "What?""When do you get off?""Why?""I wanted to take you out for coffee or something.""I get off at 7. Too late for coffee.""How about dinner then?"Keith paused. The barista was
cute. What was the harm? "I should tell my guardians first, but I would love to get dinner.""Should I pick you up here?""Do you have a car?""No.""Then, give me your address and twenty additional minutes and I will pick you up on my motorcycle.""Okay. I need some paper and a pencil."Keith handed over an extra slip of paper and a spare pencil and went back to adding color to his sketch of Lance. Lance wrote down his name, address, and phone number. He also added his work schedule for good measure. He slid the paper across the table between them and was surprised to feel Keith's fingers reaching for the paper. The second their fingers touched they felt something between them, and they realized that dinner was just the beginning.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Awareness"It had been several phoebes and even more bruises, but Keith was finally getting the hang of walking around while blind and not
bumping into things as much. There were still instances where Keith forgot to walk harder and ran into something. It was easier to avoid other Galra as they moved out of the way before he even got close.He had an appointment with his Papa and had finally convinced his Daddy to let him walk there. Thace compromised with him and let him walk to the med bay with Thace walking behind him softly so as to not throw off his echoes.
He was so excited that he left a varga early. He successfully navigated the corridor between his dad's rooms and the med bay. He sniffed the med bay, locating the distinctive smell of his Papa. "Papa!"Ulaz turned around and was surprised to see Keith walking towards him. "Keith? Kit, what are you doing here so early?""He insisted on walking here and was so excited that he left early.""I didn't walk into anything!"Ulaz scooped up his kit and nuzzled him. "You did such a good job, kit!"Keith purred and rubbed his head against Ulaz's cheek. "Am I getting better, Papa?""What do you mean, kit?""Am I going to be able to see?"Ulaz's heart sank at Keith's question. "Oh, kit. There's nothing that will improve your sight." At the sight of tears in his kit's eyes, Ulaz continued, "And there's wrong with not being able to see. Your other senses are more sensitive and can and will
make up for your lack of sight."Thace came up behind his mate and kit and wrapped his arms around them. "When you are able to be trained, you will notice the differences, my kit."Keith sniffled. "When will that be?""When you stop bumping into things.""I already have! So does that mean I can start tomorrow?"Thace and Ulaz chuckled."No, kit, but one day you will. For now, let me give you your check up."Thace unwrapped his arms and watched as his mate carried their kit off for his monthly check up. Keith was so excited to start training. Maybe they could come up with something the kit could do that could be considered training.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Nighttime"Keith's violet eyes darted left and then right before he slipped into the royal bedchambers. He quickly yet quietly closed the door and jumped when he felt arms go around his waist. "Easy, love. It's just me."Keith relaxed as he realized it was just Lance. He shifted and managed to turn around in Lance's arms. He wrapped his arms and his tail around Lance's waist and laid his head against Lance's shoulder. It wasn't often that Lance used his abilities to change his appearance, but Lance liked to be taller than Keith. Normally, Galra, even half-Galra, were taller than Alteans, but Keith was just a tad shorter than Lance. Lance liked to be even taller and allow Keith to feel protected. During the daytime, Keith protected Lance in his capacity as the prince's bodyguard, but once Lance said he was retiring for the night, it was Lance's turn to do the protecting.Lance tugged Keith over to his bed, both teens divesting themselves of their outerwear along the way. Lance sat down, and Keith laid down across Lance's lap. The Altean prince rubbed behind Keith's big, fluffy ears, eliciting a purr from the half-Galra. "Such a sweet kitty.""Nnn-not a kitty." Keith was having trouble speaking without purring.Lance chuckled. "So you keep saying, but you are
purring.""Galra do that when they're happy and with their mates," Keith admitted, giving in to the urge to purr while speaking.
Lance continued to rub behind Keith's ears. "Is that so? You must be very happy then, because you are purring so loud right now."It was true. Keith was purring really loud but couldn't care less. Everyone knew that he and Lance were mates and wouldn't judge them. King Alfor had given them his blessing, Princess Allura gave the expected "hurt my brother and I will kill you" speech to Keith, and Coran just grinned. The advisor was the first to know about Keith and Lance and the one who prompted Keith to talk to King Alfor about the love he had for the prince. Keith was nervous but did as Coran suggested. The talk went a lot better than Keith had anticipated, and he came away with the king's blessings.Lance absolutely loved being able to snuggle against Keith even in daylight. It was only in the privacy of the prince's bedroom that their roles were reversed. Keith loved the pampering Lance gave him, even if it was only ear rubbing and laying across his lap.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Jumping"Keith stared at his dads. "What?"Shiro smiled. "This is an indoor trampoline park.""That's what I thought you said. What do I do?"Adam patted Keith on his right shoulder. "Running and jumping and just plain having fun."Keith looked up at his dads through his bangs. "Are you coming too?"Shiro looked at his fiancée, who shrugged. "If you want us to, buddy."Keith fidgeted slightly. "Please?""Of course we will," Adam replied, paying for the three of them.The trio entered the main floor in just their socks as per the rules. Keith's purple eyes lit up as they took in all the different areas. There was a large area that looked like a patchwork of trampoline squares with a slanted wall to bounce off of. In a sectioned off area was a spinning, two armed beam that people had to jump over or it would knock them off their feet, which would cause them to land on a trampoline. There were three foam pits with various ways to fall/jump in. One way was to jump in via a flat trampoline, anothebeam. was to jump in via a slanted trampoline, and a third way was to to jump off the diving board. In a separate foam pit, one would hold onto a trapeze bar before releasing their grip and landing in the pit. In the last section were two balance beams that people tried to knock each other off of with long bags with handles.Shiro felt his arm being tugged over to one of the foam pits and, before he could get his bearings, was unceremoniously pushed in. He surfaced and shot a glare at a cheekily grinning Adam. "Let's let the kid have fun without constantly watching him. He's-whoa!"Adam felt himself get pushed into the foam pit and landed face first next to Shiro, who was laughing at him. When Adam managed to turn around, he was astonished to see Keith smiling shyly with his arms still outstretched from having pushed Adam in. "You pushed me in?" At Keith's nod, Adam couldn't help but grin at the adorable nine-year-old. "Go have fun, you little devil."Keith grinned, having heard that particular nickname before and knowing that Adam meant it in the best possible way, before he scampered off to jump on the main court, which was the patchwork of trampolines with the slanted wall. Adam watched until a hand was thrusted into his face. He followed the hand up the arm and all the way to the owner's face. Shiro was grinning. "You need to come out of there, Adam."Adam grinned, grasped his fiancée's hand, and was hauled up and out of the foam pit. Adam's grin grew wider, and he used his position to topple Shiro back into the foam pit. He leaned over the pit. "Come on, Takashi. There are other activities I want to try."Shiro hauled himself out of the foam pit with minimal difficulty. He playfully growled at Adam. "You better run, Adam, because if I catch you, I'm tossing you into one of these pits.""Promises, promises," Adam taunted as he dashed off with Shiro in hot pursuit.%%%Keith was surprised with himself as he was enjoying jumping and flipping on these trampolines. He even bounced off the slanted wall with a wide grin on his face. He had lost sight of his two dads but knew that they wouldn't leave him there and that they were more than likely nearby. He bounced on an out of the way trampoline; higher and higher before doing a flip and catching sight of Adam and Shiro on the balance beams with the bags in their hands, clearly trying to knock each other off and into the pit below. He continued bouncing on the trampoline in order to watch his dads.It was almost as if Shiro and Adam were being deadly serious until you caught sight of their grins, but even then, it still looked serious. They taunted each other and very carefully chose their stances and whether they dodged or blocked their opponent's attack. It was several minutes of this back and forth before Adam got the upper hand and knocked Shiro into the foam pit with a soft war cry. Keith couldn't help but clap as he continued bouncing. Adam gave an exaggerated bow before Shiro knocked him off his feet from the foam pit, and the brunette landed in the foam pit on the other side of the balance beam.Keith grinned and continued bouncing. He ran at and bounced off the slanted wall a few more times before he caught sight of Adam tugging Shiro to the sectioned off area with the spinning, two armed beam that people had to jump over. Keith bounced over and watched his two guardians, while he caught his breath.%%%Shiro and Adam took their positions opposite each other and tried to make each other mess up by making faces at each other. It wasn't easy to concentrate on not getting knocked over and still make silly faces at the other person as Shiro and Adam found out.Shiro was having problems multi-tasking and was almost knocked off his feet as a result, which caused Adam to laugh. He actually got knocked over. When he stood back up, his glasses were askew, hanging off one ear. Keith couldn't help but giggle at how funny Adam looked, which unfortunately, drew Shiro's attention. He grinned at how happy Keith looked and promptly got knocked over. Adam fixed his glasses and jumped over the arm, laughing at his fiancée. Shiro grinned and jumped over the arm.Keith grinned as he went back to the main court of patchwork trampolines. He was having a lot of fun just jumping and flipping. Even though Shiro and Adam ended up having the most fun, Keith was glad all three of them came here. It was more fun than Shiro or Adam led him to believe, and he was more than willing to come back again and again, especially if Shiro and Adam came with him.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Kisses"Krolia trudged into headquarters after Kolivan and Keith. She was so tired after the rough mission they had. Maybe she could catch a quick nap in before doing her report. She eyed her son. For some reason, he was excited, when, all things considered, he should be as exhausted as she was. Maybe it was because she was still a little reluctant to let him do too much. She was the only parent he had just as he was her only biological child. She considered a few of the younger recruits (like Regris) and the younger hybrids Keith interacted with (especially Acxa) and the rest of the Paladins her kits as well, but Keith was special to her. Still, with as excited as he was, there was no way she could get him to take a nap, even though he was considered a young kit by Galran standards.%%%Keith was excited all right. He had worked very hard, finding and verifying any and all leads without his mother finding out, and had finally received a private communique from Regris that he had a visitor that was waiting for him at headquarters. He was initially put out that he wasn't there when the person had first showed up, but at least his mom wasn't either. It was a surprise for her, something to show her that there was still happiness to be had.Kolivan had been in on the whole thing. Keith knew he couldn't hide anything from the Leader of the Blades and his superior. He had sent Keith and Regris together on verification missions once Keith explained what he had planned. Kolivan thought of Krolia like a daughter and wanted her to be happy again.Kolivan pushed the doors leading to the main hall of headquarters open and led the group inside. Krolia paused when she saw someone talking to Regris, someone short and human. The human turned, and Krolia felt her heart stutter. Keith dashed over with a cry of "Dad!"Calvin turned and was able to catch his son. "Hey, kiddo. I'm so glad to see you again!"Keith reluctantly pulled away from his father and held his hand out in his mother's direction. "You weren't the only one I found."Calvin lifted his eyes in the direction his son was pointing, and his mouth dropped open in shock. "Krolia? Is it really you?"Krolia stepped a little closer. "Cal? Is it really you? I thought you were dead!"Calvin rubbed the back of his neck. "I thought I had perished in that fire. However, I managed to crawl out the back, but there were scouts looking for slaves nearby, and I got captured. I-"Calvin never got to finish his tale as Krolia crashed into him, sealing her lips against his. Her claws were buried in his brown jacket. She pulled back slightly, only to tug him close to her again. "I never thought I'd see you again."Calvin reached up to stroke her headfur. "I know, sweetheart, but I'm here now. Our son made sure of that."Krolia pulled Keith into the hug and purred to both of her boys. Keith responded in kind with Calvin grinning. Kolivan came up behind the family and lightly tapped Krolia on her head. She looked up at the leader. "You are tired, Krolia. Take your family to your nest and get some rest."She grinned and tugged her son and husband towards her nest. Once inside the room, Keith took the chance and dove face first into his mom's nest, landing in a pile of blankets put there for that purpose. Calvin chuckled as he and Krolia stepped into the nest. Krolia sat down and rubbed Keith's back, hoping to get him to settle down. Keith purred to her, finally feeling tired from the mission and reuniting with his father. Calvin laid down next to Keith with Krolia on Keith's other side. Keith's eyes slid closed as he fell asleep, safe between his parents. Krolia's and Calvin's gazes met over Keith's head. The parents felt the tiredness seep into their bones and shared an exhausted kiss before they joined their son in slumber.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Twin Kits"Krolia purred softly at the bundles in her arms. When she had found out she was expecting, she knew she had to do the right thing. She and her then lover had repaired her ship, and she flew them back to headquarters. On their way there, she contacted her pack. She had to tell Kolivan about coming back with not only a member of a primitive species but an unborn child, not knowing she was actually carrying two. Thankfully, Kolivan was more relieved at seeing her alive than angry at her for breaking protocol and allowed her to bring her family home as long as she bonded with her human. Once she explained what Kolivan meant by 'bonded,' Calvin had no problem with the rule.When Krolia and Calvin landed in the hangar at headquarters, Ulaz whisked Krolia away to the med bay for an examination. Calvin tagged along per Krolia's request. He held her hand throughout the entire process and was surprised that the Galra had superior medical tech and was provided with a very clear picture of two
babies growing within Krolia. She was put under the restrictions of 'no missions' and 'no strenuous activity' as she was actually three phoebes along, and Galra were known to have complicated pregnancies with a high chance of miscarriage. Krolia was under close observation and was never left alone until she gave birth five phoebes later.Calvin wasn't allowed to remain with Krolia and had to hold onto his wife's luxite blade. He had the blade strapped to his waist to avoid fiddling with it in a show of nerves. When there was a newborn baby's cry, Calvin had to be physically restrained from rushing over by Thace. The violet Galra was someone Krolia considered a brother and was waiting with Calvin to see not only the newest members of his pack but also his mate, Ulaz. The two Galra had bonded shortly after Krolia had 'disappeared.'When a second newborn's cry rang out, both Calvin and Thace rushed over. Calvin approached his wife and brushed a lock of her headfur out of her tired face, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She nuzzled his hand in return.Thace joined his mate in recording the data about the new kits. He did everything Ulaz asked him to, down to holding the babies. He wasn't surprised how small they were, but he was surprised at how different they looked from each other. The female looked more Galran, where the male looked more like the father, except for the purple cheek stripes. Once Ulaz was done, he and Thace carried the twins over to their parents. Each kit was swaddled in a soft, warm, purple blanket and were placed in their mother's waiting arms. She gently nuzzled each one."What are their names, darlin'?" Calvin asked. They had discussed names but hadn't found one that they really liked.Krolia gazed at her kits and purred to them. "Acxa and Keith."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"It's All Fun and Games UntiI It's Not"Krolia was strolling through the space mall alone. She had expressed the want of going to the space mall and once she got permission, her kits asked her for stuff. Regris asked her for more numbing gel for his tail which kept getting sore during training, Lotor asked for more pillows for the nest, Ezor requested a thick blanket for her, and Acxa and Keith wanted something fun to do, especially when their siblings were training.She had found the stuff for her older kits easily but was trying to figure out what her twins would find fun. She wandered into the Earth store, looking to see what she could find. There were several things she barely remembered from her short stay on Earth with the twin's father. She grinned and grabbed some Earth clothes for herself before her eyes landed on a board game that said 'plan a family game night' and thought her twins might find it fun.%%%Krolia entered the nest and was partially surprised to find it empty. She had to remember that her kits were growing up, and it wasn't strange to find no one in the nest. It was sad to her that her kits may not need her very soon. She gave off a soft whine while she put away the things she bought. She cut off the whine when the door opened, revealing her fifteen deca-phoebe old twins. Keith's and Acxa's eyes lit up, and they tackled her with a cry of "Mom!"She caught both of her kits in her arms and nuzzled them. She nosed their hair, taking comfort in their scents."Did you find everything you needed?" Acxa asked."Yes, kit. I even found a game for you and your brother to try."Keith chirped and looked to see what his mom had bought them. It was a long, skinny, white box, and when it was opened, it had lots of different plastic pieces, papers, and thin cardboard pieces. One thing that drew their attention was that it was a variety of different colors. Even though these colors weren't as vibrant as the usual colors that attract kits, they still pleased the kits.Krolia watched as her twins figured out how to play the game, which was easy to do because of the instructions. She discreetly took pictures of Keith and Acxa playing the game and sent them to the Dads' and Taulol's data pads. She wasn't expecting the rest of her pack to show up, something that didn't escape the notice of the two youngest kits."Regris, Lotor, Ezor! Come play with us! We can restart the game!" Keith called out.Regris eyed the game and then made the mistake of looking at the twins. They learned when they were really young that they were really good at getting others to do what they wanted without any words. The entire pack was susceptible to the twins silent pleading, even after all these deca-phoebes.Lotor and Ezor knew their eldest brother was a goner the tick they saw him glance at their youngest siblings. They didn't want to chance a glance, lest they fall victim to the silent pleading.
They weren't expecting Kolivan and Thace to have been watching or to have looked at Keith and Acxa."Why don't you join your siblings?" Thace asked, placing a hand on Ezor's left shoulder.Knowing she didn't really have a choice, she sat down to join Regris and the twins. The four kits looked up expectantly at Lotor, who hadn't joined them yet. Kolivan nudged his kit forward and gave him an expectant look, which made him duck his head and sit down with his siblings. The Dads smiled at each other, not knowing what they had set into motion.%%%"Please not a five. Anything but a five...or a seven," Acxa murmured under her breath as she shook the die in her claws. She released them and held her breath as the cubes settled on a three and a four. She groaned as Keith cheered. She glumly moved her piece onto a royal blue colored square. "I'm your twin. Don't I get a discount?""Nope!"Acxa grumbled as she handed Keith the fake paper money that came with the game. Keith took the money with a wide grin on his face before scooping up the die and rolling them. He saw them end on a four and a six and started moving his piece, his smile fading into a frown as his piece neared the dreaded corner square. "Not again!""Karma," Acxa sung back to him as Keith put his piece in the opposite corner to wait the required three turns as he wasn't going to waste any of his money to get out early.%%%"Aw, come on! Not another one!" Regris complained as his piece landed on a red square that had two little three dimensional plastic rectangles sitting at the top. "I landed on yet another
of your hotels!"Ezor grinned and held out her claws expectantly. "Yup. Pay up, bro!"%%%Lotor and Keith glared at each other from across the board. They were the two in control of most of the board and
with the highest amount of money. "You're going down.""After you," Keith growled.%%%The Dads, Taulol, and Krolia watched in apprehension as their kits argued and verbally fought each other during the game. Taulol leaned over and stage whispered to her surrogate sister, "This may not have been your best idea, sister."Krolia couldn't help but agree.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Your Sharpshooter"Lance stared at the doors to the training deck, dumbfounded. Did Shiro really just lock him in there...with Keith? He snuck a look over his shoulder at his...crush. Lance had to admit it. He had a humongous crush on Keith, not that he would ever tell the slightly shorter teen. He had dreams of wrapping his arms around him and kissing him silly. All that did was make him sad during the day. Hunk always asked him what was wrong, and he invariably answered "homesickness," which prompted the larger teen to give him a big hug and bake him some sort of sweet. The Cuban teen was pretty sure Hunk and Pidge knew of his (not so) secret crush, but the question was: did Shiro know? Unfortunately, Lance didn't have an answer.%%%Shiro grinned from the other side of the training deck doors. He had heard from both Pidge and Hunk about Lance's crush on his brother and how they were tired of his pining. He told them that he would handle it and that Lance would confess before the day was out. He knew Keith was on the training deck, but how could he get Lance in there? The answer turned out to be very simple: ask Lance to meet him in the observation area, not show up, and then lock the doors. Now, all he had to do was wait. Maybe he would watch the scene unfold. After all, Pidge did
have access to the security cameras.%%%Keith tapped his foot impatiently. He didn't mind that Lance was on the training deck at the same time he was, but his crush was making it impossible to train, since he was walking around muttering to himself. The boy was cute but infuriating at the same time. He unsheathed his Marmora blade and his bayard. "Lance, if you don't intend on helping me with this level, get off the floor! Start training level fifteen!"Lance looked up when he heard Keith call out to him. His eyebrows shot into his hairline when he heard the level Keith was starting at. Fifteen?! Was he crazy? Lance was only at nine when he was on his own. He moved to the sidelines and watched as the raven haired beauty took down gladiator after gladiator. Something told him to pull out his bayard. He pulled it out and transformed it into his sniper rifle. He stepped just barely onto the training area, crouched down, and waited. He let Keith do the majority of the work but was watching his back. He had to admit Keith was amazing and didn't leave much for someone else to do, but Lance still didn't put away his bayard. He stayed crouched down and waited.Then, he saw a gladiator swing at Keith and took it out with one shot. Keith looked over at Lance, who grinned. "Don't worry, Keith. Your Sharpshooter has your back!"Thankfully, it was the last gladiator for that level, because, thanks to Lance's comment, both teens blushed heavily and looked away, momentarily distracted. Keith turned his back to Lance, unable to stop blushing, even the tips of his ears were red! He cleared his throat but kept his back turned. "My
Sharpshooter? Do you really mean that?"Lance turned even redder if that was possible. "If you want me to be yours, then yes. If not, we can forget this ever happened."Keith turned around with a small smile on his face. Was it true that his crush wasn't unrequited? Could he really be that lucky? He approached Lance, his Marmora blade transforming back into its knife form and his bayard deactivating. He sheathed his knife and hung his bayard on his belt.Lance's bayard deactivated as he gazed at the approaching teen. What was Keith going to do? Lance set his bayard on the floor and stood up. He was simultaneously surprised and not surprised when Keith wrapped his arms around him. Lance grinned and tugged Keith a little closer before wrapping his arms around him. It was like one of Lance's dreams. So much so that Lance had to pinch himself to make sure it was real. Ouch! Okay, he wasn't dreaming. He wasn't
dreaming! That meant it was real! He was hugging Keith!Keith couldn't believe that he was hugging Lance. It felt so nice, and he was surprised that he fit so well against him. He couldn't help but lay his head against Lance's shoulder, glad for once that the Cuban was slightly taller than him. He wasn't sure what they were going to say after the hug, but it was definitely worth it.All too soon and not soon enough, Lance and Keith separated, unwrapping their arms."So..." Lance trailed off, not sure of how to voice the question."So...?" Keith repeated."Um, do you-do you want, and if not, that's okay-""Lance, would you just spit it out already?!""Do you want to be my boyfriend?"Keith paused before smiling. "Of course, I do." He leaned forward and rested his forehead against Lance's. "In fact, I would very much like to kiss you right now."Lance leaned even closer, his lips mere inches away from Keith's, his words the only thing separating their lips. "Be my guest."Keith closed that minute gap and wrapped his arms around Lance again, his hands running up Lance's back (under his shirt), making Lance gasp into his mouth."All right, you two! Back it up!" a familiar voice called out over the intercom."Yeah! Take a cold shower!" a second voice added"Please save that for the privacy of your bedrooms!" yet another
voice pleaded.Lance and Keith practically jumped apart. Keith glared up at the ceiling. "Were you three watching this whole time?!""Be glad we were or you two might have been so caught up in the moment that anyone could have walked in on you," Shiro said."But you locked the door!" Lance corrected him."Only for the first thirty minutes," Shiro stated."...How long have we been in here?" Lance was simultaneously curious and dreading the answer."Two hours," Pidge stated."Two hours?!" Lance exclaimed."Time flies when you're having fun," Hunk explained."Or trying to do your boyfriend," Pidge added.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Heads Up"Antok was watching the pack's tiny kit until Thace was done decoding a very important message they received from a Blade that was in deep, deep cover. Antok was quite nervous about being in charge of the kit. Keith was so tiny and fragile, especially compared to the largest Blade, so Antok used his tail to move him. He didn't want to take a chance that his claws may hurt the kit. If he ever hurt the kit, he would hurl himself into the giant blue star that protected their headquarters.His attention was drawn to the kit, who was laying on his back and staring at him. Antok used his tail to gently tickle the kit's little belly, eliciting the cutest giggles from him. He reached out with a tiny hand as if to grasp Antok's tail tip. Antok let the kit touch his tail, even though it was a risk as most things went into the kit's mouth. There weren't any teeth to be wary of. It was simply wet, and Antok disliked getting his tail wet. However, if it pleased the kit, he would deal with it.Fortunately, his tail didn't go into the kit's mouth. The purple eyes stared at the tail as if examining it. He chirped and released his hold on the tail. Antok trailed his tail down the kit's cheeks, caressing them, before wrapping his tail around the kit's waist. He carefully turned the kit over onto his belly, being very gentle and supporting his head. Once the kit was turned over, Antok unwrapped his tail and made sure he slowly and carefully placed the kit's head on its side, so Keith's tiny nose wouldn't get squished. He went to go lay down on the side of the kit so he could still see him, but before he could, he saw the kit lift his head up. Antok quickly grabbed his data pad and snapped a couple of pictures, sending them to his pack.The tick the pictures were sent, Keith's head dropped to the floor, and he bumped his nose. He cried, and Antok quickly scooped him up. He cradled him close, his tail wiping away the tears that slid down his cheeks. Antok softly rumbled to him, trying to calm down the kit. He gently stroked Keith's little bit of hair with one claw, knowing how the kit liked that. Keith's cries quieted down from wails to whimpers. Keith's eyelids started drooping as his crying tired him out, and Antok switched from rumbling to purring, hoping to lull him to sleep. It didn't take long for Keith to fall asleep. Antok went to lay the sleeping kit down but couldn't lay him down because he had a death grip on his tail. Antok's eyes widened. How did such a tiny and fragile kit have such a tight grip, especially in his sleep? Antok tucked the kit against his chest again and settled in to have the kit sleep on his chest.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Little Blade Leader"Keith dragged himself into his ship. He was frustrated by the inhabitants on this planet. He knew the planet had been under Galra rule for nearly a century and hated it, but to extend that hate to his Blades made Keith mad. He stamped down his anger and personally delivered all of the supplies. Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid packaged all the supplies to help out their leader and were dismayed that they couldn't do more to help.When Keith collapsed into his chair, he was fighting to stay big. It was really hard not to regress, and he remembered what his Mama always told him. If he wanted to regress, then he should as long as it was safe to do so and he had someone around to act as his caregiver. Tears slid down his cheeks, because he didn't know if he had a caregiver among his Blades."Keith?" Ezor appeared at her leader's side. "Are you okay?"Keith shook his head, not trusting himself to speak."Is there anything we can do, boss?" Zethrid asked.Keith felt himself slipping fast. He gasped. "Acxa?"Ezor and Zethrid exchanged a quick glance. Keith didn't sound like himself, and his tears were worrisome."Acxa's not back yet, but she should be back any time now," Ezor answered, placing a hand on Keith's shoulder.Neither of the Blades expected Keith to curl in on himself and full on sob. They stood around, unsure of what to do. Fortunately for everyone, Acxa arrived at that moment. She took in the scene and took control. "Zethrid, pilot the ship to Daibazaal. Ezor, contact Krolia and Kolivan and let them know that Keith has regressed and that we are bringing him to them. I will take care of Keith until we get there."Acxa held her arms out to Keith. "Hey, sweetie. Do you want to come here?"Keith's head shot up when he heard her words, and he held his arms out. Acxa scooped him up and gently wiped his tears off his cheeks as she carried him to his room. She quickly changed him into a diaper and a comfortable bluish-purple sleeper. She carried him back to the bridge and settled into Keith's seat with him on her lap. He laid his head against her shoulder, whimpering every so often. Acxa stroked his hair. "Shh, little one. You're okay. We're taking you to your mother."Keith grasped Acxa's uniform with one hand and stuck his thumb into his mouth since he didn't have a pacifier. His eyes drooped closed as he rested against his favorite Blade. The trip to Daibazaal was fortunately not long at all, but Keith had fallen asleep. He wasn't in a deep sleep, so when Acxa stood up with him in her arms, he whimpered a little. "Shh, Keith. It's okay. I've got you."She carried him out of the ship and was met by Krolia. The tick Krolia saw her son, she rumbled to him. His eyes opened halfway, and he whined, his thumb slipping from his mouth. Krolia slipped him out of Acxa's arms and into hers. He nuzzled her neck. "Mama."Krolia looked at the trio of Blades that delivered her son to her and Kolivan, who was approaching them. "Thank you for bringing my son to me."Acxa reached out and petted Keith's hair. "He had a rough mission, so we should have expected this.""You did the right thing, Acxa," Kolivan replied. "We will let you know when your next mission is."Krolia turned around and started walking away from the trio of new Blades with Kolivan at her side. Keith peered over his mother's shoulders at his team not
following and whined loudly, reaching out for the girls. Krolia stopped and looked at Keith. "What's wrong, kit?""Girls!"Krolia stroked her son's hair. "You want Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid to join us?""Yeah."Krolia motioned for the three Blades to join them, which they did. Acxa stroked Keith's hair again, slightly surprised when he trilled at her. She smiled and purred to him. He grinned and laid his head back down on his mother's shoulder. The six Galra made their way to the nest Keith had with his mom and Kolivan. Krolia set Keith down, tucked next to her side, and Kolivan settled beside Krolia, nuzzling her. Keith looked at the other three and made grabby hands at them. Acxa tentatively stepped into the nest, and when she wasn't growled at, she sat next to Keith and started grooming his hair. Ezor and Zethrid and settled around their team.Krolia pulled out a pacifier and rubbed it against Keith's lips. He accepted one of his favorite comfort items, and his eyes slid closed as he fell asleep in a cuddle pile of his favorite Galra, his pack, his family.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Respite"Thace was in the communications room, staring at his terminal. He growled, causing other Blades to inch away from one of the highest ranking Blades. He was frustrated and felt like ripping his fur out. He was in charge of decoding a very important message headquarters received from a deep cover operative. However, none of the decoding programs he ran were working. He didn't know what code the Blade had used, but it was clearly an advanced one that the organization didn't use often. Maybe he should take a break, but Kolivan was very insistent on this message being decoded as soon as possible."Daddy!"Thace looked up in time to see his little kit run into the communications room. He turned in his chair and scooped her up onto his lap. "Hey, little one. I see you woke up from your nap. Is your Mama with you?""Of course, I am. I thought I would let Ezor visit you, especially since our other two kits are visiting their dads," Krolia said.Ezor nuzzled Thace's neck. He nuzzled her back, rumbling to her. She purred to him, settling on his lap. Neither one noticed when Krolia slipped from the room. She was due for some one on one time with Taulol.Ezor glanced at the screen and cocked her head. "What's this, Daddy?""A message Daddy has to decode. Whatever it says is a secret.""Daddy is cool," Ezor said, leaning back against Thace.Thace smiled and nuzzled the top of her head. He glanced at the screen, and suddenly, it came to him. He knew which program he needed to run to decode the message! Maybe a visit from his kit was all he needed.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"I Do"
It was a beautiful day on Earth. The cherry blossoms were in bloom, signifying a time of new beginnings, which Shiro thought was appropriate for his wedding day. It had always been a dream of his ever since he was a little boy to get married under the cherry blossoms.He couldn't believe he was standing there at the altar, waiting for his husband-to-be to walk down the aisle. He fingered the boutonniere on his lapel. The elegant pin held a sprig of cherry blossom to his lapel just as it did on Keith's lapel.The trumpets blared, drawing Shiro's attention to the doors, which opened, revealing Keith. Shiro's jaw threatened to drop open at how gorgeous Keith looked. He was wearing Galran formal attire and his long hair had been done in an elaborate style of twists and braids and rolls that made Shiro's head spin. However, on his head was a wreath of cherry blossoms, matching the sprig on his lapel. Krolia was at his side, accompanying him down the aisle. Krolia was in a dress, magenta in color, matching part of her hair.When they reached the altar, Krolia put Keith's hand into Shiro's and covered their joined hands with her own. "Be good to each other. These hands are meant to only defend or love each other.""We will, Mom. Thank you for doing this." Keith nuzzled his mom.Krolia returned the nuzzles. "It's my pleasure, my kit."Krolia released their hands and took a seat in the front row next to Kolivan to watch the ceremony. Once the official stepped forward, Shiro and Keith turned to face each other and grasped their other hands together as well. Now facing his husband-to-be, Shiro couldn't help but gaze at Keith, everything and one else fading away.He still couldn't believe he was marrying Keith; the same Keith whom he had known for what seemed like decades and months at the same time, who had shattered every record Shiro had made at the Garrison (of which Shiro couldn't be prouder), who became the Red Paladin and his right hand man, and
who had helped save the universe. He was absolutely breathtaking, from his fiery temper to his high intellect to his Galran heritage. It didn't bother Shiro that Keith was part Galra as most people assumed it would due to his captivity. However, Shiro knew that Keith would never hurt him. Even if Keith turned purple, Shiro would never
be afraid of him. Purple would be a good color on Keith. After all, Keith's eyes were purple, the same shade as some of the countless galaxies they had flown by."Do you, Takashi Shirogane, take this man, Keith Kogane, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"Shiro shyly smiled and stuttered with barely contained excitement, "Absolutely, I do of course.""Do you, Keith Kogane, take this man, Takashi Shirogane, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?"Keith tightened his grip on Shiro's hands and brought them to his chest. When he spoke, his voice was steady, firm, and full of love. "Yes, I do. I love him with all my heart and soul.""Now, you may exchange the rings." Keith and Shiro put matching rings on each other's left ring fingers. Keith's ring was silver was three rubies in a diagonal line set in the band. Shiro's ring was silver as well, but it had three onyx chips in a diagonal line set in the band. "I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss."Keith tugged Shiro close, forcing Shiro's arms to go around his waist, while he threw his arms around Shiro's neck. Shiro felt Keith's warm breath on his face as they closed the minute distance between them. Shiro quickly licked his lips to make sure they were moist for their first kiss as married men. Their eyes closed the second before their lips met. Shiro tugged Keith even closer as he put a little more passion into the kiss. Keith's hands became tangled in Shiro's short hair. They were so caught up in their kiss that they didn't hear the applause or cheer from the audience.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Security of A Kit""Mama?" Keith looked up from the nest. He didn't see his mother anywhere. He let out a whine and curled in on himself."Oh, kit. It's alright. Your mother will be right back."Keith's head popped up. He recognized that voice. It was Kolivan! He uncurled himself and launched himself into Kolivan's arms with a small whimper. Kolivan wrapped his arms around the small kit.He hadn't been a part of his pack for long, but that didn't matter. He was the kit of a pack member, which automatically made him pack. He was also adorable and loving. He was also obviously part Galra. He had fluffy purple ears which looked ridiculously large on his small frame, purple cheek stripes on his cheeks, small fangs, and short purple fur. The only things that spoke of his alien heritage was his black headfur and his eyes. His eyes had violet irises and white sclera.Kolivan nuzzled the kit, hoping to comfort him in his mother's absence. He hoisted the kit a bit higher, not even startled when he felt a lot of pressure on his braid. He knew the kit loved to hold onto his braid. It gave him a feeling of security, and Kolivan couldn't fault him for it. He didn't mind Keith holding onto his braid, even when it prevented Kolivan from putting him down. Kolivan didn't have any intention of putting him down before Krolia got back. She was out getting food for her and Keith from the kitchen. She had been reluctant to leave her kit at all, even in the nest. Kolivan had stopped by to check on them and offered to watch over the kit. Krolia agreed to leave, because of how much Keith liked Kolivan. The comfort of her kit was a priority for Krolia.The door leading to the nest room opened, revealing Krolia on the other side holding three containers. She entered the nest, purring at the sight of Kolivan holding her kit. Recognizing his mother's purr, Keith looked over and chirped. He released his hold on Kolivan's braid, slid off his lap, and tackled his mother. She allowed Keith to knock her to the padded bottom of the nest, wrapping her arms around her precious little kit. "Mama!""I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up, my kit.""It's okay, Mama. Kol Kol was here," Keith stated, nuzzling his mother."It was my pleasure to watch over our kit," Kolivan pointed out.Krolia sat up, Keith sliding into her lap. The female Blade then held out one of the containers to an astonished Kolivan. The leader of the Blades accepted the container and was surprised and pleased to see his favorite foods inside. He looked up to see mother and kit eating from their containers, Keith sneaking a bite from his mother's container every so often. Kolivan smiled at the kit's actions. He knew Krolia knew that Keith was taking bites from her container, especially the items that weren't in his container. Kolivan began eating from his container, very content in the presence of Krolia and her little kit.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Alternate Realities"Keith knew there were alternate realities, been to one even! However, it was the first time someone from another reality showed up on the castle ship. It wasn't just a random person either. It was another him! Everything was exactly the same...except this other Keith didn't have the facial scar. In fact, he seemed quite confused about it.Keith was waiting for his other self to ask about it and was thinking about how to explain about how he got it. Normally, he would just stick with the truth, but Pidge cautioned him against telling the truth until they figured out which reality the other Keith came from, so he didn't mess with the other timeline. He figured he would stay quiet about it, but the same couldn't be said about his teammates."How did you get that burn?"Lance grinned. "Shiro tried to kill him."The other Keith looked distressed. "What?""Shiro
didn't try to kill me.""Quit playing, Keith! You and I were fighting as usual, and he was sick of it, so he drew his laser sword and burnt your cheek for, you know, giving him cheek.""Lance, Shiro doesnt have a laser sword.""This Shiro doesn't, but the one you fought did."Keith could see his alternate self grow more and more agitated with each word Lance spoke. "Good job, Lance. Now, I have to explain to him what happened, so this doesn't blow out of proportion." Keith took a deep breath. "After the five of us defeated Zarkon, Shiro died, but we didn't know that, so I continued searching for him. After a little bit, Black Lion and I found who we thought was Shiro, but it turned out to be a clone that was later controlled by Haggar. We still didn't know it at that time, and I was forced to fight him. He did burn my cheek with a laser sword that was generated by his Galra arm before I managed to slice it off. In the end, I found out that the Black Lion had retained Shiro's soul, and Allura managed to put his soul into the clone's body."The other Keith blinked. "That's wild. Shiro and Adam raised me until the Kerberos mission was declared a loss. I was unceremoniously kicked out of the Garrison for punching Iverson. The rest was the same as yours except Shiro didn't die. We defeated Zarkon and were able to return to Earth. I still live with Adam and Shiro since we're family."Keith smiled. He wasn't about to tell the other Keith that he was actually dating
Shiro or that Shiro had white hair now. Unfortunately, Shiro walked into the lounge with the intention of telling them that Pidge figured out how to send the other Keith back to his reality. Shiro smiled at his Keith. It was easy to tell the two Keiths apart due to the facial scar. He put his only hand on his Keith's shoulder and spoke to the other Keith. "Pidge can send you back to your reality."The other Keith's eyes lit up. "Adam and Shiro will be glad. They were probably wondering where I went.""You live with Adam and Shiro?" Shiro questioned."Yes. They raised me. You look like Shiro."Shiro ducked his head slightly. "I am Shiro."The other Keith swung his gaze over to rest on Keith. "You never told me that Shiro has white hair!""There are a few things I didn't tell you. I didn't think they were that important," Keith retorted."Like what?""Like Shiro and I are dating." Keith put a hand over his mouth. He hadn't intended on saying that."What?""I shouldn't have said anything. Go ahead and go back to your reality. Forget any of this happened."Lance stood up. "Here. I'll take you to Pidge's lab."The other Keith stood up but paused before following Lance out of the lounge. Keith had his head in his hands, and his Shiro was kneeling in front of him, his only hand resting on Keith's knees. Shiro was speaking so softly that the other Keith couldn't hear him. He walked out of the lounge, silently following Lance.The walk to the Green Lion's hangar was quiet, since Lance didn't know what to say and the other Keith was lost in his thoughts. They walked into the hangar to see Pidge setting up some sort of dimensional gate. Lance raised an eyebrow. "What's this?"Pidge didn't even look up from her tinkering. "This is what will send the other Keith back to his reality.""That's great," Keith said softly.Pidge did actually look up at that point. "Don't you want to go back?""Of course I do! It's just...""He saw Shiro and our Keith together.""Okay?" Pidge was still confused."Shiro and Adam raised me, so another me dating the Shiro that hurt him is disconcerting."Pidge snorted. "Keith couldn't not tell you, huh?""Actually, it was my fault," Lance confessed. "I was trying to have a little fun, but not everyone thought it was funny.""Anyway, let's send you back then, hmm?" Pidge activated the gateway.Keith eyed it dubiously. "Are you sure this is going to work?""Do you doubt the Pidge from your reality?" Pidge retorted."Fair enough. Here goes." Keith stepped through the gateway and ended up in his room in Shiro's and Adam's apartment. He left his room and went to find Shiro and Adam. He wanted to make sure everything was the way it should be. He spotted the two men on the couch with a bowl of popcorn between them. Shiro had two arms and mostly black hair, except for his white floof. He smiled at the scene.Shiro could feel someone staring at him and looked over his shoulder. He saw Keith and smiled. "Hey, Keith."Adam looked over. "Hey, Keith. So good of you to join us."Keith cocked an eyebrow. Why didn't Shiro and Adam ask where he was? Did time stop or something?"Keith, are you okay? Did you have a weird dream during your nap?" Shiro asked.Keith blinked. That's right. He had told Adam and Shiro that he was going to lie down for a bit. He managed a small smile. "Naw. I'm all right."Shiro stood up, walked over, and placed his left hand on Keith's shoulder. "Are you sure?"Outwardly, Keith nodded. Inwardly, he was nervous. The hand on the shoulder movement reminded him of the other Keith and Shiro, and that freaked him out a bit. Fortunately, Shiro removed his hand and wrapped his arm around Keith's shoulders, leading him to the couch. He gently pushed Keith, getting him to sit on the couch. Then, Shiro knelt in front of him, his left hand resting on Keith's knees. This completely freaked Keith out. It was way too intimate of an action for Keith. "Keith, you don't seem all right. Please tell me what's wrong."Keith started breathing heavily, his breaths coming in almost pants. Adam noticed this and urged Shiro up. "Takashi, get up and give him some room."Shiro stood up and Keith started breathing easier. Adam turned to Keith. "Will you tell us what happened?"Keith slowly nodded and told them about visiting another reality and everything that he saw there, including how the other him was dating the other Shiro and how the other Shiro had hurt the other Keith. Keith was enveloped in a double hug from Shiro and Adam. "Don't worry, Keith. I love you but only like a son. Adam is my life partner."Keith sighed and relaxed in the double embrace. He was home and didn't have to worry about the other series of events occuring in his reality.%%%Keith nestled against Shiro, his legs tangled in his and his back against his chest. Shiro had his arm wrapped around Keith's waist, and Keith had his head tucked under Shiro's chin. They fit so perfectly together, it was hard to figure out which limb was whose. They had gone through so much that all they wanted now was at least an afternoon alone. After the other Keith was sent back to his reality, Shiro convinced Keith to join him on the couch, which didn't take much convincing. Shiro just held onto his boyfriend, letting him relax. He was successful as he heard Keith purr. He planted a kiss on the back of his head before burying his face in the longer strands of Keith's hair, following Keith to sleep.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Scavenger Hunt"It was a beautiful morning on Altea. The sun was shining brightly on the castle and into the bedchambers of Prince Lance. The sunlight fell upon Lance's face, making him smile due to its warmth. Lance opened his eyes and saw a bouquet of juniberries on his nightstand with a red ribbon tied around the stems, a note affixed to the ribbon. It had two handwritten notes, which read:
My dearest prince, this is what is called a scavenger hunt. Please go to the location described in each note.
~Mornings are a beautiful time of day, but not as beautiful as you. Breakfast is important, even if it's simple food goo.~'Well, the kitchen is the first stop, but first, I need to change my clothes.' Lance thought as he got out of bed. He quickly donned his clothes and exited his room with the bouquet in hand, pleased to see his bodyguard, Keith, standing guard outside. "Hey, Keith. What are you doing out here?"Keith smiled and hugged the prince, his tail wrapping around his waist briefly. "Morning, Lance. I couldn't sleep long, but I didn't want to disturb you, so I came out here to stand guard." Keith eyed the bouquet. "I see you found the flowers.""Did you put them in my room?""I found them outside your door and inspected them before setting them inside.""I assume you read the notes.""Of course I did. Are you going on this scavenger hunt?""If you accompany me, my love."Keith grinned before unwrapping his tail. "As you wish, your highness."Lance grinned and linked his arm into Keith's. "To the kitchen!"Keith escorted Lance to the kitchens where there was a bowl of food goo set out with a spoon sitting to the right of the bowl. There was also a bouquet of white calla lillies laying on the table on the left side of the bowl. On the spoon was another note tied with more red ribbon. It read:~Once you finish eating and if your stomach isn't tied in knots, please go inspect the gladiator bots.~Keith made sure Lance started eating, before he collected his own bowl of food goo. He was glad that he was allowed to be close to the prince, which made setting up this scavenger hunt easy. He just had to make sure not to seem too knowledgeable about the locations and the other presents that were in a couple of the other places. Keith stared at Lance as he ate, forcing himself to take bites of his own food. Lance was so beautiful. Keith almost couldn't believe that he was allowed to get close to him. Surely Lance deserved someone just as beautiful as he was. No, Keith reminded himself. Lance loved him just as much as he loved Lance. There was no reason to get cold feet.Once Lance (and Keith) was done eating, Keith put their bowls in the sink and led Lance to the training deck. Strangely, there were two gladiator bots out. One holding a red heart shaped box with a note attached with a red ribbon and the other holding a bouquet of red roses. Lance looked slightly apprehensive at the gladiator bots. He didn't have a weapon on his person so he wouldn't be able to defend himself if they attacked. A sideways glance at his bodyguard was all it took for Keith to step forward and collect the items. He held the bouquet with his tail as he carefully opened the heart shaped box to show Lance the exquisite brown sweets that laid inside. Lance's blue eyes widened. "What are they?""It looks like chocolate," Keith replied. He leaned close and sniffed. "Definitely chocolate. It's a sweet treat. Would you like one?""Sure." Keith selected a piece and held it up to Lance's mouth. Slightly surprised, Lance opened his mouth, and Keith popped the candy into the prince's mouth. Lance's eyes sparkled like sapphires as he ate the chocolate. "It's delicious!"Keith looked at the note, Lance looking over his shoulder. The note read:~Relaxing is important as well. Please head to the lounge, but what you find there, I'll not tell.~"That sounds a little ominous," Lance said."That's why I'm with you, my love," Keith assured him. Lance took the newest bouquet into his arms to join the other two bouquets, letting Keith hold onto the box of chocolates. The prince inhaled deeply, enjoying the fragrance of the flowers. "Let's go to the lounge and see what we can find."Keith led Lance to the lounge, his tail draped across the small of Lance's back. The half-Galra entered first, looking for any sign of ill meaning persons. When he had written that note, he had meant it to be coy, not ominous. He felt bad for making Lance nervous, but at least he could protect Lance. He wasn't the prince's personal bodyguard for nothing. Seeing nothing but the bouquet of violet flowers he had placed in there earlier, Keith beckoned Lance inside. Lance entered and looked around, his eyes landing on the bouquet of purple violets. He walked over and picked up the purple bouquet, adding them to the trio in his hands. Keith snagged the note that swung from a red ribbon tied to the violets. It read:"~Your dancing can light up a room. Please go to the ballroom.~"Keith felt his cheeks heat up as he read the note out loud. He didn't remember the note being so cheesy, but judging by the pink on Lance's face, he liked it. Keith was glad for his short, light purple fur, since it didn't show blushing well. "Well, that's easy to get to.""I hope this is getting close to the end.""Why do you say that?""Because I am running out of room in my hands for these bouquets."Keith smiled. Maybe he had gone overboard with all the bouquets, but when he found out there was a language of flowers, he had to get the ones that said what he felt for Lance. It was true that most of the flowers came from Earth, but they did have a wide selection of flowers. "You do look good holding the flowers, my prince."Lance blushed slightly. "Such a sweet kitty.""Not a kitty." Keith wasn't about to tell Lance that he actually
liked when Lance called him a kitty. "Now, let's go to the ballroom."Lance let Keith lead him to the ballroom. He loved the flowers he was receiving, even if he didn't remember what they meant. He hadn't paid attention to the lesson on the language of flowers that Coran had given him and Allura. Lance had been too busy gazing at his bodyguard who was stationed in the room...and paying attention to the lesson. Lance hadn't thought that Keith would be interested in such a girly topic as flowers.He was so lost in his thoughts that he hadn't realized that they arrived in the ballroom until Keith had released his arm. Lance looked around and saw a beautiful blue cloak made of the softest material accompanied by a bouquet of yellow camellias. Keith draped the cloak over Lance's shoulders and handed him the new bouquet. He also plucked the note off the cloak's fastener, where it had been attached with the red ribbon. He also read this one out loud."~A romantic setting is needed now. Please go to the room that
will show you how.~"Lance furrowed his brows. "Where would that be?"Keith frowned. He had been stumped when writing this last clue. He was a bodyguard, not a poet after all. "Isn't there a room that mimics any place you think of?""Yeah. It's the holodeck interface room. Do you think that's where this is leading us?""Couldn't hurt to check it out." Keith gently grasped Lance's elbow and led the prince to the specified room. He took a deep breath and led the prince inside.The room was dark for a couple of ticks before the interface lit up and changed the scenery. Lance gasped as the vastness of space was laid out in front of them, a nebula of blues and purples nearby. He recognized a few of the constellations but only from astronomy books. These constellations weren't near Altea. A bright, blue star came into focus. Lance stared as the star was actually situated between two black holes."This is my home." Lance turned to face Keith, who was holding another bouquet but of light blue primroses. "However, now, I found a new home, Lance. Within your heart. I would very much like to live there forever." Keith knelt down and fished out a black box with a red ribbon tied to the lid, opening it. Nestled inside was a sapphire blue band with three
light amethysts in a diagonal line set into the band. It was absolutely breathtaking. "Prince Lance of Altea, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?"Lance stood there in shock. His mind went through all of the events that day and asked, "Did you set up this scavenger hunt to propose to me?"Keith's tail twitched, a sign of his nervousness. "Yes.""Kind of extravagant, don't you think?""You're worth no less." There was a tick of silence before Keith said, "You haven't answered my question."Lance blinked. He forgot that he hadn't accepted or rejected the proposal. He grinned and approached Keith. He took the bouquet from Keith's arms, adding it to the other five he was holding. "Of course, I will, my love." Keith stood up and slid the ring onto Lance's finger. "You didn't need to go through all this work just to propose to me. You could have just asked.""I wanted it to be special."Lance placed his forehead against Keith's and whispered, "It's from you. That's special enough."Keith closed the distance between their lips, being careful not to crush the bouquets Lance was still holding. The kiss lasted for several doboshes and was very passionate as it was their first kiss as an engaged couple.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"A Start To Training"Keith was sure this was some type of punishment, but he wasn't sure what he did to get punished. He was about to turn four, so why were Kolivan and Antok being hard on him? He thought they would've been at least a little easier on him considering how they reacted when they learned he was blind.~Flashback BeginsThace walked into Kolivan's office, carrying a sleepy Keith. Antok was in his mate's office, but this time, he was helping Kolivan with his paperwork instead of trying to get him to leave. Keith recognized their scents, even in his half asleep state, and chirped. "Kolivan! Antok!"The two leaders looked up to see their newest pack member smiling in their direction. Thace looked at Keith. "Who do you want to go to, kit?""Kolivan." Keith reached out, his arms just slightly to Kolivan's left.Thace gently placed Keith into Kolivan's arms. Keith turned so he was facing Kolivan and reached up so he could pat Kolivan on his cheeks before he wrapped his arms around his neck. Kolivan curled his arms around Keith and rumbled to him. "Hello, kit."Keith snuggled against Kolivan, purring softly. Antok stepped over and petted Keith's hair. "Someone seems a little sleepy."Kolivan looked at Thace. "You can leave him here, if you'd like.""There's something you need to know, before you watch him," Thace cautioned. "Keith's blind.""What?" Kolivan's ears drooped. "He can't see?""That's right."Antok whimpered and nuzzled Keith's head, grooming his hair and causing Keith to purr a bit louder. The kit's hand drifted up to grip Kolivan's braid, and Kolivan stroked the kit's back in comfort.~ Flashback EndsNow, Keith was doing what Kolivan and Antok called training. He had to locate Kolivan and Antok by hearing only. To make sure he didn't cheat and use his nose, they smeared some awful smelling stuff under his nose. He had whined when they did, not knowing why he was smelling something awful until Antok explained what Kolivan had done."This is a type of training, little one. Older Blades do this as well," Kolivan explained."Do they have icky things under their noses?" Keith asked, wrinkling his nose."Indeed they do."Keith perked up at Kolivan's answer. "So I'm doing real training?"Antok chuckled at Keith's barely contained excitement. "Yes, kit. You are doing real training."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hallucination""Keith?" Acxa called out. She could see her twin's retreating form. "Keith!"She smiled as he paused, half-turning to face her. Her smile faded as she couldn't see his cheek stripes. He had had those ever since he was born. Why would they disappear? "Keith?""Who are you?" Keith asked in a flat tone. There was no glimmer of recognition in his purple eyes."It's me, Acxa, your twin sister."Keith turned his back to her. "I have no sister."She watched with growing dread as Keith walked away from her. She whined loudly in distress.Acxa felt herself being gathered in a pair of strong arms, a tail wrapped around her leg, and a body tucked against her back. She whined again.
A soothing rumble and two purrs answered her immediately. She recognized them as family. She snuggled into the one holding her, inhaling the familiar scent of her mother.%%%Krolia nosed Acxa's headfur in an attempt to calm her daughter down after her nightmare. Her other two kits were crowded around their sister. Regris had his tail wrapped around her leg, and Keith was tucked against her back. She seemed to calm down, once surrounded by her family, and snuggled into her arms. Regris kept his tail wrapped around his sister's leg and groomed the part of her headfur he could reach, purring to her. Keith had tucked himself against his twin's back the tick he heard her whine. He buried his face in her headfur, purring as well.Acxa slowly opened her eyes, which landed on her mother first. Acxa whimpered, tucking herself against her mother. "Shh, kit. It's okay. You're safe in my nest. Your brothers are here too.""K-Keith?" Acxa's voice sounded slightly fearful.Keith came around to sit in front of his twin. He cocked his head. "Acxa, what happened?"She lifted her head and stared at her twin. His cheek stripes were vibrant, and his long hair was two toned like their mother's. She whimpered and reached out, making grabby hands at him. Krolia slid Keith into her lap, and Acxa launched herself into her twin's arms, whimpering again, tears sliding down her cheeks. Keith purred and licked the tears off her cheeks. It took several doboshes for her to calm down enough for her to answer her brother. He nuzzled her neck, and she tucked her head under his chin. "I had a nightmare where you didn't remember me. You didn't have your stripes and said you didn't have a sister."Keith hugged Acxa tightly against his chest, nosing her headfur and purring. "It's okay, sis. I'm here. I didn't forget you or lose my stripes. I'm never going to forget you, my twin."Acxa snuggled against her younger twin. She loved him so much, even before they were born. Their mother would always tell them that they always cuddled with each other in her womb. As embarrassing as it sounded, the little anecdotes showed them how strong their bond as twins was. She closed her eyes, resting in Keith's arms.Keith kept Acxa in his arms as he reclined against his mother. That nightmare sounded very disturbing. He hoped being in his arms would keep the nightmares at bay and help his twin get the rest she needed. He smiled when he heard her purr, closing his eyes and his own purr starting up.Regris stayed quiet throughout the entire thing. He was half-awake as it was, and he was just providing emotional support for his younger siblings, especially his sister. He smiled tiredly when he heard them start to purr. He let his eyes close, leaning against his adoptive mother. A sleepy purr escaped him.Krolia grinned as she heard/felt her three kits start to purr. True, she adopted Regris, but he was her son as much as Keith was, and her twins adored their older brother. She kept one arm wrapped around her twins and the other around Regris, tugging him a little closer. She would tell Kolivan that she and her kits were taking the next quintant off from missions in order to relax and comfort each other. She knew that once she told him that that all four of her male pack members would join them in the nest at random points throughout the day cycle before joining them for the night cycle. She smiled to herself as she drifted off to sleep. Her pack loved her kits as much as she loved them, and that was a very comforting thought to fall asleep to.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Soothe"Allura sat up with a gasp. She was in her room on the castle; she knew that, but the dream felt so real. She tried to stifle the sob that was trying to work itself out of her but ultimately failed. She felt so small and just wanted either Daddy or Papa or, preferably, both.%%%Lance had just finished rinsing off his face mask, when he felt like something was off. He knew his boyfriend and fellow caregiver was on the training deck as he was every night before bed, trying to work out the nervous energy he had in abundance now that he was displaying more Galran features. Lance still couldn't shake the feeling, so he left his room, trying to see if he could locate where the feeling was coming from. His lion slippered feet carried him away from the Paladin rooms and closer to the royal bedchambers, and that was when he heard it. Soft sobs were coming from Princess Allura's room. He knocked on the door and called out, "Princess, are you okay?""P-Papa?"Lance opened the door immediately and rushed to his little's side. He gathered her in his arms. "It's okay, baby girl. I'm here. Papa's got you."She clutched onto his blue Paladin robe as he held her, rubbing her back. "Papa, where Daddy?""You want to see your Daddy?" At her nod, Lance dropped a gentle kiss on the top of her head. "We can do that, but first, let's get you changed."Allura nodded and let Lance lay her down for a diaper and a comfortable light pink sleeper. He also snagged her pink pacifier and her stuffed juniberry flower that he had sewed for her. It was a single flower and stem, but it was super soft, and Allura loved it. He rubbed the pacifier against her lips, and she let him slip it into her mouth, sucking on it while cuddling her juniberry plush. Lance scooped her up and carried her to the training deck.When they entered the training deck, they saw Keith take down the last gladiator bot. Allura perked up. "Daddy!"Keith turned in their direction, and his tail swished. He looked a lot more Galran than he did in the past. He had large, fluffy, purple ears; a long, thin, purple tail; two purple stripes on his cheeks that stretched up to his eyes; fangs; and his hair was longer and two toned (a dark purple on top and magenta on the bottom. He smiled, showing off his fangs. "Hi. What's my little princess doing awake at this hour?"Allura sniffled behind her pacifier, and Keith was by her side in an instant. He purred to her and nuzzled her soft, unbound hair. "Bad dream, Daddy. Got scared.""It's all right, my little one. Can Papa take you to the lounge while I get a quick shower? I will join you in the lounge, and we can cuddle," Keith said, his tail wrapping around Lance's waist and giving him a hug.Allura nodded, and Keith unwrapped his tail from Lance's waist and dropped a kiss on both of their heads before he disappeared into the showers. Allura and Lance watched him go, and once he was out of sight, Allura laid her head on her Papa's shoulder. Lance stroked his little's hair. "Let's head to the lounge. I bet Daddy has a nest in there."The Blue Paladin carried the little princess to the lounge. He knew Keith had a nest in there. It was big enough to hold all of the Paladins and the two Alteans at the same time, but only Keith and Lance used it with any sort of regularity. Lance gingerly stepped into the nest and released his grip on Allura. She slid out of her Papa's lap and patted the pink, heart shaped pillow that they kept in there for her when she was regressed.It didn't take long for Keith to join them, his long hair done up in a braid. Allura reached for him. "Daddy, braid!"Keith chuckled. "Did you want me to braid your hair or hold onto mine?""Both!"Keith chuckled again, his purr rising in his throat as Allura sat in front of him. He ran his fingers through her hair before he started braiding her hair. While he did, Lance used this time to snuggle against his boyfriend, making Keith purr louder. Once he was done braiding Allura's hair, he slid her onto his lap, and her left hand grasped onto her Daddy's braid as she lazily sucked on her pacifier. She could feel her Papa rubbing her back and her Daddy purring, the vibrations lulling her to sleep. She allowed herself to fall back asleep, ensconced in her Daddy's arms.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Inquisitive"Ulaz did his rounds in the med bay as usual. What wasn't usual was the little kit sleeping in the carrier strapped to his back. The one deca-phoebe old female kit was one of the newest members of his pack. She, along with her twin brother, were the cutest kits Ulaz had seen, though he may be biased.His few patients were considerate of the tiny kit. They didn't want to disturb her, because they knew if she was disturbed, then her mother would come, and they would be glad they were already in the med bay when she was done with them.
None of them wanted to make Krolia mad. She was scary enough on a good day.Acxa squirming in the carrier alerted Ulaz to her waking up. He extracted the tiny kit from the carrier and held her close to his neck, her tiny nose next to one of his scent glands. He softly purred to her, letting her know she was safe. This was the first time Krolia let Acxa (and Keith) out of her sight. Keith was with Kolivan, who was taking a moment out of his busy schedule to watch the tiny kit, which allowed Ulaz to only have one kit to watch over.Ulaz carefully switched the carrier to sit across his chest and set Acxa back in it. He gently nuzzled her head as her eyes drifted around the room, seemingly taking in everything.
Ulaz moved about the med bay, taking inventory. He knew it wasn't terribly interesting, but for Acxa, it was new, and her eyes were wide, trying to take in everything at once. Inventory only took a varga, so Ulaz went to his office. He sat down at his terminal and slid Acxa out of the carrier and onto his lap. She was sitting up and still looking at everything. Fortunately, she wasn't trying to grab anything. Ulaz chuckled. Oh, to have the inquisitiveness of a young kit again. The pale doctor petted Acxa's headfur. At least he had this little one to keep him curious.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Little Cub""Keith, are you in position?" Shiro whispered through the comm."Yes," Keith answered just as softly. He really just wanted to get back to the ship and regress. He was in between head spaces at the start of the mission but successfully hid it from Shiro. The one being he couldn't hide it from was Red. She asked if he needed anything. He replied that she could help him after the mission but not before. Keith could still hear Red in the back of his mind, trying to help him remain big. He had promised her that she could help him and take care of him after the mission was over. She knew what the plan was and kept reminding him what his orders were. It was helping and not helping at the same time. He just had to place these last few bombs, and then he could retreat to Red."You're doing so good, cub. Now, push the right button." Keith's hand drifted to the left side. "Other side, cub." His hand darted over to the correct side and pushed the button. "You have to do that two more times before you can come to me.""Okay, Red," Keith murmured under his breath. He followed her directions for the next two bombs, and then he radioed Shiro, feeling small. "'Kashi, I done. I go to Red now.""Are you sure you can get there, Keithy?" Shiro asked."Uh-huh. Red help.""Okay. We'll meet you back at the castle.""Bye bye, 'Kashi.""Cub, come to me.""Coming, Mama."Red purred to Keith, letting him know which corridors to take to get back to her the fastest. The tick he appeared she knelt down, and he climbed in and sat in the pilot's seat. Red took off and flew back to the castle. It didn't take long for her to land in her hangar and let her Paladin leave the cockpit.She then focused her quintessence and transformed into her real, fluffy, lioness form. She couldn't leave her Paladin alone like this. She nudged him and let him grip her fur tightly as she accompanied him to his room. She helped him get dressed in a pair of pullups and a sleeper. She laid down in his nest and let him curl up against her. She snagged his plush of her with her tail and gave it to him. "There you go, cub. Stay here and rest. I've got you. I won't let anyone disturb you."Keith yawned. "Love you, Mama."Red purred. "Love you, my cub."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Sweet Dreams"Shiro did another lap around the training deck. He was in between head spaces and didn't want to disturb anyone on the ship, since it was during the night cycle. He knew if he slipped he would need someone to take care of him, but his D-Keith was asleep. He redoubled his efforts and kept exercising, doing a light jog around the perimeter of the room again.%%%The light coming from the training deck concerned Keith. Shiro himself had kicked him off and sent him to bed, but Keith couldn't sleep. He figured he would wait for Shiro to go back to his room and then sneak back onto the training deck, but there was someone already in there.Keith eased the door open and was surprised to find Shiro doing laps. He stepped fully onto the training deck and observed Shiro. He seemed slightly distracted, which was probably why he was doing laps instead of doing a training exercise.
Keith narrowed his eyes and waited until Shiro was in front of him. "Takashi."Shiro jumped and yelped, "Daddy!"Keith's eyes softened. "Why aren't you sleeping, 'Kashi?""No' s'eepy, Daddy.""Do you want to come with me? You can sleep in my room.""Wif Daddy?""Of course, baby."Shiro raised his arms. "Up?"Keith smiled and scooped up his little. Shiro laid his head on his Daddy's shoulder and let himself be carried off the training deck. His Daddy was so strong and loved him so much. He loved his Daddy a lot too. Shiro knew he was lucky. He was small, and his Daddy knew how to take care of him.Keith managed to open his door, even with Shiro in his arms. He was grateful that he was a caregiver. He wouldn't be able to lift Shiro otherwise. He laid him down and gathered the supplies to change him. He switched his clothes and underwear for a diaper and purple sleeper. He shrugged off his jacket and gave it and a Black Lion plushie to his little. Shiro grabbed both and cuddled both of them.Keith changed his clothes. He usually didn't wear the Red Paladin pajamas unless he was taking care of Shiro. The little liked the feel of the material, just like he liked cuddling with his jacket, though that was probably more for Keith's scent than the feel of the material.Keith snagged the purple pacifier and rubbed it against Shiro's lips, which parted for it. Keith slipped it in and scooped him up. He headed for the bed, which was a nest of blankets and pillows. He laid Shiro down and climbed in after him. Keith tucked Shiro against him and gently carded his fingers through Shiro's floof. He dropped a kiss on Shiro's head. "Good night, baby. Sweet dreams.""Ni ni, Daddy. Swee dweams."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Garden"Lance was out in his garden, checking on the flowers and vegetables that he was growing. It fell to him to tend the garden since he was a water fey. Neither of his mates trusted themselves to care for the delicate blooms and food that was growing in their backyard garden. Keith was a fire fey and thought that he might accidentally set the garden on fire, so he stayed as far away from the garden as possible. Shiro thought his rough nature (from being a wolf shifter) and large hands would cause damage to the flowers and vegetables, so he stayed away as well.However, that didn't stop them from watching Lance flit about the garden. His gorgeous blue and white wings shimmered in the afternoon sun, causing Keith's red and black wings to flutter in response; not enough to make him fly but enough where he was hovering an inch or two off the sofa, where he and Shiro had perched to watch Lance without endangering the garden.Lance wiped a bit of sweat from his brow as he straightened up. He smiled as he felt a cool cloth being dabbed across the back of his neck and a straw being pressed to his lips. The straw was held in place by Keith's gentle hands, allowing the water fey to get a cool drink of water, so that meant Shiro was the one dabbing his neck. After taking a sip, Lance said, "Thank you, to both of you. I needed that.""We noticed," Shiro said, kissing Lance's neck before continuing to dab at his mate's neck."You were watching me again?" Lance couldn't see how his two mates could watch him day in and day out without getting bored. It wasn't like he did different things on different days."Of course we were. Watching you is one of our favorite pastimes," Keith replied.Lance blushed and took another sip of the water. Sometimes his mates were too sweet, and Lance wondered what he had done to have such caring mates. Whatever it was, he was grateful he had done it. He couldn't imagine his life without Shiro and Keith in it and didn't want to even try.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Tunnel Vision""Keith, please. You've been on the training deck all day! I want you to come cuddle," Lance pleaded with the other Omega. He had been trying (and failing) to persuade the other Omega to leave the training deck and come cuddle with him. He hadn't gotten to cuddle Keith all day. Cuddling with Shiro was great because he could sit on his Alpha's lap and curl into his chest and be surrounded by his comforting scent that was always tinged with safety.It was different with Keith. The two Omegas would snuggle up next to each other and wrap their arms around the other. Being almost the same height allowed their noses to reach the same places on their necks and still allow their legs to be entwined. It was very comfortable, and Lance wanted that. He'd have it if his Omega would leave the training deck.Lance stared as Keith kept going with his training. With a soft growl, he withdrew his data pad and sent a message to Shiro.
Keith won't leave the training deck. He's been here all day, and I want to cuddle him!
Do you need my help?
Please.
On my way.
Lance stashed his data pad back in his jacket pocket and waited for his Alpha to show up, which didn't take long. Shiro arrived on the training deck, his entrance not bothering the training Omega in the slightest. Shiro exhaled sharply, it coming out as a huff, before he growled loudly.Keith took care of the last gladiator when he heard his Alpha growl. He immediately looked up and took in the scene before him. Shiro was staring at him, and Lance was behind Shiro fidgeting slightly. Keith cocked his head. Why did Shiro growl at him? He was just training. "Shiro?""Omega, why are you still training?""Because I need to make sure my skills don't get rusty.""As if your skills could
get rusty," Lance quipped.Shiro gently shushed him and gave him a couple of pets on the head. The Alpha turned to the raven-haired Omega, who hadn't put away his bayard yet. "Keith, are you going to be done with your training?""No."Shiro sighed. He didn't like using his Alpha Voice, but desperate times called for desperate measures. "Omega, go cuddle with Lance. You are done training today."Almost as if in a trance, Keith deactivated his bayard and hung it on his belt. He walked over to Lance, who grabbed his arm and tugged him to their room. They settled on the bed, and Keith wrapped his arms around Lance, tucking his nose beside his Omega's neck and sniffling. "I'm sorry, Lance. Sometimes I just get so focused on training, I get tunnel vision, but that's no excuse.""Shh, baby. I know. I don't blame you entirely, but you need to learn moderation. You train so much that you don't do anything else. You should spend time with the team. We can do a movie night, and you and I can cuddle with Shiro all night."Keith smiled. "That sounds nice. I'd like that."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Reuniting"It was a boring day on the IGF Atlas, at least for all of the Paladins, except for Keith. Earth's finest ship had received a message, requesting permission to dock and was accompanied by a string of symbols none of the crew recognized. Fortunately, Keith was on the bridge, chatting with Veronica or, more like, getting the third degree from the eldest McClain daughter. She had found out that he and Lance had been dating for awhile, and
he hadn't been by to properly meet the family. When the message appeared, it caught Keith's attention. His eyes landed on the line of symbols at the end, and he chirped. "Shiro! Give them permission to dock!""You recognize the symbols?" Shiro questioned."Yes." He turned back to Veronica. "Please tell Krolia and Kolivan to meet me at the hangar.""Keith, what's going on?" she asked."Please, Veronica. I'll meet your family later, just do this for me.""Of course.""Keith, who is coming aboard my ship?" Shiro asked.Keith grinned. "The rest of my pack!"%%%Krolia and Kolivan entered the hangar and walked over to their kit, who looked visibly excited. "Who's coming, kit?""It's the rest of our pack, Mama."Kolivan looked happier than Keith remembered seeing him in awhile. Keith knew he was still suffering from nightmares from his time with the druid. Having the rest of the pack there, especially his mate, would ease the terror when he awoke at night.The ship docked, and Keith had to be visibly restrained from rushing over there by his mother. Once the ramp reached the floor, Keith couldn't wait any longer and ran over there to the other four Galra, hurling himself at Thace. Thace easily caught his pack's kit and hugged him, carrying him back over to Krolia and Kolivan.Antok hurried to Kolivan's side and swept him close to his chest, holding him close and obsessively nosing his headfur. Kolivan relaxed in his mate's strong arms, knowing how rough the separation was on the both of them. "I missed you, my mate.""When I heard about your capture, I feared the worst. I am so glad you are safe.""Our kit rescued me with Krolia and the rest of the Paladins."Antok stole a quick glance at Keith, who was currently in the middle of the group of Thace, Ulaz, Regris, and Krolia. The three adult and one mostly adult Galra were hugging each other and Keith at the same time. Antok wrapped his tail around Kolivan's waist, determined to not be separated from him again.When the group separated a little, giving Keith a chance to breathe, he found himself crushed against Regris, whose tail was wrapped around his leg. "I missed you so much, Keith. I can't believe you look so grownup but are still short. We are so proud of you." He sniffed Keith's hair. "What is this unusual scent you have?"Keith froze. "What do you mean?"Krolia grinned. "Our kit found himself a mate."Thace, Ulaz, Regris, and Antok all looked over at their kit, though it was Ulaz who spoke.
"A mate? Who?"Keith smiled shyly. "Lance, the Blue Paladin."Ulaz nodded. "I like Lance. He'll be good for our kit.""He is," Krolia confirmed. "I've seen the two together. He loves our kit a lot.""Good.""He also naps in our nest sometimes.""Why do you embarrass me, Mama?"Krolia nuzzled Keith. "That's part of my job as your mother, my kit."Keith groaned but returned his mother's nuzzles all the same. "We need to go to the bridge to see Shiro."%%%Shiro was waiting on the bridge for Keith to bring in the other Blades. He wasn't expecting to be face to face with one of the Blades he respected and owed his life to. "Ulaz?"Ulaz scrutinized Shiro's appearance. Last time they met, Shiro didn't have white hair or a floating Altean arm. He took a tentative sniff in his direction before he smiled. He recognized that scent. It was a combination of training mats and a flower Keith told him were cherry blossoms. However, there was something extra added to his scent, but he couldn't place it. Still, he smiled at his kit's human brother figure. "Hello, Shiro. It's good to see you again. I see you have a new and better arm.""It's all thanks to the combines efforts of the Garrison and Allura." Shiro grinned. "It also allows me to do this."Shiro's arm shot off and exited the bridge. Keith turned to Shiro. "Where is it going?"Shiro grinned wider. "You'll see."Suddenly, a very familiar yell was heard echoing throughout the ship. Keith lit up and grinned. He held his arms out, and all of a sudden, Lance was dragged onto the bridge and dumped into his boyfriend's arms. Keith nuzzled Lance's neck. The Blue Paladin looked at Shiro. "Why did you drag me here?""Mostly as a demonstration, but also Keith looked lonely without you."Krolia tried to stifle her laughter but was only marginally successful, and they came out as giggles. Both Lance and Keith turned to look at her, and Lance's eyes widened as he finally noticed the rest of Keith's pack. He stage whispered, "Babe, when did they get here?""Just before Shiro grabbed you.""Ah. Now, can you put me down?""Nope. I like you here," Keith replied, to which Lance fake pouted.Thace smiled. "Why don't you and your mate go lay down in our nest?""But my mom wants to have Keith come over for dinner," Lance said."We will all meet your family, Lance, but there's enough time for you kits to take a short nap," Krolia countered.Keith carried Lance off the bridge and towards their nest followed by Regris and Krolia. All three kits laid down in the nest, and Krolia settled behind Keith and groomed his hair, causing his eyes to close.
The last thought that went through his mind before he fell asleep was that he couldn't wait to meet his mate's family, especially with his entire pack by his side.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Amigos"Shiro stared at the his team as he fixed his shirt. The neckline had slipped off one of his shoulders. He couldn't believe that all five of them had woken up much younger than they were when they had fallen asleep. He was still the oldest, but he was now only thirteen, Keith was six, Lance and Hunk were five, and Pidge was three. However, no one could figure out how to fix this, let alone how it happened.The four youngest didn't retain their memories, though, but they all acted their ages. Shiro sometimes acted moody and didn't want to interact with the younger Paladins a lot. Keith smiled more often and was willing to play games, especially with Lance, who was always full of energy and chatty. Hunk was shy around anyone who wasn't Lance. Pidge was having a hard time doing much of anything, and her body was acting like a three-year-old's, which meant accidents were going to happen, so she ended up having to wear the space version of pull ups.Naturally, Keith wasn't allowed to keep his knife, but, to everyone's surprise, he cried, large tears streaming down his face. "No, please don't take my knife! It was a gift from my Mama! She left it with my Daddy to give to me!"Lance hugged Keith to him. "Please don't cry, Keith!" He looked at the Alteans, who were the ones who had taken Keith's knife. "Please give it back! It's super special to him!"The astonished Alteans wordlessly handed the raven-haired boy back his knife, which was placed back on his waist. Lance used one of his jacket sleeves to wipe Keith's face. "It's all right now. You got your special knife. I didn't know you knew anything about your Mama.""All I know is what my Daddy told me. He always told me she went back to the stars and left me her knife.""Your Mama is dead?" Hunk asked in a soft voice."I guess, but I don't remember her. It's just me and my Daddy. I love my Daddy. He's a fireman and my hero. He sometimes takes me to the station.""I have a big family," Lance half-boasted. "Mi Mamí, Papá, Abuela, Abuelo, mis hermanas Veronica y Rachel, y mis hermanos Marco y Luis.""Uh, Lance. That was Spanish," Hunk whispered."I'm sorry! I do that a lot. I try to speak English but-""It's all right. I understood you," Keith reassured him. "I know some Spanish being from the southwest US."Lance's eyes lit up. "Really? I like you."Keith smiled. "I like you too."Lance threw an arm around Keith's shoulders and the other around Hunk's shoulders. "We can be bestest friends.""Amigos," Keith added. Hunk nodded and smiled in agreement.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Caregivers"Lance giggled as he pushed a ball towards the other little. The raven-haired baby managed to put a hand on the ball and push it back, smiling behind his pacifier. Hunk and Allura watched from the couch as their littles played together. It was a toss up when they played together, since Lance was older than Keith was. Lance was around five-years-old, while Keith was only two. Lance was sometimes too rough with the younger little and had made him cry often. It was why both caregivers were present. Allura had to console her little boy a lot after someone carried him to her. His wails tore through her heart, and she wanted to minimize the time he would potentially spend crying.His soft giggles drew her attention. She smiled as she watched her baby push the ball back to the older little. Suddenly, Lance stood up and walked off, even as the ball rolled towards him. Lance went over to Hunk and patted his leg. "Hunky, I need the bathroom.""Okay, Lancey. Let's go." Hunk stood up. "We'll be back, princess.""Okay," Allura replied distractedly. Her eyes were glued to her baby, who was shakily standing on his feet to toddle after the ball. When Hunk and Lance had left, the whoosh of the door closing distracted Keith and inadvertantly caused him to fall. He fell to his stomach and bumped his nose hard. Allura saw the tears building in his eyes and immediately swooped in and scooped him up, cradling him. "Shh, my sweet boy. It's okay. I know it hurts, my baby. Mama's here. Mama's got you.""Mama," he whimpered.She gently kissed his nose where it got bumped. He snuggled into her chest and grasped her dress. Tears slowly slid down his cheeks, and he buried his face in her dress. He tried to not sob, but failed. His body shook with sobs as his tears fell onto her bodice, making the material damp. She rubbed his back and cooed to him, gently rocking him back and forth. She started softly singing an Altean lullaby she remembered her father singing to her. His sobs slowed down as her song went on, and her rocking soothed him enough to lull him to sleep.It wasn't too much longer before Hunk and Lance walked back into the lounge. Allura continued rocking Keith but still put a finger to her lips in the universal sign for quiet. "When you left, he fell and bumped his nose.""Keef cry?""Yes, Lance. He did, but now he's sleeping. I'm going to take him with me, so Lance can keep playing.""Actually, princess, Lance and I were going to make cookies in the kitchen, so you can sit here with Keith. Less jostling around would allow him to sleep deeper.""Thank you, Hunk. You're such a good caregiver. When Keith asked if I'd be his Mama, I didn't know if I'd be that good at it. I sometimes feel that I don't do enough for him.""I don't know why you are so worried. I see a little very content in his chosen caregiver's arms. It's not the actions that show you are a good caregiver, it's the emotions attached to those actions. If a little isn't comfortable with you, then you won't be able to get them to seek affection from you unless there's no other choice or it's a dire situation. Keith loves that you're his Mama. It's that simple."Allura gently dropped a kiss on her little's head. "I love him so much. It doesn't matter what headspace he's in, he's always welcome to cuddle with me."Hunk smiled, still holding Lance's hand. "As long as he knows that. Now, come on, Lancey. Let's go make cookies."Remembering that his fellow little was sleeping, Lance whispered, "Yay!"Allura smiled as she watched the duo walk out the door. She gently settled onto the couch, cradling her little, subconsciously rocking herself back and forth and humming the lullaby under her breath. She would let him sleep as long as he wanted. She knew he was comfortable with her, but sometimes she just needed a second opinion. Her fellow caregiver was the perfect person for that, and for that, she was grateful.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Fathers and Sons"Keith was dragging himself to the med bay after his mission. His leg hurt after being caught in the pressure wave of the explosion, and he couldn't help but whimper in pain. Unbeknownest to Keith, Ilun and Vrek were following him to make sure he made it to the med bay safely.Keith paused in his trek and leaned against the wall, panting and whining. He wasn't entirely sure he was going to make it. Just as Ilun was about to step in and carry Keith to the med bay, a clawed hand was placed on Ilun's shoulder. He whipped his head around and saw Eldir. His eyes widened at the previous leader of the Blades and stopped trying to move towards the youngest Blade.Keith's whimpers drew Eldir's attention. "What happened to the kit?""He got caught in the pressure wave of the explosion we set off. I was going to help him get to the med bay.""No need. I will carry the kit there." Eldir walked over to Keith. "Hello again, kit."Keith looked up and chirped, which tapered off into a whine. "Eldir, hi.""Here, kit. Let me help you get to the med bay. Ulaz is there, and he'll fix that leg up in no time." Eldir scooped up the injured kit and hurried to the med bay. On the way there, he noticed that Keith laid his head against his shoulder and gripped his uniform, still letting out pained whines. He softly rumbled to his son's kit, hoping to comfort him.The tick he stepped into the med bay, Ulaz came up to them. "Eldir, Keith, what happened?"Eldir gently set Keith down, stroking his hair. "The kit got hurt on his mission. According to Ilun, he got caught in the pressure wave of an explosion.""I was trying to come here but couldn't make it on my own," Keith defended himself with a soft whimper."At least you knew you needed to come here. Now, let's get your leg cleaned up." Ulaz left to gather supplies.Keith looked up at Eldir with an apprehensive look in his eyes. The senior Blade put a hand on the kit's shoulder. "I will stay by your side and then take you to your nest once Ulaz releases you."Keith smiled and relaxed against Kolivan's father, who combed his claws through Keith's hair. Ulaz came back with medicine and bandages. "Unfortunately, kit, the pods are down, so I will have to wrap it and give you a pain killer. Also unfortunately, there's no one in the nest at the moment.""I will stay with the kit," Eldir spoke up. "We have met recently and should get to know each other better."Keith smiled as Ulaz bandaged his leg. "I'd like that.""Take this, and you can go back to the nest. I will let the rest of our pack know what has happened," Ulaz said, handing Keith the pain killers.Keith took them and held out his arms to Eldir. The senior Blade smiled and scooped him up, making sure not to put any pressure on the injured leg. The trip to the nest didn't take too long, and soon, Keith was laying in the nest with Eldir settled nearby, stroking his hair."So, since I consider Kolivan a father, can I call you grandfather?" Keith asked."Of course, kit. I would be honored," Eldir replied."Cool. So, grandfather, can you tell me stories about when Kolivan was a kit?""Hmm. Well, there was this one time he got his braid stuck in the freezer door when he was trying to steal some ice cream."Kolivan, deciding to check up on his injured kit, had come through the door to the nest room at that moment and yowled. "Father! What are you telling my kit!?""He asked for stories about you, my kit. Who am I to deny an injured kit's request?"While father and son quarrelled, Keith had pictured a little Kolivan with his braid stuck in the freezer door with a tub of ice cream in his claws and promptly dissolved into a fit of giggles. Kolivan half-glared at his father but climbed into the nest to keep Keith company. Keith curled into Kolivan's chest and continued to giggle. "I'm glad you find my plight humorous, kit.""Oh, come on, Dad. It sounded funny." Keith's eyes widened when he realized he called Kolivan 'Dad.'Kolivan smiled at Keith and rumbled to him. "It's all right, kit. If you wish to call me 'Dad,' then you may, but not while we are on a mission."Kolivan tapped the end of Keith's nose gently as if to emphasize his point. Keith snuggled against Kolivan and purred. It didn't take long for the pain killers Ulaz gave him to allow Keith to fall asleep, his purrs filling the nest.Eldir stroked Keith's hair and then his son's headfur. "I will take my leave, my kit. You seem to have everything well in hand.""You don't have to leave, Father. Keith finds your company to his liking, and that is quite a feat. He doesn't trust easily, so to earn his trust in so short a time is special.""He asked to call me grandfather.""I never thought I'd be taking care of a kit.""It's not easy, but you are doing a good job.""Please stay. Keith would like to wake up to you being here.""Very well."%%%Antok entered the nest room and stopped short. He rubbed his eyes and looked at the nest again. The scene didn't change. Kolivan was laying in the nest with Keith curled into his chest. Keith had one hand clinging to his braid, part of it coiled around the kit's hand. Keith's leg was bandaged up, and the kit was purring in his sleep. The surprising thing was Eldir was curled around Kolivan, and both adults were asleep as well. It was such a sweet family picture that Antok couldn't help but take a few pictures and send them to Thace and Ulaz. He entered the nest and settled behind the sleeping kit, wrapping his tail around Keith's waist and burying his face in the longer strands of Keith's hair. He was glad that he had the rest of the day off as he could feel the kit's purrs lulling him to sleep as well.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Strangers At A Wedding"Acxa all but collapsed into a chair in the front row. She was so glad that she didn't have to be in
the wedding party. Being the sister of one of the grooms was exhausting enough! She was glad that Keith and Lance said that they didn't need their friends and family to be standing there with them; to have them in attendance was good enough."I don't like weddings.""Tell me about it," the brunette lady next to her answered. Acxa looked at her, and she looked vaguely familiar. Where had Acxa seen her before?"I didn't want to be here, but my mother insisted that I be here to support my brother. He's one of the grooms.""What a coincidence! My brother is one of the grooms! Are you Keith's sister?""Yes. How do you know Keith?""I'm his best friend, Veronica. I also just happen to be Lance's eldest sister.""Ah. That's why you look familiar." Acxa tugged at her dress. "I also don't care for dressing up. I could be at the dojang.""You practice Tae Kwon Do?""Yeah. I just earned my class black belt, just like my brother." Acxa smiled. "I'm Acxa Kogane.""Veronica McClain."Acxa smiled wider even as Keith walked down the aisle in a suit accompanied by their mother. Acxa pretty much ignored the ceremony in favor of the pretty brunette sitting next to her. She couldn't wait for the reception, where she might be able to dance with her.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Cariño"Keith jumped down from the pod and dashed from the hangar. The communique from Shiro was cryptic, but Keith had caught the gist of it. Lance wasn't handling Keith leaving well at all, and Shiro suggested Keith come back and at least talk to Lance. Keith felt horrible that Lance wasn't taking his absence well. He had thought that him leaving was the right choice.He entered the lounge and saw Lance sitting slumped on one of the couches. Keith panted to catch his breath. "Lance."Lance's head shot up from where it was resting on his chest. "Keith? What are you doing here?""I heard the team Sharpshooter wasn't doing too hot, so I stopped by.""I'm okay. Whoever told you that shouldn't have. You have important missions with the Blades to go on."Keith sat down next to Lance and pulled him into an embrace. "You are important, Lance. Never think otherwise.""But I made you leave.""No, Lance. I made that choice on my own. I shouldn't have though. We could have worked things out. I'm sorry, Lance. I'm sorry I left you."Lance wrapped his arms around Keith, clutching the slightly shorter teen close. "I'm sorry I let you leave." Lance pulled back slightly and cupped Keith's face in his hands. "Please come back to the team...to me.""I will still go on Blade missions, but I will stay here."Lance pulled Keith closer. "Thank you...cariño."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"When He Wakes Up"Pidge was exceedingly glad that her Mom, Dad, and brother were there when she woke up. She even got to meet Matt's partner, named N7. Her Dad told her that Hunk, Lance, and Allura were already awake and with their families. He also told her that Keith was the most severely injured and had yet to awaken. Her mom turned on the TV to show her Shiro's speech. She watched Shiro's speech silently with only one thought in her head. 'If Shiro's there, who's waiting in Keith's room for him to wake up?'%%%After Hunk introduced his girlfriend, Shay, and Rax to his parents, he reclined on his bed, thinking about seeing Shiro on TV. Shiro had the charisma and personality to be on TV, unlike the Paladins. He had been told that Pidge, Lance, and Allura were awake and with their families. He was also told that Keith was still unconscious, being the most injured of the group. Hunk's eyes widened. If Shiro was on TV, did that mean no one was waiting for Keith to wake up?%%%Allura smiled as Romelle braided her hair and Coran was filling her in on the other Paladins. Lance, Pidge, and Hunk were awake and with their families. She sighed in relief, glad for the three of them. The Space Mice were pushing buttons on the TV remote, and the TV turned on, showing Shiro's speech. Allura's eyes roved over the lions, ending up on the Black Lion sitting directly behind Shiro. Her breath caught in her throat. "What about Keith? Is he awake?""Afraid not, Princess. He was hurt the worst of you five.""You mean no one is in his room?" At Coran's confused look, she continued, "Krolia is his only family, and she's galaxies away, and Shiro's making a speech. There's no one waiting for him to awaken!"%%%Lance was having a great time with Nadia and Sylvio on his bed and the rest of his family gathered around him. Veronica turned on the TV. "Look, Lance. Your hero's making a speech."Ignoring her teasing tone, Lance turned his eyes to the TV and saw Shiro was indeed making a speech. Lance had a relaxed smile on his face as he saw the lions lined up behind Shiro until he saw Black Lion. "How are the other Paladins?""Hunk, Pidge, and Allura are awake and with their families and loved ones," Lance's mom answered.Lance frowned and gestured at Black Lion as it was shown on the TV. "What about Keith?"Veronica bowed her head. "He's not awake yet. He was injured pretty badly."Lance's eyes widened. With Shiro being on TV and Krolia being off planet, there was no one waiting for Keith to wake up. Lance snatched up his bedside phone. "What room is Pidge in?""117. Why?"Lance ignored Veronica's question as he punched in the room number. When Pidge answered the phone, Lance said, "Pidge! We need to gather everyone!""I know! Keith's all by himself! He needs to know that there are people that are anxious for him to wake up! I'll call Allura and you call Hunk. I'll see if I can get Dad to get us all wheelchairs.""Okay. Bye, Pidge!" Lance hung up the phone, but before he could ask for Hunk's room number, his phone rang. He answered it, "Hello?""Lance!" Hunk was almost in tears. "Keith's all alone. There's no one in his room! I saw Shiro on TV.""Hunk, calm down. Pidge and I have a plan in place. We are getting wheelchairs and are meeting in Keith's room so we can be there when our leader wakes up.""That's great! Thanks, Lance." Hunk hung up his phone.The second Lance heard the dial tone, he hung up the receiver. He turned around and met Veronica's eyes. "What are you planning, hermano?""Keith doesn't have a family here on Earth, so there's no one waiting for him to wake up."Lance's mom gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "The poor boy doesn't have a family?""Well, he does, but his mom isn't on Earth. She's still galaxies away," Lance corrected. "That's why I want to be there for him when he wakes up. I know I just woke up, but that's why I am willing to take a wheelchair.""I'll get the chair and take you to his room, Lance," Veronica offered and left the room to request a wheelchair.It didn't take long for the four awake Paladins to get the wheelchairs and get wheeled to Keith's room. His door was ajar, and they heard Keith whine, a Galran sound they hadn't heard from him before, but he sounded sad.%%%Keith rolled onto his back before slowly opening his eyes reluctantly. He was convinced he was by himself. After all, his mom was helping Kolivan gather the rest of the Blades in a far away galaxy, and Shiro was on TV. He had been hearing his long time friend give an amazing speech on TV, which was what actually woke him up.At first, he couldn't see anything but shapes, but he thought there were two familiar shapes in his room. His vision cleared to show Krolia and Kolivan sitting in his room! His mom was wearing a Blade uniform similar to Kolivan's and seated beside his legs. His leader, who looked 100% better than the last time Keith saw him, was in a nearby chair and was smiling softly at him.Keith sat up slowly, and Krolia inched closer. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her nose in his hair, being careful of the bandage wrapped around his head. "Oh, Keith! I thought we had lost you!"Keith wrapped his arms around his mom and couldn't stop the whine that left his throat. He had been worried about her and Kolivan and so scared that he would wake up alone that some of his Galran instincts were prevalent.Suddenly, his door opened, and the other Paladins were wheeled in. They were all in the room before they realized two things; one, Keith was awake, and two, he wasn't alone."Oh! I guess you're not alone," Lance deflated a little.Krolia removed her nose from her son's hair, and Keith lifted his head. "Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Allura? What are you guys doing here?""We saw Shiro on the TV and thought you might wake up alone. We didn't want our leader to be alone, but I guess we didn't have to worry about that," Lance replied."I'm touched, guys. Thank you." Keith smiled. "Since you are here, do you guys want to stay? We can talk or something."Pidge pulled a deck of cards out from her sleeve and suggested, "We could play cards."Keith grinned. "Sure. Some of you will need to sit on my bed, so we can do this right."Krolia stood up but didn't leave her kit's side. She had been worried on the trip to Earth when their luxite blade started flickering. Fortunately, the light never went out fully, even though it dimmed significantly before they landed. Kolivan had piloted the ship while Krolia cradled the knife to her chest, whispering for Keith to hang on, to fight for his life. She was glad to make it in time to see her kit wake up.She was a little displeased that her reunion with him was cut short by the Paladins, but when they explained why they were there, Krolia was pleased. They knew she had been busy and were concerned that Keith might wake up alone. The smile on Keith's face when they showed up to keep him company told her that he actually liked their company, and that made her smile. Her kit was going to be okay, and his friends would be there to make sure of that, no matter what.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Symbols"Keith sighed as he felt the water cascade over his skin. Nothing beat a hot shower after a tough mission, even though the grooming from his pack came as a close second. However, he wasn't with his pack. He was with his personal group of Blades, Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid. Kolivan had been skeptical of his choices, but his mom had been delighted. It turned out that Acxa was his older sister, but Keith hadn't needed Krolia to tell him that. He knew deep down that she was his sister; call it a sixth sense, but whatever it was, he was delighted to have a Blade member that he was directly related to in his squad.His squad had just finished a tough relief mission. They had delivered supplies to a planet with five moons in its orbit; each celestial body had a population that needed help. Fortunately, they had enough supplies to help everybody, and now they were on their way back to Daibazaal to resupply. Once he had confirmed their course, Keith had left to take a shower. That had been a while ago.Keith turned off the water, having finished washing already. He had been enjoying the heat of the water on his sore muscles, but he couldn't stay in there any longer. He was not only the leader of his squad but also of the entire organization, and he couldn't shirk his responsibilities. He dried off, but, instead of putting on his Blade leader uniform, he put on a comfortable pair of black pants and a sleeveless shirt. He decided to head back to the bridge.When he entered the bridge, he smiled. Zethrid and Ezor were sitting so close that if they were any closer, Ezor would be on Zethrid's lap. Acxa seemed to be relaxed as well. She was sitting sideways in her chair but was still looking over something in the logs. She still looked up when he entered. "Hello, Keith.""Hey, sis." Keith stopped by her chair and nuzzled her head. She responded, nuzzling him in return."Are you feeling better after your shower?""Yes. I feel much better," he answered with a purr."That's great," Acxa replied. When Keith turned to head to his chair, she chirped in confusion. "What's that on your arm?"Keith paused and noticed all three of his Blades were staring at him. He looked down at the arm that was facing them and smiled. "It's called a tattoo. It's a design that is etched into the skin with needles and ink.""I recognize the Marmora symbol, but what's under it?" Ezor asked.Keith smiled. "There's actually two symbols under the Marmora one." He traced the red one. "This one is the Red Paladin symbol for when I flew the Red Lion." He traced a black one that was mirrored under the Red Paladin symbol. "This is the Black Paladin symbol for when I flew the Black Lion. When I initially got the tattoo, it was just the Marmora symbol over the Red Paladin one. Shiro had to convince me to get the Black Paladin symbol added to the design.""Why didn't you want to get the Black Paladin symbol?" Zethrid asked."I guess it was because I didn't feel like I was the Black Paladin.""It looks good on you, brother," Acxa said. "You were the Red Paladin, then the Black Paladin, and then a Blade. It tells the story of your life in space."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Parentage"Keith tossed and turned in his sleep, softly whining in distress as a nightmare overtook his subconscious. Fortunately, he wasn't alone in the nest as Regris and Acxa were napping as well, and all three kits were cuddled up against their mother. Krolia gently shook Keith awake, which didn't take too much effort.Keith awoke with a whine and clutched onto the longer strands of his mother's headfur. She curled an arm around him, tugging him as close as she could, glad that the other two kits were snuggled up on her other side. She nosed her youngest kit's hair, in an attempt to calm him down. "You're all right, my kit. You're safe in our nest with your siblings. I've got you.""I'm here as well, little one."Krolia and Keith looked up at who had spoken and saw that it was Kolivan. Krolia smiled at him, purring. "Hello, father."Keith chirped, a little confused. "Mom, Kolivan is your dad?""Yes, my kit. Kolivan is my father, which makes him your grandfather as well as Acxa's."Kolivan entered the nest, settling on Keith's other side. "That's right, kit. I'm your and Acxa's grandfather. I apologize for not telling you earlier; however, there wasn't a good time to tell you such important information.""But at least I know now," Keith replied, tugging on Kolivan's arm.Kolivan grinned and scooted closer to the kit, effectively sandwiching him between himself and his mother. Keith sighed, feeling the heat from the Galra surrounding him and the silkiness of their fur against his skin, especially since he wasn't wearing a shirt. He loved the skin to skin contact with his pack. Kolivan nuzzled his grandson's neck, earning a purr from him. "Now, what are you doing awake, kit?""I had a nightmare," Keith admitted."Did you want to talk about it, my kit?" Krolia asked.Keith hesitated. Did
he want to talk about it? He wasn't sure. Krolia noticed his hesitation. She stroked his cheeks. "You don't have to say anything, sweetheart. Your nightmare was probably triggered by these stripes finally appearing.""What?" Keith looked at his mother in surprise."You inherited my cheek stripes, just as I did from my mother, and they finally appeared."Keith looked down, trying to see the stripes for himself. Krolia suppressed the urge to laugh, knowing that it would disturb her two other kits, and pulled out her data pad. She let Keith use its reflective surface to see his stripes.Keith stared into the surface of his mom's data pad. It was true! He had two purple cheek stripes just like his mother and, apparently, his grandmother. He looked up at his mother. "What happened to grandma?"Krolia lifted her eyes to Kolivan in askance. Kolivan nodded gently, and Krolia looked back at her son. "She died, my sweet kit. She was a brave, heroic Blade. She saved many lives over the course of her life. Her death was a heavy blow to our family. My only regret is that she never got to know you or your siblings.""I wish I got to meet her too. She sounds amazing," Keith replied, yawning at the end.Kolivan smiled at his grandson. "You should get some more rest, Keith. Your nap was interrupted after all.""Will you two stay with me?""Of course, kit." Kolivan bumped his nose against Keith's temple in a Galran kiss (one between family members). "Love you, grandson."Keith repeated the motion. "Love you, too, grandfather."Kolivan smiled nicely and nuzzled Keith's neck. Keith rolled over and closed his eyes, now facing his grandfather. He could still feel his mother's fur against his back as he wasn't wearing a shirt. As he drifted back off to sleep, his left hand slid over and grasped onto Kolivan's braid. Kolivan smiled at his grandson's actions. He remembered a certain little purple kit that did the very same thing when he put her to sleep.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Elemental"Lance shook his wings slightly. He liked the feeling of the sun on his wings. Couple it with the slight wind, and it was a slice of heaven. He loved it, because it reminded him of his mates. The two other fey were strong, and Lance missed them when they went off to patrol their borders. Their home was situated between a lake to the east, a mountain range that had a dormant volcano in it to the west, a dense forest to the south, and a meadow to the north. It was an unusual place to build a home, but it suited the fey triad perfectly.Lance was a water fey, Keith was a fire fey, and Shiro was a wind fey. Lance and Keith were complete opposites, but Lance supposed that's what drew them together initially, and now, they were near inseparable. Shiro got along splendidly with both of his mates, no matter who was with him at the moment. Shiro patrolled their borders all the time, but only took one of his mates with him if there was some kind of disturbance. The wind carried whispers of a threat from the west, which was one reason Keith went with him.The other reason was that Lance was expecting, which came as a complete surprise to the trio. They hadn't known that water fey could conceive no matter their gender. They had just recently found out that their little one was a combination of all three of them, but they wouldn't be able to know which aspects took after which parent until he/she was born. Both Keith and Shiro hoped the baby would take after Lance in the elemental sense. Lance hoped the baby would have the darker hair of his/her fathers, maybe even having Keith's purple eyes.Lance lifted his hand, and a ball of water coalesced in his palm. He played with it, morphing its shape into different three dimensional shapes. One second it was a sphere, then a pyramid, then a prism, and then into a cube. He was just forming it into a cylinder when his mates landed in their garden. Lance let the water return to the lake as he greeted his mates.Keith rushed over to Lance and cradled him close with his wings closing around them. It always surprised Lance how different fey's wings could be. His were fragile, mostly translucent, and blue in color. Keith's were more durable, no doubt due to the scorching temperatures he could manipulate. They were also more opaque and crimson in color. Shiro's were unusual. They had feathers, which were mostly black, but there was a swatch of white that went in a vertical stripe down each wing as if they were struck by something. Nothing was wrong with his wings, and Shiro never mentioned that anything had ever attacked him and that he was born with the streaks.Keith buried his nose in Lance's hair, taking in his scent and smiling when he smelled the calmness that Lance's scent usually contained. Lance had a calming afternoon in their somewhat secluded home. The whispers of a threat didn't pan out, but it may have just been that Shiro was paranoid about harm coming to their expecting mate, and the wind had reacted. Keith was glad that there wasn't anything to take care of, except for Lance that was, and Keith and Shiro couldn't think of a better way to spend their evening.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Aftermath"Keith couldn't help but purr as he escorted Lance to the dining hall. He had proposed to Lance, and, of course, Lance accepted. Now, they got to be affectionate outside Lance's room...after they told King Alfor, Princess Allura, and Coran. Lance was sporting his engagement ring and carried a data pad that had video and pictures of the scavenger hunt he went on and the gifts he received. The actual proposal was one of the videos on the pad. It was also one Lance watched often, much to Keith's embarrassment.Keith escorted Lance to his usual chair and stood behind Lance's chair until his proposal was common knowledge. He bowed to King Alfor and Princess Allura, as expected, but he also bowed to Coran, which confused and pleased the older Altean.Coran had always liked Keith. The half-Galra was polite to everyone, treating them nicely. Keith treated Coran like a member of the royal family even though he was just the advisor. He had tried to convince the young Galra of that but ultimately failed and ceased convincing him otherwise. Another reason Coran liked Keith was the way he treated Lance. Even though he was the prince's bodyguard and fulfilled that duty to the fullest extent, he also treated Lance like a person. Most people treated Lance with reverence and awe, which actually annoyed the Altean prince, not that he showed it in public. He waited until he was safe behind closed doors, usually his private bedroom doors...with Keith present.Allura looked at her brother, not really sparing Keith a glance. She had nothing against her brother's bodyguard. He always treated her with nothing but the utmost respect as expected. However, he did make her brother happy, but was he the reason Lance was jubilant this early in the morning?Alfor eyed his son and his bodyguard. Lance looked exceedingly happy. Did Keith do what he expected him to do? Were the two engaged?"Good morning, Father, Allura, Coran!" Lance practically sang."Good morning, your majesty, your highness, sir advisor," Keith echoed pleasantly."Good morning, you two," Coran returned."Good morning, brother, guard," Allura greeted. Keith flinched internally, which caused his ears to twitch slightly.Alfor noticed the minute change in Keith's posture at Allura's greeting. "Good morning, Lance, Keith." Alfor smiled. "What has you in such a good mood, my son?"Lance slid the data pad over with his left hand on top of the pad, purposely showing off his sapphire ring with the trio of light purple amethysts set into the band. "Keith proposed yesterday, and I accepted. He was so romantic."Alfor flicked through the pictures and watched the videos. He highly approved of the method Keith chose. The meaning of most of the flowers went over the king's head, but he understood that Keith loved his son with every ounce of quintessence in his body.He slid the data pad over to Allura. She copied her father's motions, flicking through the pictures and watching the videos. When she saw the different bouquets, she gasped inaudibly. She remembered the meaning behind all of the chosen flowers and realized that Keith's love for her brother was stronger than the pull of a black hole.She slid the data pad over to Coran. Every flick of a picture or video made the smile on the advisor's face grow bigger and brighter. He knew these two boys were destined for each other and was glad they took the chance.Alfor looked at Keith. "Keith, please join us at the table.""Yes, your majesty." Keith hesitantly pulled out the chair next to Lance and sat down, his tail wrapping itself around Lance's left leg. Lance discreetly put his left hand on Keith's right knee, his ring shining.Alfor smiled gently. "Congratulations to both of you. I know you'll ensure each other's happiness. I highly approve of the way Keith chose to propose. It showered Lance with gifts that proved his loyalty, his devotion, his love. He showed Lance that he will always have his back and that he found a home in Lance's heart."Allura stood up and walked over to the opposite side of the table, where Keith and Lance were sitting. She put a hand on Lance's left shoulder and Keith's right shoulder. "I feel like I owe you an apology, Keith. As Lance's older sister, I didn't feel like anyone was worthy of Lance, but you proved me wrong. That being said, if you hurt my brother, there won't be anything left, and no one will ever know what happened.""I understand, your highness.""Keith, you can call me 'Allura.'"Keith smiled and purred softly, his ears flicking. "Thank you, Allura."Allura squeezed their shoulders and went back to her seat. Coran just beamed at them from where he was standing between Alfor and Allura. "Congratulations, my boys! I am massively proud of you two taking this first step on your new path!"Lance leaned against Keith in relief. Keith nuzzled Lance's head, his nose getting buried in the prince's star-kissed hair, and purred to him. His tail unwrapped itself from Lance's leg to wrap around his fiancée's waist, which tugged the prince a bit closer. Their biggest hurdle had been overcome since they told the king, princess, and the king's advisor. They were content in the knowledge that their relationship was not only approved of but also no longer secret.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Stealth Little"Keith felt dizzy and slightly little when he woke up, but he had promised to teach Allura how to use the defense drones, and he couldn't break his promise. He forced himself to get up, even though he knew it would be a mistake. He paused before he put on his clothes. He knew he was little but had adult things to do today, so maybe he could be a stealth little. He grinned as he slipped on a pair of space pullups before dressing in his casual clothes. He still had a grin on his face when he left his room. He was slipping his jacket on as he walked through the corridors. He kept repeating Allura's name in his head, just to make sure he didn't call her Mama.He entered the bridge and saw the princess sitting in the Blue Paladin seat, looking over the controls but not touching anything. He smiled and walked over to her. "Hi, Allura."He cringed inwardly at how young he sounded, but fortunately, Allura either didn't notice or didn't say anything if she did. "Hello, Keith. How are you today?""I'm fine." He knew it was his standard response, but it still worked, even though he really wanted to be honest with Ma-Allura. "Are you ready for the first lesson?"Allura looked at Keith. Something looked off. "Are you sure you're fine, Keith?""Y-yes." Keith cringed inwardly again. He didn't mean to stutter, and that was going to make Mama worried. He didn't want to make his Mama worried.Allura turned in the Blue Paladin seat to face Keith. His stutter worried her. "Are you sure, sweetie?"Keith hesitated. She called him 'sweetie' but only did that when he was little. He reluctantly shook his head, which was the wrong thing to do. His dizziness worsened to the point that the bridge seemed to be spinning. He took a step back and grabbed ahold of the back of the Blue Paladin seat, a soft whimper escaping him.Allura watched as Keith shook his head before he took a step back, grabbed ahold of the back of her seat, and whimpered, a Galran kit noise of distress. "Keith! Baby, what's wrong?""Mama," he whimpered.Allura stood up and scooped him up in her strong arms, settling back down in the Blue Paladin seat. "What's wrong, sweetie?""Dizzy...little...no lie," Keith muttered, nuzzling into his Mama's neck.Allura understood the first two words but what did he mean by 'no lie'? "No lie? What does that mean, sweetie?""I made promise to Mama. I no lie."Then, Allura understood. Keith had made a promise to Allura to teach her how to use the defense drones and didn't want to break his promise. She carded her fingers through his silky hair. "Oh, baby. It's all right if you're too little or even too dizzy to teach me. Let's postpone the lesson until you feel better. I'm going to take care of you, my sweetheart."Allura stood up, carrying Keith back to his room. "How old are you, sweetie?"Keith shyly held up two fingers. "I two."Allura cuddled her little even closer, cradling him against her chest. "My baby boy."Keith snuggled against her shoulder. "Mama."Allura opened Keith's door and walked in. "Let's get you changed, baby."Keith pulled at his pants when she laid him down. "Pullup."Allura paused in gathering all the stuff. "What?"Keith pulled at his pants again. "Pullup."Allura took the boots and pants off her little and saw what he was referring to. He was currently wearing a wet pullup. "Oh, you were prepared for this outcome, weren't you? Well, right now, you're too little for a pullup. Let me get the rest of the stuff, and then, I will change you."Keith squirmed a little as his Mama gathered the rest of the supplies. She took off the wet pullup and replaced it with a dry diaper. She then took off his jacket and shirt and put him in a warm, light red sleeper. She handed him his stuffed Red Lion toy and scooped him up. She laid him down on his bed and tucked him in, kissing him on the forehead. He reached out and caught her sleeve. "Mama, stay?""Of course, baby." Allura sat down next to her little, leaning against the wall. She carded her fingers through his hair and told him a story about the Red Lion's antics when her father created her.Keith closed his eyes, which made the world seem like it was spinning a little bit less. He tried to focus on his Mama's story, but he was so tired, and Mama's fingers going through his hair felt so good that he couldn't help falling asleep, a hand grasping his Mama's dress and the other cuddling Red.Allura paused in her story telling when she heard him start purring. She smiled. She loved when her little purred or made other Galran noises, even when he wasn't in little space. Keith was so adorable. She pulled out her data pad, content to spend the time next to her sleeping little.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Glitter"In hindsight, it was probably a bad idea to send members of his pack to get stuff from the Earth store at the Space Mall. However, Keith liked to draw and paint in the downtime he had between missions and was running low on some of his colors and he needed more sealant. He would have gone with his pack to pick up the supplies he asked for, but he was in the middle of setting up one of his drawings to put paint to it and didn't like leaving in the middle of setting it up.His pack liked that Keith was indulging in interests other than training and piloting. He was quite a good artist. The Blades agreed to get the supplies for their kit, while Krolia said she'd stay with Keith at headquarters. So, that was what led Thace and Ulaz to be standing at the craft supplies section of the Earth store in bewilderment. There seemed to be an abundance of different types of paint in the same bottles. The only difference seemed to be a dot of color on the lid."Which colors did Keith say he needed?" Ulaz asked."He just said more paint, so maybe all of them?" Thace replied."Well, we don't want to miss the color he needs most, so maybe two bottles of each color?""I found the sealant too. We should get a lot of that too.""Sounds like a plan."%%%When Thace and Ulaz entered the nest room, Keith was talking on his data pad with the Paladins, who seemed to be gushing about Keith's latest art project."You are such a talented artist, Keith!"Keith blushed. "Thanks, Hunk.""I'm jealous!"Keith rolled his eyes at Lance's comment. "You don't need to be jealous of everything I do that is better than your talents.""Is that Arus?"Keith grinned. Trust Pidge to recognize the planet without its distinctive colors. "Yup.""Are you adding color to this one?""Yes, Shiro. I just need more paint, especially blue."Thace cleared his throat. "Well, it's a good thing we bought more paint for you, then, kit."Keith's eyes widened in surprise when he saw two bags full of paint and sealant. He pulled out bottle after bottle of paint until he withdrew another bottle and let out a screech. His eyes widened in horror this time."Kit, what's wrong?" Ulaz was concerned."Why did you buy glitter?" Keith asked in a horrified tone. Krolia looked on in hesitation. She had never come across this glitter when she had been stranded on Earth. Was it a new substance?Lance busted out laughing. "Holy crow! They picked up glitter!"The other Paladins watched as their Blue Paladin fell over in laughter. Pidge adjusted her glasses. "It's extra fine pink glitter!"In between Lance's bouts of laughter, he managed to say, "Craft herpes!"Ulaz's eyes widened in surprise and snatched the bottle out of Keith's hand. Whatever Lance called the glitter didn't sound good, and the pale doctor didn't want Keith to be near it, especially before he had a chance to examine it.Thace drew Keith close and nuzzled his hair. "My apologies, kit. We didn't realize we picked up something that wasn't paint or sealant.""It's all right. I know it wasn't intentional." Keith nuzzled Thace in forgiveness. "Though, the Paladins asked if Mom and I could come for a visit.""Of course, you can visit your team, kit." Thace replied."Can we go in a varga?""That will be fine. It'll give us time to wormhole to the base," Shiro agreed."We'll see you soon, Paladins," Krolia said, and the comm channel blinked off. Ulaz tucked the glitter bottle into his pocket, intent on examining it after his kit left the base.After seeing Keith and Krolia safely off the base, Ulaz and Thace sequestered themselves in a commonly used lab. Thace opened the bottle of glitter, and Ulaz extracted a small sample, putting it in a test tube to make sure he had plenty of room to run tests. While Ulaz was busy gathering supplies for all the tests he wanted to run, Thace was trying to screw the lid back on the small bottle, which he was having issues with.His one hand was shaking slightly, which caused the overly full bottle to spill. The fine particles floated in the air and landed on the table, the floor, and in Thace's fur.
Thace carefully set the still open bottle on the table and tried to put the lid back on it that way. A crash distracted Thace, causing him to knock over the bottle. Most of the glitter was now on the table, some of it spilling onto the floor. Thace looked over at his mate, who had shattered glass at his feet.Ulaz had been carrying over extra vials to the table when he looked at Thace. His mate had pink sparkles in his thick fur. There were pink sparkles on the table and the floor too. Had the glitter escaped somehow? Was it sentient? The vials slipped from Ulaz's claws, shattering upon impact with the floor. The resulting crash caused Thace to knock over the bottle of glitter, spilling the majority of its contents."We need to clean all of this up before I can test this glitter," Ulaz stated. "And you need to figure out a way to get it out of your fur.""Keith likes taking showers. Do you think dousing myself with water would help?""I don't know. Possibly. I wish I had the time to examine this before we had to deal with this, but I don't, so I do not have any answers."During their short conversation, the door slid open to reveal Kolivan and Antok. Neither the doctor nor his mate noticed that they had visitors. Kolivan and Antok took one look at the disaster the lab had become and left without taking a step inside. Little did they know, the glitter that had been in the air had been sucked out into the corridor with the opening of the door and was now in their fur, uniforms, and Kolivan's braid.%%%Keith and Krolia returned to the base after spending the quintant and following night at the castle ship with the Paladins and Alteans. Both looked well rested and relaxed, which was wonderful, and were ready for the meeting with the rest of their pack. However, they were not
ready for the sight of tiny pink sparkles dotting their irritated pack members. Realizing what happened in their absence, Keith grabbed Krolia's arm and tugged on it, urging his mom not to get closer."What happened, Keith? Why is our pack sparkly?"Keith sighed. "Someone opened the bottle of glitter. Can we sleep in your personal nest? The last thing I want is Lance to see glitter on me. I'd never hear the end of it!"Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Lion King"Shiro was sitting in his Paladin seat, trying to stop himself from regressing. The last communique from Da-Keith was so soft that it made Shiro want
to regress even though he didn't have a caregiver currently on the castle ship. Lance was nice enough, but he wasn't a caregiver. Shiro really wanted his Daddy to come back. A lone tear slid down his cheek. He was little and, at the moment, alone.Keith had noticed the signs of Shiro regressing, took the first available ship, and flew to the castle ship. He landed without an issue and rushed to the bridge, sure his little was still sitting in his Paladin seat. The tick the door opened, Shiro looked over his shoulder and gasped. "Daddy?"Keith crossed the bridge quickly and scooped up his little. He could easily lift up Shiro thanks to not only his caregiver strength but his Galra heritage, which was now more easily seen. He didn't have many features, just fangs, purple cheek stripes, and purple fluffy ears. Shiro tucked his face into Daddy's neck and wrapped his arms around Daddy.Keith carried Shiro off the bridge and purred to him. "It's all right, 'Kashi. I'm here. Daddy's got you.""Missed you, Daddy."Keith nuzzled his head. "Missed you too, baby." Keith laid his little down. "How about we get you changed and then watch a movie?""Wif Black?"Keith chuckled. "Of course with Black. You know she likes to watch with us."Keith made quick work of stripping his little of his clothes and underwear. He diapered him and put on a fuzzy, purple sleeper. He scooped him up and collected the Black Lion plushie and a humongous black and red blanket that the two of them share when Shiro was little. He settled onto his bed, sitting his little between his legs and covering the two of them with the blanket. He left their arms uncovered; his so he could hold the data pad and Shiro's so he could hold Black."What movie do you want to watch, baby?""Lion King."Keith chuckled again. "Lion King it is."He put on the movie and let his little watch the movie with his plushie. He nuzzled Shiro's head gently and purred to him. He slowly reclined against the wall, letting Shiro realize what was going on. The little wiggled a bit until he was curled against Daddy, still watching the movie but with half lidded eyes. Keith knew Shiro was tired and carded his fingers through his white hair floof. The baby's eyes drifted closed, enjoying the affection his Daddy was giving him. Keith gently dropped a kiss on his little's hair before falling asleep with his arms around his baby.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Separation"Kolivan watched as all five kits were training with Antok in training hall B. It amazed him how close all of them were to each other, which made him even more reluctant to deliver the news. However, it had to be done. He just hoped Krolia wouldn't hurt him too horribly.%%%Acxa and Keith were ecstatic to be allowed to join their older siblings in training. It was obvious from the beginning what each twin favored. Acxa was proficient with a blaster, while Keith excelled with a sword in his hands. Both were ambidextrous and could fight with either weapon.Antok was impressed with Krolia's twins. They were so proficient with their training at such a young age. He was excited to see how they would progress with the one-on-one training he gave each kit of his pack.Not soon enough (and too soon), it was lunch time. The kits didn't really want to stop training, but Antok told them that if they didn't go to the dining hall, he'd alert Krolia to the situation. That made all five make a mad dash to the dining hall, causing Antok to grin. Krolia loved her kits dearly, but she could also be stern. The kits fortunately never did anything to be on the receiving end of Krolia's anger, but they had witnessed it aimed at other Blades that either disturbed the kits' rest or displayed some kind of dislike for the hybrids. Nothing riled Krolia up like a member of the organization displaying dislike for her kits, especially Keith. All of his siblings and his dads were quick to protect the youngest kit, even though they found he had quite a sharp tongue on him.Taulol found it hilarious when she had spent some one-on-one time with him, and they had run across a Blade that basically sneered at him. Before Taulol could growl at him, Keith had said, "You're just jealous that I look so cool. You are so ordinary with your boring purple fur. Come on, Taulol. You said you wanted to show me something in your room."Taulol put a gentle hand on the center of Keith's back, guiding him away from the Blade and towards her room. Once safely in her room, she grinned. "Good job, kit. You showed him that you aren't intimidated by someone bigger than you, especially if they don't like you."Keith shrugged. "Mama's always told us that some beings don't like hybrids, so we have to be able to defend ourselves with our words as well as with any weapon we may have.""She's right, of course, kit."At the end of lunch, Kolivan asked for the entire pack to come to the nest for a very important announcement. The kits were excited. It wasn't everyday that Kolivan made important announcements for the entire pack. The kits eagerly entered the nest and sat down, waiting for their mother, aunt, and dads to arrive. It didn't take long for Taulol, Krolia, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz to arrive and settle around the nest among the kits. Kolivan walked in a few ticks later with his data pad in his claws, and his face was unusually grim. Keith didn't like Kolivan looking so grim, so he chirped.Kolivan looked at Keith when he chirped and the leader's face softened a little at the sight of the youngest kit. "Before I make the announcement, I have to ask:
does anyone know anything about Voltron?"The kits looked at each other but shook their heads. Taulol was the one who spoke up. "Voltron is the most powerful robot in the universe. It is made up of five robot lions, each a different color with specialized weapons, but no one knows where the lions are.""I actually found the Blue Lion sixteen deca-phoebes ago," Krolia admitted. "On Earth." Keith and Acxa whipped their heads around to look at their mother, who nodded. "That's how I met your late father. He helped me protect it until his death."Without even sharing a look, the twins moved over to their mother's side, hugged her, and purred to her. She nuzzled their necks. "I'm okay, kits, but thank you.""However, the Empire has located and are in possession of the Red Lion. Fortunately, they are unable to locate any of the other lions," Thace added."Which is why we need an operative to protect the Blue Lion. Also, since it is on Earth, the operative should also gather data on the planet and its people," Kolivan stated. The kits perked up at the sound of a mission. They usually didn't get to know about a mission unless they eavesdropped or one of their pack members were going on the mission. "Since the planet is full of beings that haven't even made it out of their solar system, we need to send someone who can blend in with them with relative ease." Kolivan took a deep breath. "Keith, this is going to be your mission."There was a tick of silence before everyone started shouting or growling."No!""He's just a kit!""He's not a Blade yet!""I refuse to let him!"Keith's siblings all gathered around him as if that would prevent him from going on the mission. Krolia was the one who was growling. However, her growl was one that the pack had heard before. Her maternal instincts were screaming at her to protect her youngest kit.Keith wriggled out from the circle of his siblings and knelt in front of his mother, letting out a couple of chirps to get her attention. Once she heard his chirps, she stopped growling and looked at him. He smiled and threw his arms around her. "It's all right, Mom. You know Kolivan thought this all the way through. He doesn't want to send me away any more than you do, but the Blue Lion must be protected and the Blades need the intel about Earth. He's right about me being able to get that data easily. I look mostly human, and after I cover my cheek stripes somehow, I can pass for a human easier than anyone else here.""That doesn't mean I like it any better, my kit.""He is correct, Krolia," Kolivan put in, causing Krolia to growl again."Dad, you're not helping." Keith sighed. "Mom, it's okay. I can do this. Don't you believe in me?"Krolia stopped growling again and swept her kit close. "You know I do, kit. You're my baby. I don't think I'd be ready for any of your siblings to go on missions either, but I know each of you kits are capable.""When am I leaving?" Keith asked Kolivan, still nuzzling his mother."The quintant after tomorrow."The pack blanched. They had such little time to spend with their youngest brother/kit before he left."We can spend the next two quintants with Keith," Regris suggested."I'd like some one-on-one time with each of you," Keith requested to his siblings shyly."Then, we'll do that, little brother," Lotor agreed."I'll take Keith to the training hall, and we can spar," Regris offered. Keith grinned, knowing the training was going to devolve into a play fight near the end. It always did.Regris and Keith, after de-tangling himself from his mother, left the nest room and walked to the training hall. They started warming up and then adopted their fighting stances. It didn't actually take the two kits long to start play fighting.They circled each other, Regris's tail twitching in excitement. Keith darted forward but at the last dobosh tucked and rolled between Regris's legs. He ended up behind his brother and rolled back up onto his feet. He immediately jumped onto Regris's back and tried to yank him down. Regris grinned and flipped his little brother off of his back. Keith scrambled back to his feet.Keith flung himself at Regris, jumping at the last tick, which effectively catapulted him over Regris's shoulders. Keith landed behind the eldest kit and aimed a kick at his knees, which would have connected if Regris's tail hadn't tripped him, forcing him to land on his back. Keith backward rolled away from the tail's reach and popped to his feet again. The play fighting continued until Keith was exhausted, and Regris had to carry him out of the training hall and into the familial nest, where Taulol and Krolia were. Taulol was nuzzling Krolia and rumbling to her. When Regris set Keith down in the nest, the two female Blades separated and gathered around the tired kit."Is he all right?" Krolia asked."I'm all right, Mom. Regris and I had fun play fighting," Keith replied, purring."That's good, kit. Now, even though we don't like that Kolivan is sending you on this mission, we still have something to help you locate the Blue Lion." Taulol brought out a small scanner disguised as a data pad. "This will scan the area for the distinctive energy the lions emit. The higher the reading, the closer the lion is.""I can also program the pod to land close to the area where I found the lion," Krolia stated.Keith smiled and nuzzled both female pack members. "Thanks, Mom, Taulol."Regris stroked Keith's hair, effectively getting his attention. "I have to meet Thace in the communications room. He's agreed to teach me about decryption programs today."Keith grinned at his eldest brother. Regris was completely enthralled by technology, always wanting to learn more. "Then, I won't keep you, bro."Regris left after nuzzling Keith's head one more time. The eldest male kit exited the nest room just as the youngest female kit entered. Regris paused briefly to nuzzle his sister's headfur before continuing on to the communications room. Acxa entered the nest and settled next to her twin, their mother moving to sit behind Keith so Acxa could snuggle with her brother. Keith buried his face in his sister's headfur. "I'm going to miss you so much!""Me too. We've never been apart!"Keith wrapped his arms around Acxa and purred to her. "It'll be okay. I'm sure they have deep space communication by now."Acxa didn't reply, merely clutching her twin tighter. It wasn't too much later that dinner time had arrived. Taulol, Krolia, Acxa, and Keith joined the rest of their pack for dinner. It was a relatively quiet meal, each pack member being absorbed in their own thoughts.After dinner, the pack returned to the familial nest, intent on spending time with the youngest kit as a whole before he got sent on his very first mission."Mom, could you tell us how you met our biological dad?" Keith asked once everyone was settled in the nest. Keith was nestled between his brothers with Regris's tail wrapped around one of his legs. Acxa and Ezor were using Keith's lap as a pillow. Krolia was sitting directly behind Keith, carding her claws through his hair, while Thace groomed her headfur. Ulaz was sitting next to the violet furred Blade, nuzzling against his side, relishing the warmth his pack member exuded. Antok was on Krolia's other side with his tail wrapped around the eldest kit's waist. Kolivan was sitting beside his second-in-command, who had unbraided Kolivan's white strands and was running his claws through them. The nest was a mess of purrs and rumbles."I suppose there's no harm in it. Just remember, kits, he was an Earthling and is no longer alive. It was sixteen deca-phoebes ago, and Kolivan had sent me on a reconnaissance mission to Earth to investigate the unusual quintessence that we detected on the planet. I landed my ship in the desert, close to the caves and far away from anyone living out there, or so I thought. However, Calvin Kogane liked the solitude of the desert, even though he worked in town. He was such an odd Earthling, though I didn't have anyone one to compare him to. Once he caught sight of me exploring the caves, he seemed to always be there, no matter what time it was. Eventually, he approached me, showing me his hand to show that he had no weapons on him. I had instinctively drawn my blade but didn't throw it or let it transform. He was a curious one, asking me all sorts of questions once I proved I wasn't going to kill him, though he did keep asking about abduction...I'm sure he was joking though." Krolia chuckled. "He assisted me in actually finding the Blue Lion, which took us a couple movements. It was easy to fall in love with him. However, we weren't the only ones to locate the Blue Lion. Empire scouts had also found it, but Cal and I were able to take them out and destroy their ships, after making sure no transmissions were sent out. Unfortunately, Cal was injured in the fight, and Earth's medicine wasn't advanced enough to ensure his survival. I was already four phoebes along in my pregnancy when he died, so I came home to the three kits, who were waiting for me." She nuzzled Keith's hair. "I'm just glad I was gifted two more wonderful kits, and now, my youngest is getting sent away.""It's all right, Mom. I get to see where my biological dad was from and continue your work of protecting the Blue Lion," Keith reassured her as he leaned back against her."I understand that, kit. It doesn't mean I have to like it."%%%The next quintant saw Lotor sequestering his younger brother away in Kolivan's office. He was telling Keith all about Earth and Voltron, using the data pad that Kolivan had given him. Keith was cuddled up against his second eldest brother, listening to him and soaking up the information and affection alike. Once in awhile, Lotor would card his claws through Keith's thick hair, eliciting a purr from his brother. Kolivan was in his office, supervising the two kits and once in awhile interjecting a comment about the information Lotor was telling Keith, especially if it was out of date. After about three vargas, there was a knock on Kolivan's door."Come in."The door opened, and in walked Ezor, holding
container in her hand. "Hi! I got something for Keith that should make his time on Earth a bit easier."Keith turned to his oldest sister, his head cocked to the side. "What is it?"Ezor gave him the container, and he opened it. Lotor peered over his brother's shoulder at the contents, which was a powder that looked the same shade as Keith's skin. The two brothers looked from the strange powder to their sister, confused. Ezor sighed. "It's waterproof powder to cover his cheek stripes." Keith's gaze dropped to his lap, and Ezor reached out and gently grasped his chin, bringing his attention back to her. "Hey, now. I know you'd rather not have to cover them; none of us want
you to cover them, but your mission requires you to blend in."Lotor, realizing what was about to happen, grabbed the container and put the lid back on while Keith tackle hugged their sister. "I love you, Ezor. I appreciate this so much."Lotor wrapped his arms around two of his younger siblings. "As heartwarming as this is, it is lunchtime.""Your brother is right. However, everyone is having lunch here today," Kolivan said.Keith looked up and, to his delight, saw the rest of his pack standing there, his twin holding an additional plate full of his favorites. He chirped, and his two other siblings sat down with them. The adults let the kits have this time for themselves, though Krolia wasn't too far away from her youngest.After everyone ate, Keith told everyone else what he learned from Lotor (and Kolivan) about Earth and Voltron, letting his mom hold him and his twin cuddle against his side, his purrs heard easily in his voice. In fact, the time between meals passed by in a blur of cuddles and purrs.Dinner and the time post dinner passed by exactly as it had the previous quintant, except it wasn't Krolia telling the kits a story, it was the Dads sharing funny or cute little anecdotes."And then Thace crossed-" Ulaz started."Accidentally!" Thace interjected."Of course, it was." Ulaz patted Thace's arm in a patronizing manner. "Anyway, he accidentally
crossed the wires and received a shock. His fur was singed! It was very amusing!"The kits chuckled at the thought of Thace with singed fur. Thace mock growled at his pack brother. "If you kits think that was funny, wait until I tell you about the time Kolivan got his braid stuck-mphm."Thace was prevented from continuing due to Kolivan putting a hand over Thace's mouth. "That
was told in confidence.""Then, maybe I should tell the kits the time Kolivan and I were caught with our blades when we-" Antok cut himself off with a poorly concealed whimper. Kolivan was behind him and had pulled his tail.Kolivan mock growled at his second-in-command. "Finish that sentence, Antok, and I will end you."Thace grinned. "That sounds like something Ulaz and I did when we were kits." Seeing as the kits were hanging on his every word, he continued. "Ulaz and I grew up together here at headquarters. Both of our parents were Blades. My mother and Ulaz's father were sent on missions regularly. We had overheard my father discussing with Ulaz's mother about the luxite swords we would use when we became Blades. We made it a point to try to get ahold of them. We failed a few times, but ultimately, we got our claws on them and snuck out of our nests. We made it into an empty training hall but didn't know what to do then. That's when Ulaz's mother and my father found us and took us back to our respective nests.""How old were you?" Regris asked."I was six deca-phoebes old, and Thace was five," Ulaz answered.Keith smiled sleepily as he cuddled with his mom and twin. "I took mom's knife once, but she caught me before I even got out of the room."Krolia nuzzled Keith's head. "That's because
I know what you're like, my kit. Now, it is late. Time for everyone to go to sleep."Krolia watched as the other ten members of her pack drifted off to sleep. However, sleep was elusive for the mom of the pack. She was worried about her youngest kit leaving the next morning and wasn't able to drift off until the really early vargas in the day cycle.%%%It was the quintant Keith was supposed to leave for his first ever mission: protect the Blue Lion and gather information about the people who live on Earth. What made him hesitate was he would have to leave his pack and his siblings. Keith had a half a mind to decline the mission, but Lotor talked him out of it on the way back from breakfast."It's an honor to be chosen for a mission, especially when none of us have even gone through the trials.""But I won't be able to talk to any of you while I'm there. They don't have deep space communications!"They reached the nest room, and Lotor swept Keith close to his chest. "It will be rough, little brother, but you will succeed. We will see each other again soon."Keith nuzzled his older brother's chest before they entered the nest room. Keith started packing for his trip when Thace and Ulaz entered the nest room, the latter holding a large box. Keith paused in packing and made a questioning chirp.Thace smiled as Ulaz handed Keith the box. The youngest kit sat down and opened the box. He pulled out a pair of red, white, and black boots. He looked up at two of his dads in askance."We thought you'd like a pair of boots to match the jacket Kolivan bought you eight deca-phoebes ago," Ulaz explained.Keith grinned and put the boots on since he was already dressed in a pair of black pants and a plain black shirt. He stood up and hugged Thace and Ulaz. The two Blades picked up the youngest kit, so his feet were dangling in the air. Keith's purr was extremely loud and easily filled the nest room.Kolivan was reluctant to disrupt the moment, but the time had come. "Have you finished packing, kit?"Keith was set back on his feet. "Yes.""Then, it is time."Keith nodded, slipped on his jacket, and picked up his bag, shouldering it. He silently followed his pack leader to the hangar where the rest of his pack was waiting. He slowly passed each pack member, getting hugs and nuzzles from each. Antok pressed a pair of gloves into Keith's hands, causing Keith to pause. "I expect you to keep up with your training, and these should help with your grip. I will miss you, kit.""I'll miss you too, Antok, and thanks." Keith put on the gloves and hugged the largest member of his pack.They parted, and Keith continued on his way, stopping in front of his twin. There was a tick of no movement, and then, Acxa tackled her brother. Keith managed to just barely keep his footing. He nuzzled her head. "Hey, I'll be okay, sis. We'll see each other again. I promise."Acxa whimpered. "All right, brother. I will miss you terribly.""I will too."The twins reluctantly unwrapped their arms, and Keith moved down the line to his mom, who was the last one for him to say good-bye to. He tucked himself under her chin and purred to her. She nuzzled his head, nosing his hair. "I don't want you to go, but I know you will be able to take care of yourself, but I want to give you something." Krolia pulled out her knife and held it out to her youngest kit. "Take this. You can return it when we see each other again.""I will, Mom. I love you." Keith took the sheathed knife and attached it to his belt."I love you, too, Keith." Krolia tightened her grip on her son, turning her hold into a hug. Keith clutched onto his mom. "You must go before you change your mind."Keith stepped back out of his mom's arms and headed for the ship his pack had prepared for him. He squared his shoulders and suppressed the urge to look back, knowing if he did that he would not want to leave.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"New Friends"Keith was unsure what his Daddy was doing. He had taken them to the Space Mall for a surprise. Keith liked surprises but was still a bit nervous being in public while little. Daddy knew this, which was why he was carrying him. Keith sucked on his pacifier while hiding his face in his Daddy's shoulder.Lance rubbed his little's back soothingly. He knew his baby was anxious about being in public while in little space, but his baby deserved another plushie. He couldn't take Keith to the little store for a plushie while he wasn't in little space, because big Keith wouldn't pick one out. Little Keith loved plushies but didn't have many. He only had one old gray rabbit, and Lance was determined to buy at least one for his baby.Lance walked into the little store and into the plushie aisle. His eyes widened at the large selection and gently jostled Keith. "Hey, sweetie. Look at all the plushies."Keith shyly peeked out from his Daddy's shoulder. His eyes widened at the large selection, but he whimpered. It was too many options, and he was too little to make a choice.Lance's eyebrows raised when he heard Keith whimper. He rubbed his back and cooed to him, wanting to ease his distress. "It's all right, sweetheart. You're all right. Daddy's here." Once Keith stopped whimpering, Lance asked, "Do you want Daddy to pick out a new plushie for you?"Keith nodded and buried his face back into Lance's shoulder.
Lance slowly perused the aisle, trying to see if there was any plushie that his little might agree to. He reached the end of the aisle with no real success and turned around to give the aisle another look through, when the end cap caught his eye or rather caught Keith's eye."Red!"Lance was startled when he heard Keith's exclamation. He turned to look at his little, who was reaching out for one of the stuffed Red Lions sitting on the end cap. He picked up a Red Lion plush and handed it to his baby, who happily cuddled it.Lance looked around and saw plushies of all the Voltron lions. He grinned and picked up two Black Lions, another Red, a Green, a Yellow, and two Blue Lions. He carried all of the lions to the register and paid for them, making sure the cashier rang up two Red Lions as he didn't want to disturb his little, who was dozing while cuddling his new plushie.Lance carried his little and his purchases to the ship he had piloted from the castle ship. He gently set Keith down in the seat next to his and buckled him in. He dropped a gentle kiss on the top of his head before he piloted the ship back to the castle ship. Keith remained dozing throughout the trip. He carefully scooped him back up, cooing to him when he whimpered a little. "It's all right, cariño. Daddy's got you."Keith settled down, nuzzling against his Daddy's shoulder, cuddling Red, and sucking on his pacifier. Lance carried him and the bag of plushies to the lounge, where everyone else was. The Blue Paladin settled onto the couch, letting his little recline against him.Shiro smiled at the little lightly dozing on Lance's lap. Keith was so sweet while in little space, usually just wanting someone to hold him. The leader of the Paladins noticed Lance's bag and asked, "What did you buy, Lance?""Well, Keithy deserved a new plushie, and we saw a Red Lion plushie that he wanted. I noticed that they had plush versions of all of the lions, so I got each of us one of our lions."He pulled out a Yellow Lion plush and handed it to Hunk, who thanked Lance. He pulled out a Green Lion plush and gave it to Pidge, who looked at it and promptly nested it into her hair, so she could still type on her laptop with both hands. Lance handed Shiro one of the Black Lions, before he pulled out a Blue Lion for Allura. Allura cuddled the Blue Lion, while Lance pulled out another Blue Lion, a Red Lion, and another Black Lion. He set the Blue and Red Lions on the couch next to him and settled the Black Lion on Keith's legs, while he waited for the little to notice the other plushie. It didn't take long.Keith's eyes fluttered open, and he took in his surroundings, a smile crossing his face when he saw the rest of his team surrounding him and his Daddy. He felt a little additional weight on his legs and looked to see what was there. To his surprise, it was a Black Lion plushie! He picked it up and turned to Shiro, certain that it was meant for him, only to see that Shiro had one in his arms already.Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Shiro said, "That one is for you, Keithy. Black Lion likes you too. Just like Red does."Keith cuddled both of his lion plushies, happy that his Daddy got him not one but two new friends.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"First Time"Shiro was worried about Keith. He had been spending long hours on the training deck and avoiding the rest of the team at meals. He had secretly followed Keith after lunch that quintant and saw that Keith went into his room. Shiro waited for ten minutes to make sure that Keith wasn't coming back out before he knocked on the door and opened it. "Keith?"The scene before Shiro surprised him, but not enough that he froze. He gently stepped away from the door, allowing it to close behind him. Before him was Keith kneeling on the floor with a hand in a bag that had a plush, a pacifier, and a plastic bag of...diapers? He paused and looked at Shiro with wide eyes that were part surprised and part fearful.Shiro smiled softly and knelt down in front of the little. "Hey, buddy. Do you need some help?""'Kashi," Keith whimpered. Shiro took that as his cue and laid the little down. He changed him into a diaper and a sleeper he found in the bag. He clipped the pacifier leash onto the sleeper and rubbed the pacifier against Keith's lips, which parted for it to slip inside."Do you want up?" Shiro asked, holding his arms out.Keith responded by holding his arms up, allowing Shiro to pick him up and hold him. Keith nuzzled against Shiro and sucked on his pacifier, content to finally be able to have someone willing to take care of him while in little space.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Slumber Party"Lance looked around the lounge and nodded to himself. Everything was set up perfectly. He just needed everyone to show up. The only question was how to get everyone to
show up. If he asked Hunk and Shiro, they were bound to show up because he asked. Pidge might even be tempted with some pampering. She had let it slip that she used to do some of that stuff with her mom back on Earth and kind of missed it. How would he get Keith to show up though? Maybe Shiro would be able to draw him in.Lance left the lounge and set out to find the rest of the team. He wandered into the kitchen, figuring his best friend was in there. He wasn't disappointed. Hunk was putting something in the oven, so Lance waited until he closed the door and set the timer."Hey, Hunk!"Hunk turned around and smiled at the Cuban teen. "Hi, Lance."Lance draped an arm around Hunk's shoulders. "What'cha baking?""A variety of things actually. I made cookies, cupcakes, chocolates, and I just put some cinnamon rolls in the oven.""Ooo. Sounds like we need a slumber party to taste all of these things!""Are you planning one?""Yeah. I got the lounge set up. I just have to tell everyone. You were the first one I told, so I have to go tell everyone else.""Good luck, buddy. Once I'm done, I'll be there.""Thanks, pal!" Lance called out as he left the kitchen. He walked to the Green Lion hangar and peered in. Pidge was sitting in front of her laptop with a severe frown on her face. Lance paused. He didn't know whether or not walking into the hangar was a good idea. He tentatively called out, "Pidge?"Pidge's head snapped up, and she looked over at Lance, a small smile slipping onto her face. "Hi, Lance."Lance let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. "Us Paladins are having a slumber party in the lounge. You up for some relaxation?"Pidge glanced at her laptop before returning her attention back to the Blue Paladin. "Yeah. I'm stuck on this program. I could use a distraction. I'm in.""Awesome! Now, I'm gonna tell Shiro. Maybe he can even convince Mullet to join us!" Lance dashed away from the Green Lion hangar and towards the bridge. He guessed that's where Shiro was, but he was wrong. Only Allura was there. She turned when the door opened. "Hello, Lance.""Hi, Allura. I thought Shiro might be here.""Oh, you just missed him. He went to the training deck about a half a varga ago.""He's
on the training deck? Then, where's Keith?""On the training deck as well. Shiro is overseeing Keith's training on a unusually high level."Lance was surprised. Shiro was actually helping
Keith on a higher level than normal, and that was okay? "I guess I will go there and ask him my question."Lance walked off of the bridge and towards the training deck, a little interested in what level Keith was working on. He entered the training deck observation area without having to go through the main floor, so Keith didn't know he was there. That was where he saw Shiro, who was watching the screens and readouts. He spared Lance a glance when he walked in. "Hi, Lance.""Hey. Say, is Mullet almost done?""Maybe. Why do you ask?""I set up the lounge for a slumber party, and Hunk and Pidge already agreed to come.""And you want Keith and I to come?""Well, yeah."Shiro grinned. "I'd be happy to. I'll make sure Keith takes a shower before we show up."Lance grinned and turned to leave but paused at the door to add, "Oh, and please wear your Altean pajamas and lion slippers."%%%Even though he had heard what Hunk had made, Lance was surprised at how much
food Hunk actually made.
He had apparently only listed some of the baking he did. There were also brownies and small cakes in addition to the cupcakes, chocolates, cookies, and cinnamon rolls he had told Lance about. So far it was just the Garrison Trio in the lounge. Lance figured Shiro was having a hard time getting Keith to agree to join them and that's what was taking them so long.Lance had started pulling out his beauty supplies (face masks, nail polish, and hair clips) when the door opened, revealing the two missing Paladins. Lance looked up to make sure they were in the required pajamas and slippers and was surprised to see a smile on Keith's face. "Hey, Shiro, Keith."Keith sat down next to Lance. "Hey, Sharpshooter. Shiro told me about this slumber party and how you wanted all of us here.""Well, yeah. Slumber parties are more fun when there's more people.""Is that right? I've never been to one before."Lance looked almost horrified at Keith's admission. "Then, this was overdue." He slipped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Well, Mullet, slumber parties are for having fun, relaxing, eating snacks, watching movies, and sleeping in one room together, sometimes on the floor.Keith tapped his chin. "Like a nest?""A nest?"Keith nodded. "The Blades sleep in packs, and each pack has a structure of pillows and blankets on the floor that they sleep in. They are really comfortable. My pack showed me how to make one.""Who's in your pack?" Shiro asked."Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz."Lance grinned. "Yeah. A nest sounds good. What do we need?""Lots of pillows and blankets."After collecting the pillows and blankets and the nest was constructed, Lance enacted the next step. He expected resistance from Keith, but he surprised him again."Sure.""I can even paint your nails?""If you have red...or purple.""I have both, and I can do designs too. My sisters had me do their nails all the time back home.""Could you paint mine red and then do the Blade symbol over that in purple?"Lance blinked. Keith seemed eager. "I can try. I would need to see the symbol while I'm-" Lance cut himself off when Keith produced his knife out of seemingly nowhere. "Where were you hiding that? No, wait. Don't answer that." Lance took a breath. "Let's get this party started! Pidge, put on a movie of your choosing."As Pidge put on The Matrix, Lance started pinning back everyone's hair (including Shiro's floof) and applied face masks to everyone's faces. He set a timer and leaned against Hunk to watch the movie Pidge selected. Soon, his timer went off and, one by one, they washed the face masks off and returned to the nest, where Lance went about painting everyone's nails. He started with painting Keith's nails red, and, while they waited for that coat to dry, he painted everyone else's nails whatever color they wanted. Pidge asked for white with the voltron symbol in green over top (so she went after Keith); Hunk just asked for a yellow that matched his lion; Shiro just wanted his nails in the Voltron colors (each nail a different color). After he finished with everyone else's nails and the movie was changed to Hunk's choice (The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy), Lance painted his own nails to resemble waves.Lance rested against Hunk as he watched the movie his best friend chose. Once everyone's nails were dry, Lance applied the clear top coat, so his hard work would last longer and look amazing. Once those were dry and the movie was changed (this time to his choice, which was Gremlins), everyone helped themselves to the sweets Hunk had baked earlier that quintant.Keith cuddled up against Shiro, wanting to feel the warmth and security of his adopted brother. Shiro wrapped his left arm around Keith, tugging him a little closer. Keith's eyes drooped before he forcefully opened them again. He barely managed to stay awake long enough for his movie choice (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark) to start playing. Shiro running his left hand through his brother's thick hair soothed Keith so much that he was lulled to sleep, a soft purr coming from his throat.The soft purr attracted the Garrison Trio's attention, and they looked over and noticed that Keith had fallen asleep. Shiro put a finger to his lips, giving the universal sign to keep quiet. Shiro gently laid Keith down in the nest and laid down next to him, allowing Keith to be close enough to feel Shiro next to him.Shiro's choice of The Princess Bride
was the last movie of the night, which was fine since it was getting late and the rest of the Paladins were tired. Lance had laid down between Keith and Hunk, and Pidge had set her lap top and glasses on one of the couches behind them before she curled up against Hunk.%%%Coran was making his rounds, making sure the Paladins and the Princess were sleeping. He was surprised that he hadn't come across Shiro as the eldest Paladin usually did his own rounds, and it was up to Coran to convince him to get some sleep as well. He had already sent Allura to bed and was checking on the Paladins. He was concerned that their rooms were empty. He understood that most of the Paladins didn't have good sleeping habits, but when he didn't find Lance in his room, he was concerned. Usually, the Blue Paladin could be found in his room at this time of the night cycle. He tried to figure out where they could be. Light was flickering under the door to the lounge, which attracted his attention. He walked to the lounge and opened the door. He entered, expecting the see the Paladins (or some of them) awake, but wasn't expecting to see them all asleep in a myriad of pillows and blankets.Shiro was curled around Keith, who was cuddling with Lance. Hunk was asleep on Lance's other side with Pidge sprawled out on Hunk's right. Coran was pleased to see the group of five resting for once. He quietly backed out out the lounge, not wanting to disturb the Paladins.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Ebony and Ruby"Keith slashed the gladiator bot in half, completing the training level he was on. Shiro was still missing, and he
was now the pilot of the Black Lion. He liked Black well enough, but he missed Red. At least, she was letting Lance fly with her."Begin training level-"Two roars cut him off. He cocked his head. It didn't seem like they were in his head like usual. It sounded like they were at the door. He turned around and was startled to see two fluffy lionesses standing there. One was larger than the other. The larger one was black, while the smaller one was red. He deactivated his bayard and hung it on his belt. He could feel these lionesses weren't there to harm him.'Hello, cub.''Hello, little one.'"Red? Black? What's going on?"'You need to take better care of yourself, cub. Black and I have taken these forms to help you do that.'Black approached her new Paladin and nudged him out of the training deck, Red joining in. Keith started walking, heading to his room for a shower. While he was taking his shower, the lionesses pulled out his Altean pajamas and enlarged his nest. It really didn't take Keith long to finish his shower. He had a towel wrapped around his waist, reached for his pajamas, and put them on.He saw the two lionesses lying in his nest and joined them. He laid down, and the lionesses curled around him. Red licked his hair, while Black purred to him, her tail curled around him. He sighed in contentment and closed his eyes. The purring and licking were so soothing that he fell asleep, his own purr joining Black's.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Ménage"Krolia trudged into headquarters. She couldn't wait to curl up in her nest with her kit. He was only a couple of deca-phoebes old and was adored by every Blade, especially her pack. Her pack brothers and mated pair, Thace and Ulaz, enjoyed watching Keith while she was on missions or training other Blades. Her father, Kolivan, and his mate, Antok, were busy running their organization but were pleased that their daughter and her kit were home.She stepped into the nest room, ready to strip off her Blade uniform in favor of some looser fitting clothing, when she stopped short. There, laying in the familial nest, was her father and her kit. She purred at the sight, especially when she realized her precious kit was purring. Kolivan looked up and smiled, rumbling to his daughter. She quickly exchanged her uniform for a loose pair of pants and shirt and laid down in the nest. She managed to wiggle in between Kolivan and Keith without disturbing the sleeping kit. She nosed his headfur while Kolivan groomed hers.She was pleased how welcome her kit was at headquarters. His headfur was such a dark purple that it looked black except for the underside and ends which were the same magenta as hers. He also inherited her cheek stripes, but he got the fluffy ears of her father instead of her pointed ones. His skin was a light lavender, and he had short, lavender colored fur as well. His eyes, however, showed his alien heritage. He had violet irises with black pupils and white sclera. He looked Galra enough that staying on Earth wasn't an option.She rested a hand on her kit's side and sighed in contentment. She was so glad to be back home that she drifted off, her purrs joining her kit's in filling the nest.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Patriarch""I'm back," Eldir called into the nest room."Daddy!" His little kit bounded out of the nest, where he and his mother had been sitting. Eldir scooped up his kit, who nuzzled his neck, his short white strands becoming mussed."Koli!" Visan, his mother, half-scolded. "You were supposed to wait until I finished your braid. Now, I have to start all over!"Eldir chuckled as he drew closer, still carrying his kit. He stepped into the nest and set down his kit, nuzzling his mate. "Come now, Vi. Kolivan was just happy to see me. It's been a long quintant after all."Visan couldn't help but purr to her mate. "I know that, and we're both glad you are here for the night cycle, but I still need to finish Koli's braid."Kolivan bounded back over to his mother with a chirp, nuzzling her neck when he was close enough. "I'm sorry, Mama."Visan rumbled to her son. "I know, kit. Let me do this, and then, we can spend time with your father."%%%"And then, she finished Kolivan's braid and we spent a quiet night cycle in our nest," Eldir finished. Keith purred as his grandfather finished another story, while Keith's entire pack was on a mission.While, normally, Keith would have been welcome to join them, he had been injured recently on a mission with the Paladins and restricted to bed rest. He had requested to go to headquarters, which he got approval for provided he rested. Once he arrived, Ulaz checked him over and deemed him well enough to not need a pod or extra medical treatment. Ulaz himself carried Keith to the nest room and laid the kit in the nest, petting his kit's hair and allowing Keith to snuggle against him. Keith wanted his entire pack to be there with him, so when he was told all four of them were going to be on a mission, he whined.His whine actually attracted Eldir's attention from outside the nest. When he showed up to the nest room and saw Keith in the nest whimpering into Ulaz's chest, he rushed forward and rumbled to him. Keith's head shot up, narrowly missing Ulaz's chin, and held his arms out for him. Eldir gently scooped him up and nuzzled him. "Now, what's the issue?"Keith whimpered, so Kolivan answered. "We are going on a mission, but our kit is recovering from an injury and cannot come with us."Eldir rumbled to the kit in his arms. "I will stay with him then." He nuzzled Keith's neck and whispered so softly that Keith barely heard, "I can tell you stories about Kolivan."Keith stopped whimpering and snuggled against Eldir. Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz were pleased that their kit wasn't going to be alone as hurt kits want their pack with them. He trusted Kolivan's father to take care of him, and that was amazing since he had issues trusting others.Once Keith's pack left for their mission, Eldir helped Keith get changed into a loose fitting shirt and pants. When they settled back into the nest, Keith snuggled against his side. Eldir began telling story after story about Kolivan as a kit. Keith enjoyed each story so much that he began purring.Eldir stroked Keith's hair and started another story; however, he didn't get into the story too far before he noticed that the kit fell asleep. He stopped talking and began grooming Keith's hair, ensuring that the kit knew he was still there. He was rewarded by the purrs of a sleeping and content kit.%%%Fortunately, the mission wasn't too long or hard as it was a bit hard for the Blades to focus as they were worried about their kit. They knew he was safe at headquarters with Eldir, but their instincts were screaming at them for leaving their injured kit. They ended their mission and returned to headquarters. They hurried to their nest and saw to their delight that their kit was sleeping and purring. Their instincts were soothed by the sight of Keith sleeping.Eldir looked up the tick the door to the nest room opened. He wasn't surprised that it was his son's pack. The four adult Galra entered the nest and gathered around their kit, each one taking a tick to scent him before they could relax. Kolivan settled behind Keith, nosing the kit's hair. Antok was next to his leader and had his tail wrapped around Keith's waist. Thace was seated next to Keith and was nuzzling his neck, while Ulaz was actually sitting on his mate's lap and licking Keith's face.Keith could tell, even in his sleep, that his pack had come back and were gathered around him. His purring got louder, and he slipped into a deeper sleep, pleased that his entire pack was there, including his grandfather.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"A Lesson Learned"Hunk had expected to hear an explosion with the amount of "damage" done to his kitchen, but it had been mostly silent, except for a high pitched whining. It was this whining sound that attracted not only the Yellow Paladin's attention but the rest of the Paladins' attention as well. They gathered in the doorway to the kitchen in various displays of shock. There standing in the middle of the kitchen was Keith, whining as he attempted to mop up what looked like a chocolate milk explosion. It was on the ceiling, the walls, the counters, the floor, on his clothes, and in his hair.Shiro was the first one to break out of his stupor and approach the Red Paladin. "Oh, Keith."Keith looked up, his hair still dripping, and whined again. "'Kashi."Shiro picked up the Altean version of paper towels and started cleaning a path so he could get to his brother. That snapped the Garrison Trio out of their stupor, and they started to help clean. Once Shiro made it to Keith, he started patting his hair and clothes as dry as he could. "What happened?""I found an Altean version of protein powder and was going to make a shake to take with me to the training deck. Apparently, the cup I chose didn't seal properly, even though I put the lid on correctly."Shiro nodded, remembering how Keith liked protein shakes back on Earth. "Well, we'll clean up here if you want to go take a shower to get this stuff out of your hair." When Keith hesitated, Shiro added, "I'll make you a shake, so you don't have to waste any more time."Keith smiled and carefully made his way out of the kitchen, heading for the showers. He needed to get this stuff out of his hair before it dried. He had practice getting stuff out of his hair, because a lot of his foster siblings put stuff into his hair for one reason or another, and his foster parents told him that either he had to get the stuff out himself or they would cut his hair. He shuddered at the thought of the short hair he had to have after a really horrible incident with a lot of gum.Allura and Coran saw Keith in the corridor, looking miserable. He was also making small whimpers that were inaudible to human ears, but their Altean ears (and Keith's enhanced Galran hearing) could pick up the sounds."Keith, is everything all right?" Allura asked.Keith's head shot up. He hadn't noticed he wasn't alone in the corridor and managed a small but weak smile. "Yeah. I just had a minor mishap in the kitchen. The other Paladins are finishing the cleanup, and Shiro insisted that I go shower first."Allura hesitated. She knew what the whimpers of a Galran kit sounded like and meant, and Keith had been making those sounds. She didn't want to leave Keith alone if he was making kit noises, especially since Galran kits needed help. "Do you want some help getting it out of your hair?"Keith paused, the small smile falling of his face. He whimpered again. "N-no. I can do it.""It wouldn't be an issue, and I'd be glad to help," Allura pressed, stepping forward.Keith backed up and whined. Allura stopped moving at hearing the distressed noise. Shiro appeared out of nowhere and immediately came over to Keith's side. Keith resisted the urge to tuck himself against his brother, knowing he still needed a shower. Shiro wrapped an arm around Keith's tense shoulders and led him away from the Alteans and towards the shower in Keith's room.The tenseness seeped out of Keith's shoulders as Shiro led Keith away from Allura and Coran. They entered Keith's room, and Shiro let go of Keith. He paused. "Are you okay now, Otōto?" [...little brother?]"Tabun, onīsan." [Maybe, big brother]"Do you want me to stay here?"Keith hesitated. "Hai?" [Yes?]Shiro smiled. "Then I will."Keith returned the smile and went into the bathroom. He quickly took a shower and changed into a clean pair of clothes. He was grateful when he saw Shiro was still there. He tucked himself under Shiro's chin and nuzzled his brother's chest.Shiro rested a hand on Keith's back. "Do you really want to go train or would you rather stay here?""I don't think I want to train right now," Keith whimpered. "I don't know why Allura was insistent on helping me with washing my hair.""I think it was because of the Galran noises you were making.""Maybe. They are Galran kit noises, according to the Blades."A knock on his door attracted their attention. Keith didn't immediately call out, which caused the person on the other side of the door to say, "Keith, is everything okay?"Shiro gave Keith a squeeze before he released him to answer the door. Keith walked over and took a deep breath before he opened the door. "Hi, Princess. I'm fine now. Thanks for your concern.""Are you sure?"Keith resisted the urge to growl. This wasn't like his pack (or Shiro) making sure of his well-being. It was more like Allura didn't believe he could look after himself. He had been looking after himself during his time in foster care and after Shiro left on the Kerberos mission, especially when he got kicked out of the Garrison. "I. Am. Fine."He closed the door quite rudely in the Princess's face, but he didn't care at the moment. He was too angry at the implication, unconsciously growling. Shiro stayed where he was, not wanting to invade Keith's personal space. He waited for Keith to decide what he wanted to do. He didn't have to wait long as Keith tucked himself under his brother's chin again. It was a movement that comforted Keith as it brought Keith's head close enough to hear his heartbeat, which calmed him down as well. Shiro started stroking his hair as well to help calm his nerves. "It's okay, Keith. You're okay."%%%Allura stared at Keith's closed door in surprise. She hadn't expected him to close the door in her face. Her ears twitched as they picked up the growling coming from behind the locked door. Why was he angry? She knew from experience that Galran kits needed looking after, and Keith was an extremely young kit by Galran standards; the Blades had confirmed that. So, why was Keith insisting that he could do it by himself? It didn't make any sense.She was still standing there when the Garrison Trio came by on their way to invite Keith and Shiro to join them in the lounge. All three of them were confused as to why Allura was staring at a closed door. Lance approached her. "Allura, what's wrong?""Keith's actions are confusing. He's a Galran kit, but he insists that he can look after himself. Kits aren't able to look after themselves, especially ones Keith's age.""Princess, don't forget Keith's had to look after himself during the time between his Dad dying and Shiro's family adopting him," Pidge mentioned."And don't forget the year he was on his own in the desert," Hunk added."Even if Galran kits can't take care of themselves, Keith grew up human, so he was forced to take care of himself or no one else would," Shiro spoke up from Keith's now open doorway, Keith standing next to him.Allura's eyes landed on Keith, and she approached him. Keith stood his ground, even though he didn't know what Allura was going to do. She reached out and hugged him, his arms automatically closing around her, albeit stiffly. "I apologize, Keith. When I heard you whimper, it reminded me of other Galran kits that I had seen before the war with Zarkon began.""I understand that, Princess, but as the team have explained, I have had to look after myself several times, so you implying that I couldn't..." Keith trailed off, uncertain of how to explain it."I apologize, too, for upsetting you, Keith. It was not my intention." Allura hugged him a bit tighter, one hand stroking his hair subconsciously. "Forgive me, my Paladin."Keith nuzzled Allura's neck. "I forgive you, Allura. Just don't do that again."Allura was glad that her Red Paladin forgave her, and she knew she had a lot of preconceptions about Galra from before the war and trying to mesh those with the knowledge she gained from their alliance with the Blade of Marmora was hard and left her confused, especially when it came to her part-Galra Paladin. At least she no longer hated him because of what flowed in his veins. That had been a hard lesson, but it was a very important one as well.This latest interaction was an easier lesson to learn but no less important.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Interaction"It was early in the morning cycle at the headquarters of the Blade of Marmora, so early that no one was awake, except for Keith. He was eagerly awaiting the arrival of his team, his other pack. He had received permission from Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz to have his team stay at headquarters. It wasn't too long before the Red Lion, piloted by Lance, landed in the hangar. Keith was excited to have both of his packs in the same location. Shiro, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Allura exited the lion, and Keith rushed over and was promptly buried in a group hug. Keith's purrs were easily heard by the entire group, making everyone smile."How about a tour?"It was this question that led the Paladins to being led through the base, each one staying in a room that held their interest. No one knew that the rest of the base had no idea that the Paladins were there.%%%Hunk was amazed by the amount of ingredients in the Blades' kitchen. There were ingredients he hadn't seen (or tasted) before. He was so interested that he didn't see the unmasked Blade enter the kitchen.Nashlu stopped short inside the door to the kitchen. She tilted her head, her fluffy ears pinned back. Who was this in the kitchen? He looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't remember where she had seen him before. Either way, he didn't belong in the kitchen. She started approaching him, growling lowly.Hunk froze when he heard the growl. He knew what the growl meant, after hearing Keith growl when he was upset about something. He slowly turned around and saw a bluish-purple furry female Blade with fluffy ears and a long tail. "Hi?""Who are you and what are you doing here?" Nashlu growled.Hunk was scared. "I-I-I'm Hunk. I-"At that moment, a chirp drew their attention to the opposite door, where Keith was standing. He hurried in and pressed himself against Hunk's side, purring to his team mate.Nashlu paused at the kit's appearance and actions. "Kit, you know who this is?""Of course! This is Hunk, the Yellow Paladin of Voltron. He's one of my friends, part of my pack."The Blade stopped growling. "If he's a friend of yours, kit, then he is welcome. Does he cook?""Yes." Keith gently nudged Hunk forward. "He's a wonderful cook."Nashlu pulled Hunk closer using her tail. "Well, Yellow Paladin, do you want to make breakfast for the base?"Keith slipped out of the kitchen while Hunk's eyes sparkled.%%%Pidge looked around the communications room with stars in her eyes. Alien technology always impressed her, especially the Blades'. She was itching to get her fingers on one of the consoles and was barely able to keep her fingers to herself, though she as drawing closer to one of the side consoles.Chatir, a dark lavender short furred Blade, watched as a tiny alien in a somewhat familiar green and white uniform looked at everything in the communications room. He didn't want to disrupt this little one's exploration and was surprised to see the organization's kit hurry over to the alien who was even shorter than he was. He watched their interaction, a little surprised that the kit was purring and had an arm wrapped around the little one's shoulders.Keith wasn't surprised to find Pidge gazing around the communications room. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and was momentarily glad that no one had approached Pidge. Suddenly, he caught the scent of a Blade in the room, hiding in the shadows. He lifted his head in that direction and called out, "Chatir, why are you hiding?"Chatir stepped out of the shadows and eyed the kit and his companion. "I wasn't hiding, kit. I was merely observing your companion."Keith grinned. "This is Pidge, the Green Paladin of Voltron, my friend, part of my pack, and a literal tech genius."Chatir smiled, which looked more scary than friendly, and asked, "Would you like to try your hand?"%%%Allura walked around the base, taking in the sights, before she found herself back in the library where Keith had originally left her. She started browsing the titles, wondering if there was anything that would catch her interest.Niran kept his eyes on the Altean that was in the library. He recognized her as Princess Allura but was curious as to what she was doing on the base. He was about to ask her when the organization's kit entered the library and walked up to her. He was purring and had an arm wrapped around her waist. He was pointing out some titles that she pulled off the shelves. Niran was wondering what the kit's relation was to the Altean princess. Was she his mate? He shook his head as Keith gently bumped his nose against the princess's temple in an approximation of a Galran kiss (one between family members). She wasn't his mate then; a sister maybe?Allura brought the books Keith suggested to her to a table and sat down. She was happy she and Keith were getting along better than ever and agreed with Keith considering her a sister, accepting his Galran tendencies when they surfaced.Keith smiled as his sister sat down at the table, darted down a nearby aisle, and chirped to catch Niran's attention. The violet furred Blade looked down at the kit. "Why are you spying on Allura?""I was merely keeping an eye on the Princess.""Then you know who she is.""I know her." His furry ears flicked in the princess's direction in reaction to an exclamation of delight."But do you know that she is like a sister to me, a friend and pack member?""I wasn't certain, kit, but I guessed by watching your interaction with her."Keith tilted his head. "Continue keeping an eye on her for me?"Niran rumbled to Keith. "Of course I will, kit."%%%Lance and Shiro were in the training hall, waiting for Keith to join them. He had gone to check on the rest of the team. Lance was relaxing in Shiro's arms as they waited for their mate to return.
A dark purple Blade with long fur, Dejir, entered the training hall for an early training session. She wasn't expecting there to be anyone in the training hall much less two aliens. She narrowed her eyes and growled. She approached the pair, but a familiar scent caught her attention. "Why do you smell like our kit?""Because we are his mates," Shiro answered calmly."Both of you?" she asked skeptically."Both of them," Keith repeated from the doorway. He walked in and over to his mates. He nuzzled them, purring. "It's almost breakfast time if you want to join me."%%%Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz all woke up in their nest, slightly confused about their kit not being there. They exited their nest and entered the dining hall, surprised to see the Paladins there. They stared at the unusual gathering of Blades. Nashlu and Hunk were serving the morning meal, Chatir was chatting with Pidge about some technological advancement, Niran was pouring over a book with Princess Allura, and Dejir was sitting nearby watching their kit cuddle with Shiro and Lance.Ulaz sat down next to Shiro. "Hello, Shiro. When did you Paladins arrive?""Hello, Ulaz. We got here extremely early. Keith met us in the hangar.""That would explain why he wasn't in the nest when we woke up.""Sorry. I just couldn't wait for my team to get here," Keith explaining, still purring."It's understandable, kit," Thace responded, sliding a few plates in front of Keith, Lance, Shiro, and Ulaz before sitting down next to his mate and nuzzling him.Kolivan and Antok settled in front of Keith and his mates. The largest Blade of the pack looked at their kit and commented, "Keith, you need to eat and then, go back to the nest and lay down. Your mates can come with you, but you need more rest."Keith blushed but did as Antok said. He figured he would be ordered back to the nest after breakfast, but it was worth it to see his team interacting positively with Blades other than his pack.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Little Blue and Red"Lance staggered into his room. It had been a long, boring day. There weren't any attacks for the team to fend off, which was good because he was in between head spaces. The lull in action caused him to think about his family on Earth and how much he missed them. He knew the rest of his team could tell that he was going to regress, which was why Shiro suggested that he go lay down. He didn't want to be alone, but the rest of the team wasn't able to look after him. The only one who might have been able to was Keith, but as the only other little on the castle ship, he wasn't really supposed to look after him either, even when he wasn't in little space himself. Lance sank down onto his bed, regressing, and started to cry. He hated to be by himself.%%%Keith grumbled to himself as he walked to his room. Why did Shiro have to kick him out of the training deck? Okay, so maybe he was on the verge of regressing, but he still had had enough time to go through at least another level if not two. He passed by Lance's room and paused. Was Lance crying? He knocked on the door. "Lance?""Keef," Lance sniffled.Keith immediately entered the other little's room and went over to his side. "It's okay, Lancey. Do you want me to call for Daddy?"Lance nodded but kept a firm hold on Keith's shirt. "Wan' Daddy and Keef.""Okay, buddy. I'll stay with you." Keith pulled out his data pad and sent a message to Shiro about Lance being regressed already. He set his data pad to the side and tucked Lance against his side. He purred to the other little, feeling a bit more little himself. He nuzzled Lance gently, liking the feeling of Lance's hair against his cheek.There was a knock on the door, and the two littles could hear Shiro's voice. "Keith, Lance, can I come in?""Daddy!" the two littles chorused.Shiro hurried in and took in the sight of the two littles cuddled up on Lance's bed. He stroked each baby on his head before he said, "Let's get the two of you changed, hmm?"He lifted Lance in one arm and Keith in the other, carrying them to the bathroom for a quick rinse. He stripped them of their wet clothes and set them in the tub. It was a tight fit to have both littles in the tub at the same time, but it was for the best. Neither little wanted to be parted from the other for long. It was fortunate that Shiro was not only strong as a caregiver but also strong in general. He quickly rinsed off both of his babies and dried them off, diapering them soon after. He dressed them in onesies that looked like their lions, Blue for Lance and Red for Keith. He attached their pacifier leashes to their onesies and rubbed the rubber parts against the littles' lips. Lance and Keith parted their lips so their pacifiers could be slipped in. He also handed each of the littles one of their favorite plushies. Lance had a grey and white shark and Keith had a reddish brown hippo. He petted their hair. "You two stay here while I fix the bed."Keith wiggled a little and managed to close the minute distance between him and Lance, so they could cuddle while Daddy was cleaning the bed. Shiro smiled and went over to the bed. He removed the wet sheets and blankets and wiped down the waterproof cover with the Altean version of disinfecting wipes and paper towels. He put on a fresh sheet set complete with a blue blanket and pulled out a red blanket as well.He went over and scooped up the two littles.
Lance snuggled against Shiro's chest, and Keith nuzzled Shiro's head, purring as he did.
Their Daddy settled on the bed with his littles snuggled against his chest, suckling on their pacifiers. Shiro draped the blankets over his babies and dropped a kiss on top of each of their heads. He watched as their eyes fluttered closed and smiled. He noticed that Keith and Lance were cuddling each other as much as their plushies and was glad he had noticed that both littles were in between head spaces earlier that day. He gently stroked both Keith's and Lance's hair, lulling them to sleep. Shiro cooed to them softly, "Love you, babies. Sweet dreams."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Indisposed"
Cough, cough
Keith groaned into his pillow. He hated
being sick. Normally, he ignored any sign he was ill and did his usual routine, but not only did Lance catch him, Allura did too. His girlfriend had picked him up and carried him back to their room. His boyfriend had changed his clothes into the loose fitting, cooler Altean pajamas and tucked his Marmora knife under his pillow.That had been a point of contention between Keith and Allura when the three of them started sharing a room. Keith always slept with his knife under his pillow, but Allura believed that weapons didn't belong in bed. However, she relented when he explained that his mother had left it for him, and he felt a connection with her when he kept the knife close.
Cough, cough
"Still not feeling good, baby?"Keith moved his head to look at Lance with miserable purple eyes. He whined at the sight of not only the Blue Paladin but the princess as well.Lance and Allura entered their room, holding trays of food and drink and medicine. Lance set his on the nightstand and propped Keith up enough for him to slide behind his boyfriend, letting him recline against his chest. Allura sat in front of her boyfriends and poured out the correct dosage of medicine for Keith to take, not handing it over until Keith's coughing fit had subsided.
Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough
Keith groaned but accepted the medicine the princess handed him. Without another word, Keith drained the little cup, Lance plucking it from his relatively loose grip. "Do you think you can keep this down? Hunk worked hard to make sure it was edible and soothing for Galra; yes, even part Galra like you.""I will try." Keith hoped he would be able to keep it down. He despised vomiting as food had been scarce in the foster homes he had been in and vomiting up what little he got to eat was not only a horrible experience, but it made him feel even hungrier once the sickness had passed.Keith held the spoon and let Lance guide it from the bowl to his mouth, not liking the tremors of his hand. He ate about half of the food before he felt like it wouldn't be a good idea to push it. It tasted really good, and Keith was grateful that Hunk was so adept at cooking.He relaxed against Lance with a whimper. Allura dabbed at his forehead with a cool, damp cloth before she picked up a cup and held it to his lips. "This is supposed to help you as well. I contacted the Blades, and Ulaz suggested that you drink this. They also wish you a speedy recovery, even though they are unable to visit."Keith managed a small smile at the mention of his pack. He allowed Allura to tip the cup's contents into his mouth. He swallowed and felt the liquid soothe his abused throat. He snuggled against Lance and yawned.Lance locked eyes with his girlfriend and nodded in answer to her unasked question. He was more than willing to be Keith's pillow for the time being. Lance lifted his left hand and carded it through Keith's slightly sweaty, thick, raven locks.Keith desperately wanted to purr to show his contentment at the attention Lance was giving him, but his throat still hurt from all the coughing, and any attempt at purring was scratchy and resulted in more
coughing, which aggravated his throat further. So, he had to resort to words. "Thank you, Lance. That feels good, but won't you guys get sick from taking care of me? I don't want you to get sick.""Shh, baby. Don't worry about that," Lance soothed."This is a Galran illness. We cannot contract it, so we are able to care for you to the fullest extent. It is another reason your pack couldn't come," Allura told him."I don't want anyone to get sick." Keith yawned again."No one else will get sick from this, sweetheart," Lance reassured. "Just sleep."Keith closed his eyes, relaxing against Lance fully. Lance planted a kiss on Keith's still too hot forehead and continued carding his fingers through his hair. Allura maneuvered herself to sit next to Lance, so they could take turns caring for Keith and make sure he knew he wasn't alone.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Adoption"Keith was never more grateful that Red could fly herself than he was at that moment. His lion was flying herself back to the castle ship, which allowed him to focus all his attention on the precious little one cradled against his chest.He and the Paladins had been on an infiltration and data retrieval mission, when Keith heard a kit's distressed cry. He couldn't
ignore it and went to investigate. He located the kit easily enough, but his heart broke when he saw the kit's condition. She was all alone in the dark in a dilapidated crib in only a diaper. He immediately shifted to a complete Galra hybrid form and took of his helmet, purring to the little kit. She stopped whining and looked at him. He held his arms out as he slowly approached her. She held her stubby little arms out for him to pick her up. He scooped her up and put her nose close to his neck, near his scent glands. As she nosed his neck, Keith's eyes darted around the room. There were no adult Galra on the ship, which meant the kit was abandoned! The very idea made Keith's blood boil. He knew how it felt to be abandoned, though his case was unique. He didn't blame his mom for leaving to protect him or his dad for dying in the fire that consumed their home or even Shiro for getting kidnapped during the Kerberos mission. The ones he blamed were the foster families that continuously returned him after a few months of trying to raise him. He hadn't deserved it, and he was determined to make sure this kit grew up loved.He stroked her headfur and carried her out of the room, heading in the direction of his team, the little kit letting out very soft whimpers every so often to which Keith replied with soothing purrs. The team was surprised to see Keith had shifted, since he normally didn't do that on missions, and was carrying a Galran kit."Keith, what do you have there?" Shiro asked cautiously."An abandoned kit," was the too calm reply. The Paladins recognized that tone. Keith only used that tone when he was trying to rein in his anger or frustration."Are you sure it's abandoned?" Lance questioned.Keith's eyes flashed yellow and he stopped purring for a dobosh. The kit in his arms whimpered, causing Keith to resume his purring, and he nuzzled her head gently. His purr was heard in his voice, which made his voice sound strange. "She
was abandoned, but not any longer. She will come with us.""The castle isn't a good place to raise a child," Shiro pointed out."I will not
discuss this any further, especially here. We're going to Red."Keith carried his kit towards his lion, who purred in his mind. "Who is this, cub?""She was abandoned here on this ship, but now, she has me to care for her.""Come inside, cub. I will fly back to the castle while you look after her." Red knelt down so Keith could enter her mouth. He was pleasantly surprised when he entered her cockpit to see that her lights were lowered, so it wouldn't overwhelm the kit.While Red flew towards the castle, Keith looked at the kit properly and was surprised. Aside from a couple of details, she looked quite similar to him while he was in his complete hybrid form. They both had fluffy ears, a tail, and short lavender colored fur. Their eyes were the same as well, violet irises with black pupils and yellow sclera. Her headfur looked strange though. It looked like someone had chopped it super short in some areas but left others long and tangled. Keith groomed her headfur the best he could, and by the time they landed at the castle, the kit was looking much better.Keith quickly changed out of his Paladin armor and into a pair of comfortable black pants that were made out of a knit-type of material and a short sleeved black shirt that was made out of some type of soft material. Both articles of clothing were bought at the Space Mall when he was with the Blades. His pack had been appalled at his lack of clothing and had taken him shopping and bought him several outfits and materials for his private nest at the castle. His little kit had looked around his room in fascination from his nest as he quickly changed clothes. When he scooped her back up, she felt his shirt and chirped in surprise at the texture of the shirt, especially compared to his fur. He cradled her close to his chest, his tail coming up to add another layer of security for her. Keith wasn't expecting her to grab ahold of his tail, but he didn't yank it away either. It was rather endearing yet heartbreaking that the kit was making sure Keith wasn't going anywhere without her.The Red Paladin carried his kit to the bridge, where the other Paladins were filling in Allura and Coran as to what happened. Allura lifted her eyes when Keith entered the bridge and gasped slightly. Her eyes flicked between Keith and the little kit, noticing the numerous similarities between the two."Allura, before you say anything, she is not biologically mine, but I am going to raise her.""It was abandoned?""Yes. She
was.""Galra don't abandon their kits without a good reason. Maybe putting it back would be the best course of action."Keith's eyes flashed yellow again, but he couldn't help but growl. The little kit mewled in response to the growl, causing Keith to stop growling. He nuzzled her neck gently, making a strange humming sound, which seemed to soothe the kit. His tail rubbed up and down her back as he looked back up at Allura. "With all due respect, Princess, I refuse to abandon this kit to the fate her biological parents had. She is mine now, and if you do not permit this, I will take her with me to headquarters and raise her there. You will still have enough Paladins to form Voltron without me, so it is no inconvenience to you either way."Allura remained quiet, but Keith didn't miss the way her shoulders tensed. He frowned. "Then, I am going to contact Kolivan.""Wait a dobosh, number four," Coran interrupted. "Before you do, may I perform a scan on your new kit? Just to make sure it is safe for her to travel.""As long as these scans don't cause her pain and can be done in my arms.""Oh yes. They are quite harmless, and I wouldn't dream
of removing a new kit from her parent's arms." Coran led Keith to the infirmary. "However, it might even be more beneficial to your bond with her, if she could feel your fur against hers.""Are you suggesting I remove my shirt?""Galran kits require touch, and the easiest way for one so small to get as much as she can is to remove your shirt." Coran took out a handheld scanner. "Now, just hold her still for a dobosh."He scanned the tiny kit quickly and efficiently. While they waited for the results, Coran assisted Keith in not only taking off his shirt but also changing the kit's diaper, while not disturbing the kit more than absolutely necessary. Once Keith had his shirt off, his kit seemed to be even calmer than before, a very soft purr coming from her tiny form. Keith lifted his gaze from his kit to Coran's face with amazement evident on his face. "How did you know that?""Back before the war began, I would see Galran parents do that with their kits."Cradling his kit even closer, Keith asked, "What would make someone abandon their own flesh and blood?""I do not know, number four, because according to these readings, she is extremely healthy." There was a dobosh of silence between the two of them before Coran inquired, "What are you going to name her?"Keith paused. What was
he going to name her? "I'm not sure. I want her to have a Galran name that starts with a 'K,' but I'm not good with names."Coran smiled at Keith. "That's alright, Keith. Maybe your pack can suggest some names for your little one."Keith smiled. "Would you be able to convince Allura to wormhole us to headquarters, so I don't have to pilot and hold her," Keith nodded towards the now napping kit in his arms, "at the same time.""I'm sure I can manage something." Coran draped Keith's shirt over his back, securing it so it wouldn't fall off. "Go ahead and contact Kolivan, so he will be expecting you."Keith left the infirmary without jostling the kit, who simply snuggled further into his chest, relishing in the contact. Keith made it back to his room and sat down in his nest with his kit easily seen in the data pad he held in front of him. He initiated the video call to the leader of the Blades.%%%Kolivan was in his office, going over reports from his operatives, and wasn't expecting a video call request from his kit. He set aside the reports and answered the call. He was surprised to see his kit in his half-Galran form, shirtless, and with a tiny Galran kit snuggled up against his chest."Keith?""Kolivan, I am coming in. I found this kit abandoned while on a mission. Allura wanted me to put her back on the empty ship." Keith paused here, letting Kolivan growl. "Obviously, I refused to do that.""Bring her here, kit. We will assist you in her care."Keith smiled. "Thank you, Kolivan.""You're welcome, kit. What is her name?""I haven't named her yet. I was wanting a Galran name that starts with a 'K.'""And you don't know any.""Would you guys be able to come up with some I can choose from?""Certainly, kit. We look forward to your return." The link was closed, and Keith let out a sigh before setting about to packing. He had a few more things to pack than before due to his pack buying him things. He packed all of his clothes (except the Red Paladin armor, Red Altean Pajamas, and Red Lion Slippers) and his nesting materials. He had just finished packing and had grabbed his bag with his tail when there was a knock on his door. He walked to the door, which opened revealing Hunk on the other side. The Yellow Paladin seemed to deflate when he saw the bag Keith was holding with his tail."So, you're really leaving?""Yes. Unless Allura changes her mind, I will be raising my kit with the Blades full time."Hunk looked down at the little kit, who was snuggled against her Dad's furry chest, softly purring. "Uh, why aren't you wearing a shirt?""Coran told me that kits need...fur-to-fur contact, I guess is the best term, and this is the easiest way to ensure that."Hunk nodded. "Can I...pet her? No, that's not the right word. Touch her fur? No, that's not right either."Keith grinned. "I know what you're asking, big guy. Go ahead. Just be very gentle. I recommend using one finger."Hunk very carefully trailed one finger down the kit's back. "She's so soft, like a kitten." He turned his attention back to Keith. "Listen, since you aren't staying, are we allowed to contact you?"Keith's eyes softened. "Of course. I have the data pad that Pidge made for all of us, and I welcome calls from you guys."Hunk looked like he wanted to sweep Keith up in a tight hug but didn't want to hurt the kit. Keith set his bag down and wrapped his tail around Hunk's waist, tugging him close to his side. Hunk took the hint and wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and gave them a tight squeeze. "We'll miss you, man.""I'll miss you guys too, but she needs me." Keith unwrapped his tail, which signaled Hunk to release his grip on Keith's shoulders. Keith picked up his bag with his tail."I can carry that for you if you'd like," Hunk offered.Keith paused. Having Hunk carry his bag would allow his kit to hold onto his tail. He held his bag out for Hunk to take, which he did. He brought his tail forward and allowed his kit to grab ahold of his tail and snuggle it. "Thanks, buddy.""Aww! She really loves your tail.""I thought it was because she didn't want me to put her down," Keith said as they started walking."Do you mean you haven't put her down? Not even to change clothes?"Keith thought about that. He had
put her down in his room, and she didn't fuss. "I guess she felt safe in my nest.""It was probably your scent surrounding her," a new voice spoke up.Keith looked up to see the team, Allura, and Coran waiting for him in the hangar, where a Marmoran pod was docking. The one who had spoken was actually Pidge."You guys didn't have to see us off.""Nonsense, Mullet," Lance replied. "You know we're going to miss you.""I'm going to miss you guys too, but like I told Hunk, my kit is my top priority now. She deserves a loving home, and she'll have that with the Blades, with me.""Then, she'll have all the love she needs and more," Shiro responded. "We wish you all the luck, Keith, but I doubt you'll need it with your pack to help you." Shiro gestured to the pod and the Marmoran exiting it.Keith grinned. It was Kolivan! Kolivan walked over to his kit and nuzzled him in greeting. Keith nuzzled back and turned slightly so Kolivan could greet his daughter in a similar fashion. Kolivan used one claw to stroke the little kit's headfur. She slowly blinked at the Galra who was essentially her grandfather and chirped at him. He smiled and rumbled to her. She settled back into her Dad's arms with a purr."I came to get you so you wouldn't have to pilot and hold her at the same time, my kit. The path is treacherous enough without a young kit in your arms.""I appreciate that, Kolivan. Thank you.""We should leave before the path closes."Keith nodded and started to follow his leader to the pod but paused when he heard Allura call out his name. "Keith!"He turned around and watched as Allura approached him. "Yes?""I just wanted to apologize for angering you earlier. This situation is an unusual one.""I appreciate your apology, Princess, but I am not staying. Shiro was right earlier when he said that the castle is not the best place to raise a kit. Perhaps visiting would be possible, but for now, I should take my kit to her new home.""Be safe, Keith.
I hope to at least hear from you soon."Keith continued into the Marmoran pod and settled into a seat while Kolivan started the launch procedures. Once they were complete, Kolivan piloted the pod out of the castle and through the narrow path to the headquarters. All the while, Keith was cuddling with his kit as his thoughts were swirling in his head, creating a maelstrom which made it hard to focus on one thought. The situation was finally catching up to him, and it made him feel exhausted. He had been running on adrenaline and following his instincts this entire time. He forced himself to stay awake while Kolivan landed the pod in the hangar.Kolivan realized that Keith was tired as he powered down the pod. He carefully led his kit down the ramp, and once they were away from the pod, he scooped Keith up into his arms, making sure his kit had a secure hold of his little kit. The tick Keith felt Kolivan pick him up, he knew his father would ensure he made it to the nest safely.Kolivan entered the nest
room and set Keith gently into the nest before climbing in himself. He settled in behind Keith, nuzzling his kit's neck. Keith purred and noticed that the rest of his pack (Antok, Thace, and Ulaz) were there. The three other adult Galra gathered around him and his little one."She's so tiny," Thace mentioned."Where did you find her?" Antok asked."She is adorable." Ulaz remarked."I found her abandoned on a Galra ship the Paladins infiltrated. She was so scared and crying. I couldn't leave her there. I rescued her, but the Paladins, mostly Allura, didn't want me to keep her. So, I left to raise her here with my pack." Keith smiled at his four father figures. "I just need a name for my kit; a Galran name that starts with a 'K.'""We actually have one that means 'bright light.' Krairl," Thace suggested."Krairl...Krairl...it's perfect." Keith looked down at his kit. "My little Krairl. She's definitely a bright light in my life." Keith yawned."You are tired, my kit," Kolivan stated. "You and Krairl sleep. We will watch over you."Keith curled around his little kit as they drifted off to sleep surrounded by their pack, safe and sound.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Quarantine"Keith's whines tugged on his entire pack's heartstrings, especially his mom's. He was sick and had developed some Galran features as a result. His hair, which he had let grow long, now resembled hers with the dark purple color on top and the magenta color underneath and at the ends. His fangs had come in, his ears had become fluffy, and his purple cheek stripes had shown up.Krolia groomed Keith's headfur in hopes of soothing her son. She was pleased at how many of her features he had, and she knew that he was happy as well, even if it was just temporary.Ulaz quietly entered Krolia's private nest room and knelt down outside the nest. "How is he doing?"Krolia paused in grooming to answer. "He's doing better now that the medicine is taking effect." Noticing that Ulaz looked like he had something on his mind, Krolia asked, "What's the matter, Ulaz?""Keith's Galran features aren't temporary. They are permanent."Krolia grinned. "Keith had confided in me that he was hoping he would develop more Galran features, so this is a non issue." Krolia's head dipped back down, and she returned to grooming Keith's two-toned headfur."That is certainly a relief." Ulaz stood up. "I must return to the med bay though. Once Keith is awake, you two report there to get clearance before you can return to the nest.""I miss my other kits.""Regris and Acxa miss you and Keith as well.""Well, we should be able to return to the familial nest tonight.""That's good. I miss everyone," Keith spoke up, opening his eyes."How do you feel, Keith?" Ulaz asked."Better but more than ready to return to the pack.""Well, if Krolia brings you to the med bay, I can determine if you can released from quarantine."Keith didn't even have to wait as Krolia lifted him up and carried him out of her nest, the two of them following Ulaz. The trek was mostly quiet, the only sound being Keith's purr. Once they reached the med bay, Ulaz gathered his instruments and scanner and scanned/examined not only Keith but Krolia as well. Fortunately, Keith was well enough to be released from quarantine, and Krolia showed no sign of the disease as well. Both mother and kit smiled and left the med bay.They entered the nest room and saw Regris and Acxa curled up with each other, trying to get some rest but failing miserably. Keith chirped and entered the nest. Regris's and Acxa's heads shot up, and they pulled Keith in between them. Acxa nosed his hair, while Regris nuzzled his neck and wrapped his tail around one of Keith's legs. Krolia curled around Acxa and started grooming one of her kit's headfur, smiling when she heard all three of her kits purring.%%%Kolivan, Antok, and Thace peeked in on the kits (and Krolia) when they got the message from Ulaz that Keith was released from quarantine and Krolia was with the kits in the familial nest. It had been a long movement, but their pack was once again whole and healthy.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Conditioning"
Thwack.
"Good aim. Reclaim your knife."Keith wanted to groan. He had been training for the past couple of deca-phoebes or so his Daddy had told him, but it was nothing compared to what he was now doing. He had been introduced to adding his knife into the training regime. He had been nervous about using his knife but always had it on his waist. The previous quintant his Daddy had taken the time to let Keith experience holding the knife in his hand to get a feel of the grip and get used to the weight of it in his hand or hands. Now, he was expected to throw it and retrieve it. The throwing part had been scary at first, but his least favorite part was the retrieval. Sometimes he miscalculated, and his Daddy had to redirect him to the target, where he had to retrieve the knife.Over the course of this training session, Keith had gotten over his fear of throwing his knife and had even gotten better at locating the target when it came time to recover his knife. Keith withdrew the knife and retreated to where he and his Daddy had been standing.Thace gently placed his hand on top of Keith's head and ruffled his hair. "You've done such a good job, today, kit.""Really, Daddy?""Yes, kit. Now, is there something you'd like to do, since you are done with training for now?"Keith tapped a finger against his lips. "Can we play fight?"Thace chuckled. "Very well, kit. Do you want to start with close quarters?""Yes!""Sheath your knife and come at me, kit."Keith sheathed his knife and lunged at Thace, who grabbed Keith's arm and flipped him over his shoulder. Keith turned himself around and slowed his descent by grabbing onto Thace's headfur, which brought the Blade to one knee. He then hooked a leg around his Daddy's neck, releasing his headfur in the process. His plan of bringing Thace down failed spectacularly when the violet furred Blade stood up and grabbed Keith's free leg, gently pulling the young kit forward. Thace grinned as he held Keith upside down at arm's length by his ankle. Keith struggled to get down, pulling at Thace's fingers.%%%Kolivan and Antok were watching Keith play fight with Thace after a very successful training session. They were impressed with how far their kit had progressed in his training."Perhaps it is time to introduce him to the others in our organization," Kolivan suggested to his mate."Including a certain kit who is only a few deca-phoebes older than Keith," Antok added."Indeed." Kolivan leaned against his mate as they watched their kit get free from his Daddy's fingers and continue the play fight.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Arrival"Keith was nervous as he approached the Garrison. He had heard that it was the premier flight school in the area and knew it was his best bet for monitoring deep space communications if they had any. He didn't want to get his hopes up, but he couldn't help it. He missed his pack horribly, and it had only been a movement...week. He had to get used to these weird time measurements.He entered the school with the documents he had filled out ready to be transferred to their computers. The majority of them had been submitted online which he was thankful for. He stamped down his nervousness as he was approached by a woman in a drab gray uniform. "Are you Mr. Kogane?""Yes, ma'am," Keith answered."You're early. That's good." She motioned for him to follow her, which he did. "I see you filled out the required forms online. Have you brought the additional requirements?""Yes, ma'am. They are right here." Keith held out his data pad. He had made sure the files containing any mention of space or his pack were on a different screen and under several encryption protocols.The lady took the data pad and transferred the files to her pad before handing it back to Keith. "Everything seems to be in order. Do you have family in the area?""No, ma'am. I mean my father used to, but he's dead.""My condolences." There was a tick-second, Keith reminded himself- of silence before the lady continued. "You will be in a flight simulator for several exercises, both individual and team. It's only to figure out your strengths and weaknesses so we know where to place you and which classes you need."Keith's nerves turned to excitement. He loved
flying. He had studied the controls of ships and watched his Dads and Mom fly. Taulol had actually let him fly as long as he didn't tell his dads, mom, or his siblings. She said he was a natural. Keith wondered how his skills would fair against other pilots on this planet.Unfortunately, he had to wait for the other wannabe cadets to show up. He wasn't allowed to wander around, so he busied himself with familiarizing himself with Earth's history of space travel. It was quite boring, especially compared to the Galra history of space travel, but he kept reading until two shadows fell onto his pad.He looked up and saw two men dressed in the same gray uniform the lady had been wearing. One man had short black hair with a longer lock that hung between his eyes (It looked floofy, Keith decided) and brown eyes. The other man had glasses over his hazel eyes and brown hair that reminded Keith of a shorter version of his own hair."Hello, I'm Officer Takashi Shirogane, and this is Officer Adam Wright."Keith's nostrils flared a little bit as he took a covert sniff, disguised as a deep breath. He could tell these two were mates. "Hello. I'm Keith Kogane.""Are you taking the Garrison entrance exam?" Adam asked."Yes, sir. I'm waiting for the rest of the group to arrive.""Please don't call me 'sir.' It makes me feel old," Adam groaned.Shiro grinned. "Maybe it's the glasses. I told you you should have gotten contacts.""Not this again, Takashi. I don't like the idea of poking myself in the eye!""Then deal with comments on your age.""Cheeky ba-""Ah ah, not in front of the soon-to-be cadet."Keith had been watching the banter between the two humans in interest and grinned. It was something he definitely had to include in his report to Kolivan whenever he was able to send it. Mates were playful in public and in front of strangers. His attention was drawn to the doors as a group of kids his age were led in.Shiro leaned in. "Good luck on the exam, Keith. I hope to see you around."Keith watched as Shiro slung an arm around Adam's waist and lead his mate away before the half-Galra stood up to join the group of kids. He had a feeling that this was going to be exciting.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Protective""Keith!" Lance ducked under his bodyguard's cape."Wha-Lance? What's going on?""Save me!" Lance tucked himself against Keith's back. Keith's tail automatically wrapped itself around his fiancée's waist."Save you from what?""Not a what, but a who.""Save you from who?""Coran.""Coran?" Keith raised an eyebrow. He liked the Altean advisor and didn't know why Lance needed saving from him."Yes. His lessons are so
boring! I'm going to die of boredom! So, my love, save me!""What if I joined you in these lessons?"Lance peered at him from under his cape. "You'd do that for me?""I'm your bodyguard. It is my job to save you from death. I cannot save you if we are separated."Keith looked so serious that Lance couldn't help but laugh. "I love you so much, Keith.""I love you too, Lance, but do you think you could stop hiding under my cape? It's not really a good hiding place, especially since it's only a half-cape."It was true. Keith's cape only came down to his waist. It was a new addition to his guard uniform. King Alfor had presented it to Keith and told him it was a symbol of Keith's new status as Lance's fiancée. It was a lovely red, which was actually one of Keith's favorite colors.Lance blushed, which complimented his blue Altean marks, and ducked out from under the cape. His movement was halted by Keith's tail, which was still wrapped around Lance's waist. The two teens looked down at Keith's tail, then up at each other, and then back at the tail. It was Keith's turn to blush, but he didn't remove his tail. Instead, he used it to guide Lance to the room Coran usually held his lessons in.The ginger Altean looked up in surprise. "Keith, I wasn't expecting you to be the one to bring Lance in.""It was hard not to notice him when he was trying to hide under my cape."Coran grinned at Lance. "Not the best hiding place, my boy."
Lance blushed again as Keith led him to his seat. Keith sat down and tugged Lance down onto his lap. Keith grinned at the advisor. "The prince is ready for your lesson, sir."It only took ten doboshes for Keith to realize why
Lance fled from the lesson. It was so
boring it made Kolivan's reports sound exciting. Keith sat up and whispered into Lance's right ear. "My apologies for exposing you to this, my love. We should make our escape when Coran's back is turned.""Unwrap your tail first."Keith reluctantly did so and quickly jotted down an apology for their escape. The tick Coran turned his back, the two teens stood up and quickly and quietly made a break for it, Keith leaving the apology note on the desk.Keith and Lance ran all the way back to the garden. They collapsed onto the soft grass next to each other, grins on their faces. "I never knew Coran could sound boring. He made Kolivan sound exciting.""Who's Kolivan?""He's the leader of the Blade of Marmora and of my pack.""Was he the one who raised you?""Not really. The ones who were really in charge of me were Thace and Ulaz." Keith's tail wrapped itself around Lance's waist and tugged the prince closer. Lance snuggled into Keith's side, Keith curling an arm around Lance's shoulders.The sun shone on Lance's face, lulling the boy to sleep. Keith noticed Lance dozing in his arms and knew that he should take Lance to his room. 'I'll just stay here for a few more doboshes and then take Lance to his room later.'However, later never happened.%%%Allura ventured into the garden and stopped short. She didn't think she'd happen upon the sleeping forms of her brother and his guard. They should go inside, so she reached out to shake her brother awake. A growl, sleepy but no less threatening, reached her ears, and she jerked her hand back, the growl ceasing. Keith curled his arms tighter around Lance and opened his eyes half-way. "My apologies, Allura. My instincts said there was a threat to my mate. I didn't mean to growl at you.""I understand, Keith. I didn't take offense. However, you should take Lance back inside. The sun is going down."That shook Keith awake. "What? We didn't mean to nap all afternoon."Allura smiled. "It's quite all right. You two were safe. Another guard kept an eye on you."Allura gestured to the door, and Keith's eyes widened. "Shiro!""Hey, Keith. You might want to keep your voice down if you don't want to wake up your prince."Keith blushed and scooped Lance up into his arms, tucking him tight against him. He stood up and walked to the door, pausing to nuzzle Shiro. Shiro returned the nuzzles, causing Keith to purr. "Thank you for keeping an eye on us.""You're welcome. Enjoy your night, Keith.""You as well, Shiro." Keith walked back to Lance's room and laid the prince on his bed. He sat down next to him, his tail remaining around his waist. He stroked Lance's hair softly, trying not to awaken him. Lance needed the sleep, and Keith wasn't going to leave his side, even for a dobosh.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Impaired"Haxus stood on the bridge, staring out the view screen at the vastness of space. He was standing in his mate's usual spot. He had told his mate to go back to their quarters as he hadn't seemed like he had gotten much rest the previous night cycle.His frustration was quite evident when he ripped a sentry in half for not responding fast enough to his orders. His growling was what alerted Haxus to there being any problem. He approached his mate, rumbling to him to get his attention. Sendak had whirled around, a snarl escaping him. Haxus frowned and growled at him in warning. Sendak blinked and looked at his mate in confusion. Haxus stopped growling, having reached Sendak's side. The lieutenant purred to and stroked the headfur of his mate, who almost melted into his touch. "Sen, you should go rest. Your aggressive tendencies are showing. I've got everything under control. If there's an issue that requires your attention, I will come get you."Sendak purred softly to his mate, nuzzling his head. "If you insist, my mate.""I do." Haxus watched his mate walk off the bridge.That was what led him to being alone on the bridge but unable to think of anything aside from his mate. He informed the sentries to stay the course and not disturb him or the Commander unless it was crucial. He left the bridge and walked to the quarters he shared with his mate. He was alarmed by the soft whining coming from inside the room. He quickly entered to see Sendak struggling to unlatch his prosthetic, the whining getting a little louder.Haxus purred as he approached his mate, his claws ghosting over his fur as he reached to help with the large prosthetic. Sendak stopped whining when he felt Haxus's claws on his fur. Once his prosthetic was removed, Haxus led him to the bed. He gently pushed his fluffy mate onto the bed, not noticing that Sendak had his claws wrapped around his wrist until he was falling onto the bed as well. He landed face first into Sendak's chest, his mate chuckling. Haxus didn't move his head as he mumbled something about mood swings into the fluffy chest.Sendak grinned and started grooming Haxus's headfur, earning a purr from the less fluffy Galra. Sendak wrapped his arm around Haxus's waist and continued grooming his mate's headfur, lulling him to sleep. As much as Haxus was worried about Sendak not sleeping well, Sendak could tell his mate was suffering as well. He was just better at hiding it.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Currents"Keith turned around as a stream of bubbles streaked past him, and he just barely caught the sight of a green tail. He grinned. Even though green was a normal tail color, there was only one mer that liked to race past him. His intended was quite fast but so were his reflexes. He tensed, waiting for her to streak past again. He did not have long to wait. He waited until she was just about to reach him, and then, he pounced on her, sending them tumbling through the water. He made sure she was securely in his hold and when they landed, she was on top of him. Both of them were laughing. Her laugh was music to his ears.Sometimes, he couldn't believe that she was to wed him. She was so knowledgeable about not only the seas but the human world above. That wasn't to say he didn't know about it though. They both had human friends that they chatted to in a secret cove that was hidden from prying eyes, both human and mer. Sometimes, Pidge's brother, Matt, accompanied them to meet up with Shiro and Adam and Curtis, a trio of mated humans. They were as curious about the watery world as the mers were about the human world. They exchanged details about their respective worlds and sometimes brought little gifts. Keith and Pidge also brought special shells that their friends liked, a gesture the humans responded to with jewelry that could withstand the pressure at the bottom of the ocean.However, that day wasn't one where they would be meeting their friends. Shiro had told them they were visiting his parents, which initially confused Keith and Pidge. They were very close with their parents (or parent in Keith's case). His father had perished in a shark attack that almost claimed the young Keith's life, and he occasionally still had nightmares of the attack. Krolia, his mother, was quite protective of her only son, teaching him how to defend himself. He was always armed with a knife and knew how to use his speed to make an escape.Pidge was close with her parents and older brother. The entire family had an intense curiosity that propelled them to seek out newer and newer things, trying to quench the thirst but never quite succeeding, or at least not for long. It was one of the reasons Pidge liked meeting up with Shiro, Adam, and Curtis. She always asked a lot of questions, which they patiently answered; another reason she liked them.The two mers loved to spend time together, sometimes in silence, where Pidge would be snuggled against Keith's side, their tails pressed together with just the right amount of pressure to be comfortable. Other times, they would chase each other around, increasing their speed, their laughter carried on the currents of their home.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Meeting In Secret"Thace covertly glanced around the corridor. It seemed empty, but appearances could be deceiving, and he had to be careful not to be seen. He couldn't risk anyone finding out that he and Ulaz knew each other on any level past mere acquaintances.He tapped on his data pad, making it looked like he was engaged in his work to anyone looking at the cameras that were in the corridors. He stopped by a storage room door and typed on his data pad for a tick before he entered the room. Once the door closed behind him, he dropped all pretenses and put away his data pad.
The cameras in this room didn't work, never had, and it was for this reason that Thace chose to meet Ulaz here.He let out a chirp, a noise he would deny making in any other circumstance, and listened for the sound that alerted him to Ulaz's presence. A questioning noise sounded from the next aisle over. Thace hurried over, and his eyes took in the sight of his mate standing there in his Empire issued doctor uniform. Thace missed seeing Ulaz wearing his Blade uniform and missed taking it- Thace shook his head and closed the distance between them. He swept his mate into his arms and tucked him against his chest, nosing his short headfur. "Stars, I've missed you, 'Laz."Ulaz all but melted against his mate. He disliked the feel of the Empire issued lieutenant's uniform Thace had to wear. He much more preferred the feel of Thace's silky fur to any of the uniforms he had to wear. He nuzzled Thace's neck. "I missed you, too, Thace. I wish we didn't have to sneak around.""Me too, but I don't want someone to use you as leverage against me or me against you." Ulaz opened his mouth, but Thace continued, cutting him off, "Don't deny it, 'Laz. You know how cutthroat the Empire is. Any sign of weakness will either be stamped out or used against you.""I'd take that chance if it means I can be in your arms-""Or me in yours," Thace interjected."Or you in mine," Ulaz agreed.Thace snorted. "Kolivan would have our heads if he heard us talking like this.""What he doesn't know won't hurt him...or the organization."Thace sighed. "We can't stay here much longer. I'm still on shift, and I'm sure Prorok will be looking for me soon."As if on cue, Thace's data pad dinged with a message from the commander. Thace opened the message with Ulaz still in his arms. The pair of mates read the message, and Thace's ears drooped. "Prorok is on his way. He knows I'm in here. Fortunately, the cameras in here have never worked, so we aren't compromised, but you must go. I don't want to put you in any more danger than you are already in." He kissed Ulaz. "Please go."Ulaz pulled Thace in for a long, passionate kiss that left him slightly dazed. He could still feel his mate's lips on his, even as Ulaz slipped out of the storage room as silent as a shadow.%%%Prorok was irritated. Why was his lieutenant in the storage room? He was going to make him pay for leaving his post unless there was a good reason. He located Thace, looking as pristine and put together as always.Thace looked up when he heard Prorok approached. He saluted him. "Commander, vrepit sa.""Why are you in here and not at your post?""I got a communication from Commander Sendak. He asked me to check the stores for a specific item, sir."Prorok scowled but left the room muttering about how Sendak needed to use his own lieutenant and not someone else's for his errands. The tick Prorok left the storage room, Thace breathed a sigh of relief. He knew Prorok wouldn't approach Sendak with that complaint. It was the reason Thace chose that particular Galra. No one within their right mind would complain to Sendak about something he did (or in this case didn't do). Thace pocketed his data pad and left the storage room, heading back to his post and already planning his next encounter with his mate.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Flying Without Wings"Keith woke up early. He grinned as he gazed at Regris's sleeping face. He loved the part-Galra so much and had a plan in place to show how much. He carefully unwrapped Regris's tail from his leg and extricated himself from the nest. He got dressed and left the nest room. He went to his private room and retrieved his guitar. He left his room and walked to training hall B. He had cleared it earlier with Antok, promising the older Blade that Keith didn't plan on using it for training. He played a few chords to warm up his fingers and played a couple of easy songs to warm up his vocal chords as well.%%%Regris yawned and opened his eyes. He stared at Keith's empty spot in the nest in dismay. Where was he? His ears twitched as he caught some music and a beautiful voice singing. He listened to the verse as he got dressed."Everybody's looking for that something One thing that makes it all complete You find it in strange places Places you never knew it could be Some find it in the face of their children Some find it in their lover's eyes Who can deny the joy it brings When you've found that special thing You're flying without wings."Regris decided to go looking for whoever was singing so beautifully, which was quite easy as the song kept going."Some find it sharing every morning Some in their solitary lives You'll find it in the words of others A simple line can make you laugh or cry You'll find it in the deepest friendship The kind you cherish all your life And when you know how much that means You've found that special thing You're flying without wings."Regris found himself outside training hall B. He pushed open the door and was stunned. Keith was standing in the middle of the training hall with his guitar in his hands. He was playing the guitar and singing the song Regris had been following.Keith knew that Regris had entered the training hall and thought, 'This is it.' He locked eyes with Regris and the older Blade knew the words were meant for him."So, impossible as they may seem You've got to fight for every dream Cause who's to know which one you let go Would have made you complete Well for me, it's waking up beside you To watch the sun rise on your face To know that I can say I love you In any given time or place It's little things that only I know Those are the things that make you mine And it's like flying without wings Cause you're my special thing I'm flying without wings And you're the place my life begins And you'll be where it ends I'm flying without wings And that's the joy you bring I'm flying without wings."The two part-Galra stared at each other, the silence in the training hall was deafening after Keith stopped playing and singing. Regris took a breath. "Keith, did you mean everything you said-sang?""Yes. I love you, Regris."Regris smiled and closed the distance between them, Keith using the time to set his guitar down. He picked up Keith and kissed him. Keith responded in kind, pressing back."I love you, too, Keith."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Celebration"Keith gazed at the little face of his brother as he slept, cradled against his chest. He was still in awe over having a flesh and blood sibling and couldn't help the soft smile that crept onto his face. He was watching his brother so his Mom (and Dad [Kolivan]) could do some galactic republic meeting. He wondered if he'd be allowed to invite the Paladins over so he could introduce Yorak to them. Keith resolved to ask his Mom and Dad when they got back.A little chirp drew his attention back to his brother, who was waking up. His pupil-less yellow eyes bored into his eyes. Keith smiled even more and caressed his brother's cheek stripes, so much like his own, and his ears flicked when he heard the tiniest purr from Yorak. Keith responded back with a purr of his own.%%%Krolia and Kolivan stood in the doorway, watching Keith interact with his brother. Even though Keith had assured her of his lack of jealously, Krolia was still nervous when her little kit finally arrived. Keith continuously proved her wrong, which she was thankful for.They watched for a couple more doboshes before Yorak began to fuss a little. Kolivan visibly restrained his mate as they watched Keith stand up and sway his upper body, trying to comfort his baby brother. He purred softly, but it didn't help. This was when Krolia was allowed to come over.Keith looked up at his mom, worry evident in his eyes and his droopy ears. Krolia purred to him before she gently scooped up her little kit. Yorak quieted down now that he was in his Mama's arms. Kolivan joined them and nuzzled Keith's head. "You're okay, kit. Tiny kits need their mothers and are only comforted by their scents."Keith visibly relaxed at that explanation. He watched as his mom rocked his brother in her arms with love evident on her face. "I was wondering if I could invite the Paladins and my other friends over to meet Yorak.""Didn't I tell you, kit? There's a special celebration for new kits. It is scheduled for the next quintant. I already extended invitations to Shiro, Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, Coran, Romelle, Acxa, Ezor, and Zethrid."Keith's eyes widened in surprise. That was everyone he wanted to invite! "That's great. What can I do to help?"%%%The quintant of the celebration arrived, and Keith was quite busy setting things up, when Kolivan approached him with the clothes he needed to wear for the celebration. "These are Galran formal wear. Please put them on before the guests arrive."Keith looked at the clothes Kolivan handed him. "Oh, I was just going to wear my Blade uniform.""I understand, kit, but your mother requested you wear this.""All right, Dad." Keith noticed Kolivan's smile at the name. "I just need to hang this banner, and then I will wear these."Kolivan gently nuzzled Keith's head before he left. He watched Kolivan leave and looked around the room. There were decorations everywhere like banners similar to the one he still had to hang, there was additional seating that was added, a selection of food that was laid out, and he also had to make sure he was wearing the clothes his Mom and Dad decided he needed. There was a lot that went into this celebration. It was something that Keith never got to experience. He never had a party thrown for him, especially not a Galran party that celebrated a new kit.%%%Keith managed to put on the formal attire before
his friends started arriving. Each of them greeted Keith with a hug, Keith melting into Shiro's. "I'm glad you could make it, Shiro.""I couldn't refuse an invitation from some of our oldest allies and your family." Keith couldn't help but purr at Shiro's comment.
A hush fell over the room as Krolia and Kolivan entered, the former carrying her new kit. Keith sighed softly as everyone's attention was on his brother now."This is Yorak," Krolia purred. Kolivan stood behind her, a clawed hand resting on her waist. Everyone gathered around Krolia, Kolivan, and her little kit, gasping little comments like "he's so adorable" and "he looks so soft" and "can I pet him," which was met by a smack to the back of Lance's head courtesy of Shiro for being insensitive. Krolia chuckled. "Yes. You all may 'pet' him as Lance so ineloquently asked. Just line up."All of the guests lined up, Shiro being at the end, so it was no wonder that he noticed Keith standing by himself near the back of the room with his arms wrapped around himself. Slipping out of the line, he walked over to Keith. "Hey, bud. What's the matter?"Of all the actions he expected Keith to take, Shiro didn't expect to have a crying Keith in his arms."I don't know why I feel like this, Shiro. It's like I'm jealous of my brother, but why would I be jealous of him? He's just a baby and hasn't done anything to warrant me being jealous."Keith inadvertantly let out a whine, which attracted Krolia's attention. She quickly tucked Yorak into his father's arms to continue the "petting" and walked over to Keith and Shiro. She wrapped her arms around Keith. "Hey, kit. What's the matter?"Keith tucked himself under his mom's chin and whimpered, tears sliding down his cheek stripes. Seeing as Keith was too distressed to speak, she looked at Shiro for an answer. Shiro sighed. "He says he's jealous of Yorak but doesn't know why."Krolia groomed Keith's hair, trying to calm him down enough to answer a very important question. "I think I may know, but I need to know when did you start feeling like this."Keith paused for a moment, thinking it over, and then he realized it. "Earlier today, when I was setting up this celebration. I never got one of these. I guess I felt like I was a secret no one was supposed to know about."Krolia rumbled to her eldest. "Oh, Keith. I never wanted you to feel like you were a secret. You are my kit just as much as your brother is. Nothing can change that. I love you, my kit.""I love you, too, Mom.""Now, let's get you cleaned up for the next part of the celebration. The one meant for the older sibling." Krolia started grooming his face, licking off the tear tracks."What?"Krolia didn't answer until she had finished erasing any trace of her eldest kit's tears. "Once all of the guests have met the newest kit, the older sibling, or siblings if there are multiple, get a present to signify their new status.""A present?" Keith echoed.Krolia wrapped an arm around her eldest's shoulders and led him back to their family. Kolivan was still holding Yorak in one arm but now had a small box in the other hand. Keith gently stroked his brother's headfur with one finger before he turned his attention to the box Kolivan now held out to him."As we have accepted a new kit into our lives, he had elevated his brother to a new status as the eldest kit and his big brother. To celebrate this occasion, this present is for Keith," Krolia announced, motioning for Keith to take the present.Keith reached out with shaking hands and took the present. He stared at it for a moment before unwrapping it. Inside the paper was a white box that reminded Keith of a ring box. He carefully pried it open and inhaled sharply. Nestled inside was an oval locket with the inscription To my big brother, thank you for welcoming me into your family and your life.Tears formed in Keith's eyes, falling when he opened the locket. On one side was a picture of Keith, Kolivan, Krolia, and Yorak (nestled in his mom's arms), and on the other side was a picture of Keith holding Yorak. "Thank you so much. Can you help me put it on, Mom?"Krolia moved behind Keith and fastened the locket around Keith's neck. Keith cupped the oval pendant for a moment before he let it rest against his chest. "Can I hold him?"Kolivan smiled and tucked his kit into Keith's arms, making sure the eldest had a secure hold on his brother. Keith gently nuzzled Yorak, the elder kit's braid slipping over his shoulder. The braid caught the little kit's attention, and he reached out and grasped it. Keith raised his eyes to meet Kolivan's gaze, his ears pinned back. Without moving his head, he mouthed 'help.'Kolivan had to stifle his laughter at Keith's predicament. He remembered the feeling of his braid getting held onto. "Now, you know why I keep it around my neck, kit."Krolia looked at her kits and snickered. She carefully peeled Yorak's tiny claws off Keith's braid. "Little one, do not pull off your brother's braid."The tick his claws left Keith's braid, Yorak whimpered, a sound that tore at Keith's heart. He immediately put his braid back in his brother's range. Yorak quieted down and grabbed Keith's braid, his eyes drooping closed. This time, though, Keith wasn't bent over. He was straight backed but had his brother nestled higher up so he could hold onto his braid. Keith smiled as he heard his brother start purring, which indicated that he was asleep.He carried his brother to the seating area away from the gathering, so Yorak could get some undisturbed sleep. Being away from the guests gave Keith time to reflect on what just happened. His emotions had taken over, and now, he was exhausted. He reclined on the couch and made sure his arms were around his brother as his eyes drooped. He wrench his eyes back open, only for them to slide back down.%%%Two purrs drew everyone's attention to the two kits napping on the couch off to the side of the room. A collective 'aww' went up around the room, only to be shushed by Krolia. "Please keep it down. My kits are napping.""They're so adorable," Allura whispered."We should let them rest, but they need to be somewhere where they both will be safe." Kolivan gently scooped up Keith, who still had a secure hold on his little brother, who had a firm hold on his big brother's braid. Kolivan carried both kits to and laid them in the nest, changing their positions a little. Keith was now laying on his side with little Yorak snuggled against his chest, one hand still clinging to Keith's braid. Kolivan was successful in moving the kits without waking them up as they were both still purring.
Kolivan slipped out of the room and back to the celebration and his mate. He nuzzled Krolia's head. "They are settled in our nest, still sleeping."Krolia purred. "I'm so glad. Our kits are resting now, so this celebration is over."Shiro smiled at Krolia's announcement. He was glad Keith was feeling better and no longer jealous of his little brother.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Nuptials"It was a beautiful day; not that Keith could see it. He never could see, being born blind. He had a seeing eye dog, even though Keith thought it was more of a wolf due to its size. His fiancée, James Griffin, usually told him how the weather was, but since it was their wedding day, they couldn't see each other before the ceremony.Keith's Dads, Shiro and Adam, were preparing Keith for his big day or, rather, Adam was, since Shiro was bawling. Shiro was crying so hard, because his little boy was getting married. Adam was finally fixing the single red Camellia to Keith's lapel, explaining the meaning behind the flower James chose for him and his fiancée to wear, which was 'You're a flame in my heart.'Sobs still coming from Shiro were starting to concern Keith, who whispered to Adam, "Is he going to be all right?""Who? Takashi? He'll be fine.""Will he be fine enough to guide me down the aisle?""Ah." Adam paused to look at his husband. He had never seen someone cry so much, especially at a wedding. "That I'm not so sure about. However, that's why," the door opened, "he's here."
Woof, woof.
"Cosmo!"Keith's seeing eye dog knew better than to jump up on his master, so he instead pressed his nose into Keith's hand as he sat by his feet. Keith petted his head. "Good boy. I'm so glad you're here. Are you ready to take me to the main room?""Let me take this sobbing mess out of here first," Adam mentioned, guiding Shiro out. "Just wait two minutes before coming out."Cosmo stood up beside Keith but didn't lead him out yet, recognizing the command to wait. He
could tell Keith was counting the time, so he didn't disturb him."One minute fifty-eight, one minute fifty-nine, two minutes. Let's go."Cosmo's ears perked up, and once he felt Keith's hand on his fur, he started leading him to the aisle. The duo paused at the doors, Keith listening for his cue to enter.
Once he heard the distinctive trumpet blaring, Keith fisted Cosmo's fur, a signal that it was time to start walking.%%%James was nervous standing up at the altar, waiting for his fiancée to be guided down the aisle. He was equal parts nervous and excited until he saw Adam leading a sobbing Shiro into the room and sitting down. His nervousness soared. Who was going to lead Keith down the aisle?!The trumpets sounding made James jump, and he was about to throw tradition to the wind and walk him down the aisle himself until he saw Cosmo accompanying the raven-haired man down the aisle. He forced his heart rate to return to normal as he gazed at his approaching fiancée. He smiled at him, even though he knew he couldn't see it. He couldn't help smiling; Keith was too handsome not
to smile at. It was something he constantly told Keith, which never failed to make the other man blush.The second Keith was close enough, James reached out for Keith's hand, murmuring, "I'm here, Keith."Keith's left hand never left Cosmo's fur until James slipped his into Keith's right hand. Keith gently patted Cosmo and
lifted his left hand as James gently tugged on Keith's right hand with the comment, "Turn."Keith turned and grasped James's right hand with his left. The officiant started the wedding, but James's attention wasn't on the words being spoken but rather, on the beautiful man holding his hands.He couldn't believe that he hadn't always gotten along with Keith. When they met in primary school and he learned that Keith was blind, he was very immature and teased/mocked him mercilessly. He even got others to do the same. It got even worse when Keith showed a talent for flying, even though he couldn't see. James had also been accepted to the same flight school that Keith had been. James taunted Keith about only being accepted because the couple that adopted him were teachers there. That was the day he learned that Keith had a really good right hook. That was also the day James decided not
to tease Keith anymore; he didn't want anymore black eyes. He didn't immediately befriend him either. He had decided to stay away from him. However, that only worked for about a month. He just seemed to gravitate back to the guy, which was probably the reason they got on friendlier terms. James learned that Keith was hyper aware of his surroundings, having a superb memory and exquisite hearing to make up for his lack of sight.James remembered the day they truly became friends. He was headed to the courtyard for lunch and came upon a group of older cadets bullying Keith. They had managed to get their hands on him, probably due to the fact that there were several of them. Keith's arms were pinned to his back, and his lunch was strewn all over, ruined. James set down his lunch out of the way and ran to help Keith. He didn't know what he could do, but he shouted at Ina to get a teacher; the blonde girl dashing off to find the nearest teacher. James pulled the kids off Keith and stood over the other teen, trying his best to defend him until a teacher came running. Fortunately, it was Adam Wright, but unfortunately, James received another black eye; at least this one wasn't from Keith, so it hurt less. Adam helped Keith to his feet, while James retrieved his lunch. He walked back over to Keith and asked if he wanted to share his food since his got ruined. Keith was so shocked that he looked James in the face. (He never looked anyone in the face, since he knew people got uncomfortable when his hazy eyes were easily seen. He had learned that the hard way in other Foster homes before he got adopted by Adam and Shiro.) James actually liked his eyes. They were an unusual purple color, which was James new favorite color, replacing the blue it had been before. "My mom made her award winning stuffed mushrooms. I brought some for my friends to try, so, Keith do you want to be the first one to try one?"As weird as it sounded, they actually bonded over the care packages his parents sent him, including the food that James' mom sent him. Over time, their friendship strengthened, and eventually, love blossomed. No one was surprised, except for Keith and James. They were the last two to figure it out. (Nadia and Ryan each owed Ina ten bucks for betting that James would kiss Keith first. It had been Keith that initiated their first kiss. He had put his hands on James' face and kissed him impulsively.)"I do." Keith's voice broke James out of his memories and made him aware of the fact that he zoned out during their wedding. At least no one noticed."Do you, James Griffin, take this man, Keith Kogane, to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and health and forsaking all others, be faithful only to him so long as you both shall live?""I do.""Now, you may exchange the rings." James put on Keith's ring first before handing Keith his ring to put on James's finger. There were a matching pair, a simple silver band with three purple chalcedony gems set into the band. James had picked out these rings, because they reminded him of Keith's eyes."I now pronounce you husband and husband. You may now kiss." Once again, Keith put his hands on James's face and brought him close enough for a kiss. However, James closed the gap first and kissed his new husband on the lips, ignoring the cheers and applause of the crowd gathering and explicitly ignoring Shiro, who was still sobbing into his husband's shoulder. (Adam was certain he was going to need a new shirt.)Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Endearing"
Iverson scowled. Why did he agree to this? Oh, that was right. He needed Shirogane to check out the simulator, and the lieutenant asked him to check on the cadet for him. Why did Shirogane favor this one cadet, this particular
cadet to be precise! This cadet was a show off and came with a thick file full of discipline issues from schools and previous foster families. What if he said
he checked on him, but actually didn't? No. His luck the cadet would tell Shirogane that he didn't show up. He pushed open the door to the infirmary.He wasn't sure what he expected, but the cadet laying in a hospital bed with a sheet pulled up
to his chin wasn't it. Was he shivering? He looked so small, so innocent, laying there. The cadet's purple eyes fluttered half-way open. A word escaping with his exhale. "Sh-iro?""No, Cadet. Lieutenant Shirogane was called away but asked me to check in on you.""C-Commander Iverson!" The cadet struggled to sit up."At ease, Cadet. Stay laying down."%%%Keith laid back at Iverson's order. He didn't know what Iverson was playing at. Why would he agree to check on him? Didn't he hate him? His head hurt from crashing the simulator, and he wanted to close his eyes, because the light hurt his eyes. His eyelids started drooping on their own, but he wrenched them back open."You can go to sleep, Cadet, if you want."Keith's head hurt too much to figure out why Iverson was acting nicer than usual. He allowed his eyes to close and drifted off to sleep, unknowingly purring.%%%Iverson watched as Kogane fell back asleep. He did his job. He checked on the cadet, and he couldn't explain what he did next, but he pulled the blanket up from where it was folded at the foot of the bed. He laid it over the sleeping cadet but was concerned about the strange vibrating the cadet was doing. Was it a symptom of a condition hidden by the concussion he received in the simulator? He snagged a passing nurse and asked, "This cadet is vibrating. What is going on?"The nurse stepped into the room and checked his chart. She smiled as she read the note from Takashi Shirogane. "He apparantly makes that noise when he's content.""It's normal?""For this cadet, yes." The nurse bowed before leaving the room.Iverson stared at the sleeping cadet. So, he was content? Even with him
in the room? He was starting to understand why Shirogane liked this cadet. There was something endearing about him. He quickly left the infirmary and returned to his office. He sat down at his desk and pulled up Kogane's file. Maybe it was time to actually read
the cadet's case file, instead of brushing him off as a discipline case.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Perfect The Way You Are"Keith loved his pack. He had a large pack, four Dads, his Mama, and his older brother. However, there was something 'wrong.' He didn't look like them. His Dad and older brother had tails, his Father and Mama had long hair, his Daddy and Papa had markings on their faces, and all six had fur. Keith had none of these features. He had peach colored skin, no fur, no claws, black hair, and violet irised eyes with white sclera. He desperately wanted to look like his pack. While he knew he couldn't just grow fur or turn purple, he had a plan to look a little bit more like them.He found a rope that he tied around his waist to stand in for a tail, tied a purple fuzzy blanket around his shoulders, and used some berries from breakfast to make marks similar to his Mama's stripes on his cheeks. Even though, looking in a mirror, Keith could still see himself, but he could also see Galra Keith starting to emerge. He grinned and left the nest room.He walked the halls to see which member of his pack he would see first. He knew it wouldn't be his Father or Papa unless he went to his office or the med bay. So that left his Dad, Daddy, Mama, and his brother. He had no idea that the other members of the Blade of Marmora told all of his pack what they had witnessed the youngest kit looking like.%%%Krolia stared at the message she got. Her youngest kit was wearing a length of rope tied around his waist as a tail, wearing fuzzy blankets around his shoulders like fur, and his skin colored with berries that mimicked her stripes. Why would he do that?She hurried in the direction the Blade told her he was headed. She saw her kit and rumbled to him, causing him to turn around with a chirp. He grinned and ran to her. She scooped him up in her arms, him purring to her. "What is this about, kit?""I finally look like our pack, Mama!" Keith replied happily.Krolia carried him back to the nest, where the entire pack (including Regris) had assembled. She stepped into the nest and set Keith down in her lap.Regris was confused at what his brother was wearing. Did he need his face cleaned? Was he cold? Why did he have rope around his waist? He let out a questioning noise.Antok petted Regris. "It's okay, kit. I'm sure your brother will explain.""I wanted to look like everyone else." Keith was confused as to why the rest of his pack didn't seem happy to see him look more Galran.Krolia started grooming his face, cleaning off the berries. Keith whined. "Mama, you're taking off my stripes!"Krolia didn't reply until she had finished cleaning her youngest kit's face. "My darling, you don't need to look like us for you to be considered pack. You are just perfect the way you are, no markings and all.""Really? I don't have to look like Galra Keith?""Kit," Ulaz started. "You are 'Galra Keith,' as you put it, not because of your looks but because of what is in your genes. You may not have the looks, yet, but you are still our kit.""Will I get them later on?""Perhaps, kit, but it's still too early to tell," Thace replied. "Can we untie the rope?""Yeah." Keith yawned.Thace untied the rope and pulled the kit into his lap for cuddles. Keith snuggled against Thace. Ulaz had come up beside Thace and deftly unknotted the blanket from around Keith's neck, wrapping it around the kit's body before nuzzling the youngest kit's head. Regris practically pounced on his brother and snuggled against him, his tail wrapping around one of his legs. Krolia settled in front of the kits, Thace, and Ulaz and purred to her kits. Antok and Kolivan gathered around their pack, the former's tail rubbing up and down Regris's back. Kolivan was beside Krolia and in front of Ulaz, which put him near Keith's head. The leader of the Blades ran his claws through the longer strands of the youngest kit's hair. Keith's eyes slid closed as did Regris's. Both kits fell asleep, their purrs filling the nest.The adults in the nest knew that this wasn't the last time they would have to deal with Keith looking different from them, but hopefully, the next time would be as easy as it was this time.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Convergence"Keith was excited. He had flown so well in the simulator that they put him straight into the fighter pilot program. Shiro was apparently so proud of Keith that he offered to take Keith on a tour of the Garrison, classrooms, labs, and offices alike. Keith didn't know why Shiro had taken a liking to him, but he liked it.Shiro was giving him a tour of the Garrison laboratories, when someone had jumped onto Shiro's back. Shiro rolled his eyes and continued the tour with this human hanging off his back like it was nothing out of the ordinary. Keith raised his eyebrows and asked, "Shiro, why is he hanging on you?""Because Matt is annoying.""Excuse me? I'm amazing." Matt slid off Shiro's back and extended a hand to Keith. "Hi! I'm Matthew Holt, genius extraordinaire!"Keith put his hand in Matt's and shook it. "I'm Keith Kogane, fighter pilot.""You were accepted straight into the program? That's awesome!" He nudged Shiro in the ribs. "All those records of yours might be in danger."Keith had previously looked up Shiro's records and was impressed. He blushed. "I don't know if I'm all that
good."Shiro raised an eyebrow. "I expect you to break at least some of them. If you break all of them, I will be extremely proud."Keith's eyebrows shot into his hairline. Shiro wanted
him to break his records. He was very strongly reminded of his pack. They had always wanted him and his siblings to do their best. They were always proud of them for breaking records, especially if they were theirs."I will try my best then," Keith promised."Good. Now, do you want to continue the tour?""Aww, Shiro, don't bore the new cadet! I'm sure he'd be more interested in getting to know more people." Matt grabbed Keith's arm and started tugging on it. "Come on! There is someone you need to meet!""I met Adam already," Keith said, letting Matt drag him down the hall. He noticed that Shiro followed with a fond yet exasperated look on his face. It reminded Keith of the look Thace got when Ulaz was excited about some new medical discovery. It was then that he realized that Matt was like family to Shiro."Well, that figures, since he and Shiro are engaged, but I want you to meet my Dad. He's a scientist." Matt dragged Keith to an office and, instead of knocking, he just opened the door. "Hey, Dad."Seated at the desk was a man with gray hair and square framed glasses, behind which were his brown eyes. "Hello, son. Who is this? A new cadet?""Hello, sir. I'm Keith Kogane.""Well, aren't you polite? I am Commander Holt, and I see you already met my son and Shiro. Hello, Shiro.""Hey, Sam. He's also met Adam.""I expected that." Commander Holt chuckled. "Well, I have paperwork to fill out concerning the Kerberos Mission. It was good to meet you, Keith.""You too, Commander." Keith let himself be led out as Commander Holt picked up his data pad."Where to next?" Keith could tell by Matt's grin that it didn't really matter where he said, because Matt had just taken over the tour. Somehow, Keith didn't think this was a bad thing.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Vengeance""What?!" Shiro was irate. "Keith was tortured?""Can we see him?" Lance asked."I want to know what the quiznak Iverson was thinking!""I understand, Shiro. The entire pack is enraged that our kit was tortured after saving the planet. I personally had to hold Krolia back or she would have torn the human apart with her bare claws," Kolivan stated."Can we see him?" Lance asked again."Yes, Blue Paladin. I will take you to him." Kolivan led Lance down to their nest, where Krolia was holding Keith gently. The cream Ulaz was reapplying to Keith's back and chest was cold, making Keith flinch every so often.Seeing the marks on his crush made Lance gasp. "Oh, Keith."Keith jerked his head up. He whined a little. "Lance.""Hold on, kit. Let me finish bandaging you up first, then Lance can come in," Ulaz said.Keith waited while Lance fidgeted outside the nest. The tick Ulaz was done, Keith held his arms out in clear invitation for Lance to enter the nest. Lance stepped into the nest and wrapped his arms around Keith's neck, remembering that that was one area devoid of marks. Keith nuzzled his head into Lance's neck. "I'm sorry we let this happen, Keith.""It's not your fault, Lance. You guys didn't know Iverson was planning to torture me.""But-""No, kit," Krolia interrupted. "None of us could have prevented it. I still want to get my claws on that man that ordered it."Lance stroked Keith's hair. "Shiro said that too."Krolia sniffed. "He can have whatever is left over once the pack and I get done with him...if there's anything left over.""Don't kill him, Mom," Keith sighed."I don't have to kill him. There are ways that will make him beg for death though.""We could start with what he did to the kit," Antok mentioned."Hang him from the ceiling by his wrists, clothed in nothing but shorts," Thace added."Multiple means of torture," Ulaz muttered."Lower room temperature," Kolivan supplied."No food or drink," Krolia put in."Fresh from a concussion," Keith murmured into Lance's chest, though it was loud enough that his pack heard it based on the growls. "But I was all healed up!""Doesn't matter, kit. You had been hurt saving this planet, and they have the nerve to string you up and torture you!""Doing it to Iverson isn't going to make me heal any faster," Keith pointed out."But it'll make us feel better," Thace reached out and stroked Keith's right cheek, causing him to purr. It was still a little scratchy, but it was a marked difference from the previous night where he couldn't even purr."If you want to get to Iverson before Shiro does, you should leave now. I can stay here with Keith, if he doesn't mind," Lance offered."It definitely looks like he doesn't mind. You two should probably talk while we go see Iverson." Krolia bent closer. "I fully expect you two to be mates by the time we get back.""Mom!""Mates?!""The term is dating on Earth, Mom."Lance looked down at the Paladin in his arms. "Oh, is that what she meant? I have no problem with us dating, if Keith has no issues."Keith snuggled against Lance a little more. "I have no issue. Besides, this is nice."Krolia grinned and nuzzled both of their heads before she left with the rest of the pack in tow. The quintet of Blades marched right into Iverson's office, glad that they made it there first. Maybe Shiro had gone to inform the other Paladins first.Iverson looked up when his door was slammed open, partially surprised it remained on its hinges. He had to fight the tremors that threatened to wrack his body at the sight of the five Galra that rescued Kogane last night. One look at the lone female of the group gave him the feeling they weren't there for a chat."Can I help you?" Iverson was surprised that his voice didn't waver."You ordered the torture of our kit after he helped save your planet. As pack, or family as you call it, to our kit, we have the right to seek retribution," Kolivan spoke first, his voice as calm as ever."Retribution?""He has a lot to answer for," Krolia mentioned. "He was biased against our kit when he attended the Garrison. I saw many of glimpses of the past concerning this man when Keith and I were on the space whale, as Keith called it."Antok growled at Iverson, approaching the desk rapidly. He grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air easily. He could very easily crush his throat, but the pack had other ideas.Unfortunately, there were multiple gasps at the doorway to Iverson's office. Ulaz turned and saw Shiro, Allura, Pidge, and Hunk all standing there staring at Iverson dangling from Antok's claws. "Don't kill him!""Oh we won't kill him," Thace reassured, to which the Paladins breathed a sigh of relief. "But he'll wish we had."That threat was met by a sharp intake of breath. Shiro stepped further into the office. "We want answers. Why did he torture Keith? Was his earlier apology an act or did he actually mean it?""He tortured our kit simply because he is part Galra," Ulaz answered. "He admitted that last night.""I...didn't...know he...was a...child," Iverson wheezed, futilely pulling at Antok's claws."IT SHOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED!" Krolia roared. The Paladins were shocked. They had never heard Krolia make that sound before.Antok growled again, tightening his claws ever so slightly. He would love nothing more than to snap the human's neck and consider their kit avenged. However, the choice wasn't theirs.%%%"Keith, you shouldn't be moving!" Lance exclaimed."I'll be fine, Lance. We have to stop my pack from torturing Iverson." Keith left the nest room, Lance following close behind.They made it to Iverson's office in time to hear Krolia roar, "IT SHOULDN'T HAVE MATTERED!"Keith's kit instincts caused him to whimper at the sound of his mother's roar, even though it wasn't directed at him. The tick he whimpered, several things happened. Lance draped his jacket over Keith, Antok dropped Iverson, the entire pack rushed over to their kit, and Krolia nosed Keith's hair."Kit, what are you doing out of the nest?" Krolia asked, rumbling to him.He tucked himself under her chin. "I don't want you to torture him, Mom. I'm healing just fine, and as long as he promises not to do it again, that will be enough for me.""I understand, kit. Truly I do, but this is actually a part of our culture that spans several millennia. Kits are protected at all costs. Any pack member whose kit who had been hurt gets to seek vengeance." Krolia caressed Keith's cheeks. "You, my sweet kit, were tortured. This cannot go unpunished."Keith whined. "There has
to be some way for you to seek vengeance but not torture Iverson.""Why are you wanting him to not
be tortured, kit?" Kolivan asked. "From what Krolia told us, you two have been at odds from the beginning.""This war has taken from everyone. We have lost people, places, our sense of security. We shouldn't be torturing the ones we have left, no matter their transgressions. Please leave Iverson alone. Even though he did wrong, he is
on our side."Krolia sighed. "Very well, kit. We will discuss alternatives. However, you need to go back to the nest...with your mate.""Boyfriend, Mom. He's not my mate yet," Keith corrected.Shiro's eyes widened at the turn the conversation just took. "Boyfriend?""Yeah. Keith and I just admitted our feelings for each other," Lance answered.Antok scooped up Lance and Keith, ignoring the "whoa!" he got from Lance, who still had his arms around Keith. Keith simply relaxed in Lance's arms and purred."I still want to snap his neck," Antok growled.Keith smiled and nuzzled Antok's neck. "I know. Maybe we should go to the training hall and you guys can let out your aggression on the punching bags or something."Ulaz lightly thwapped Keith on top of his head. "No training for you, kit. You are still recovering.""I know that. Besides, I want to cuddle my boyfriend.""We all wouldn't mind spending time with Keith, given what we just learned happened," Shiro spoke up.Keith peeked over Antok's arm. "I understand that, Shiro, but let my pack spend some more time with me first, since they're the ones who found me. I will spend time with you guys tomorrow at the earliest."Shiro stepped over and reached out his left hand. Keith nuzzled his hand with a purr. "Just as long as you're okay, Keith.""I will be, 'Kashi.""We will make sure of it, Shiro," Ulaz stated as Antok left the room, carrying their kit and his mate back to the nest. "You have my word on that."Shiro nodded as the rest of the pack and the other Paladins left. Iverson watched as his office was emptied of people other than himself and Officer Shirogane. He finally picked himself off the floor where he had fallen when the largest Galra had dropped him as he watched Shirogane pause at his door. He pulled himself back into his chair when Shirogane closed the door and turned back to face Iverson. "Now that we're alone, sir, there's the matter of what my
vengeance is going to entail."%%%No one knew what went on in Iverson's office, and no one had seen Iverson for an entire week, but when he appeared at a meeting of higher ups, he looked like he had had a rough time, and that was before the Blades had gotten ahold of him. All anyone knew was he never looked sideways at Keith again.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Ensuring Keith's Safety"Lotor stalked down the corridor. He wanted this alliance, but there was something he wanted more than the alliance with Voltron. He wanted his empress to be safe and cared for. If he couldn't trust the Voltron Paladins or the Blades of Marmora to take care of Keith, then he will leave without the alliance but with Keith.He knew the Paladins and the leader of the Blade of Marmora had gathered on the bridge and were expecting him to be there, but the bridge was so far away from Keith, who was sleeping at the moment. He didn't want to be that far away from his beloved hybrid, especially if he woke up alone; something Lotor didn't want to have happen.Lotor opened a private communique to Princess Allura. "Hello, Princess. May I request that we move this discussion to the lounge?""What? Why?""Please, Princess. Indulge me." Lotor was trying to keep his cool. Losing his temper was not the way to approach this situation.Another voice was heard over the comms. "Allura, let's go ahead and meet in the lounge. It's probably a better location anyway."There was a pause. "If you think so, Shiro. We'll be there in two doboshes."The link was terminated, and Lotor breathed a sigh of relief. Now, he had two doboshes to wait before he could rail at his would-be allies. He fought the urge to narrow his eyes at their approach. He just felt better that Keith was not present for this meeting.He followed the Blade Leader into the lounge and took a seat across from the coalition. "Before we discuss the terms of this alliance. I have something that has come to my attention. During the siege on Naxzela, there was an attack on a Galra cruiser that had a unique shield that was difficult to take down. One coalition member decided to try and ram his ship into the shield in order to try to take it down. Fortunately, I stepped in, taking down the shield. What I want to know is who instilled this lack of self-preservation in Keith?""What? Keith tried to ram his ship into the shield? He could've died!" the Blue Paladin, Lance, cried."He understood that the mission is more important than the individual," Kolivan, the Blade Leader, replied.Lotor resisted the urge to growl. "Keith
is more important than any
mission. He is exhausted to the point that he passed out.""Why do you care about him?" Allura questioned."Why don't
you?" Lotor shot back."Answer the question," Shiro said."Keith is to be by my side once I take over the Empire. He is my empress.""You cannot have him," Shiro snarled."That is not up to you," Lotor stated. "He is not
being cared for, his needs are not being met, and no one else seems to understand him. I alone can do all three. I will take him with me, and he will want for nothing.""He is one of my Blades. He does not want for anything.""Except safety," Lotor pointed out. "He needs to be safe and loved. He will have that with me.""Are you willing to forgo the alliance to ensure Keith's wants?"Lotor stared Allura in the eyes and answered, voice unwavering, "Yes. Keith is more important to me than any alliance could be.""What makes you think you can just waltz in here and take Keith?" Lance asked."I am not taking him. He will come with me of his own accord, once he is reassured that it is time. My empress is eagerly awaiting the time he joins me. He has told me that he doesn't feel like a Paladin anymore, and that he doesn't like the Blades' emphasis on the mission over the individual."Lotor could tell that his words hit the coalition hard. He didn't care if he had this alliance or not. He would walk out of there with his empress and have no regrets.It came as a complete surprise when the silence was broken by the Yellow Paladin, who had been quiet this entire time. "Would we be able to talk with Keith or maybe visit him? I mean, once you and he leave."Everyone turned and faced Hunk. Lotor admired the Paladin. It took a lot of guts to go against the majority. "Of course, you can as long as he wants it and no one tries to kidnap him."Hunk smiled. "That's good. Keith's mostly alone in the universe. His mom left him early in his life, and his Dad died a few ye-uh, deca-phoebes later. He had no one until Shiro recruited him for the Garrison."Lotor nodded. "He told me that much as well. It still hurts him though, and it took me a while to prove to him that I would never leave him, never hurt
him." Lotor stood up. "Now, unless you are still willing to form an alliance, I'm going to take my leave. Keith is resting right now, and I do not wish to disturb him. We are not leaving until he awakens."Lotor exited the lounge and reentered Keith's old room, pleased to see his empress still asleep. He sat down next to him and gently carded his claws through his hair, providing comfort but not enough to disturb his rest. Lotor hoped they wouldn't encounter any issues when it came time to leave. Keith's safety was his top priority, and he would do anything to ensure his safety...no matter what it took.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Distress"Lance woke up with a gasp, his breathing coming in pants. He grasped his blanket and pulled it up to his chin. He was shaking from the nightmare and whimpered. He wanted someone to hold him, to tell him it was all right like his mother used to.%%%Keith was walking back to his room from the training deck. He didn't like that Allura had put a time limit on how long someone could be in there and how late it would stay open. He found that out the hard way when he proceeded past the time limit and was unceremoniously carried out by the gladiator he had been fighting.He was passing by Lance's room when he heard the panicked gasps. He paused. What was going on? He knocked on the door. "Lance?""K-Keith."Keith took that as an invitation to enter, and his heart broke at the sight of his boyfriend shaking. He immediately came over and tugged the brunette into his arms. He nuzzled his head and purred to him, wanting to calm him down.Lance was glad when Keith pulled him into his arms. He loved when Keith purred, whether it was to him or in his sleep. True, it was a Galran trait, but Lance didn't care. It was just part of who his boyfriend was."Lance, what happened?" Keith's purr was heard in his voice.Lance buried his face in Keith's chest with a whimper. "It was a nightmare. You had left to go with the Blades and didn't come back, didn't talk to us, and broke up with me."Keith purred a little louder and nuzzled Lance's head again. "I would never
leave for the Blades permanently. Kolivan knows that. My home is here in the castle with you. I couldn't leave you, Lance. I love you too much.""I love you too, Keith." Lance snuggled against Keith. "Stay with me?"Keith kissed the top of Lance's head. "Of course."He shimmied down and laid down with Lance still in his arms. Keith maneuvered the blanket to lay over the both of them. Lance tucked his head into the crook of Keith's neck, letting Keith hold him close. Keith's purr lulled him to sleep, and his arms holding him ensured that his nightmare wouldn't return.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Congregate""Kolivan, where are we going?" Keith asked from on top of Antok's shoulders. Antok couldn't help but put Keith up on his shoulders, even though it scared the kit the first time he did it. Keith had clung to the large Galra's head and bent nearly in half, hoping he didn't hit anything being so far up. He only knew how far up he was because when he was picked up, he could feel the air around him rush longer than it did when his Daddy or Papa picked him up. He had learned that Antok was the tallest in his pack."It is time for you to meet some more members of our organization...and another kit."Keith perked up. "Another kit? Is he like me?""No, kit. He is part Galra though. He has a tail like me," Antok answered, bringing his tail up and rubbing it up and down Keith's back.Keith purred at the affection. "Is he your kit, Antok?"Antok chuckled. "No, kit. Not biologically. He is very excitable and curious, so do not take offense when he asks about your eyes."Keith nodded. "I understand."It wasn't much longer before Keith heard another young voice call out, "Antok!"Keith also felt a small body collide with Antok, who fake staggered back (but not in danger of falling). "Hello, Regris."It was then that Regris noticed the younger kit sitting on Antok's shoulders. "Who's this?"Antok gently picked Keith up and set him down in front of him, keeping a clawed hand on his shoulder in order to let him know he was still nearby. "This is Keith. Thace and Ulaz have adopted him since his parents are gone."Regris was excited to have someone to play with, even though he didn't look Galran and was much younger than he was. He stuck his hand out. "Hi, I'm Regris.""I'm Keith," Keith said but didn't stick out his hand or grab Regris's, confusing the older kit."Why didn't you grab my hand, and why won't you look me in the face?""He didn't see your hand, kit. Keith is blind," Kolivan stated.Regris got a little closer to Keith, staring at his hazy purple eyes, and waved his tail in front of his face. He was surprised when Keith swiped at his tail and yelped."Please don't do that," Keith requested."How did you know I was doing anything?""Your tail was making the air move, so I could tell that something was waving in front of my face.""Amazing!"%%%While the kits were interacting, there were four Blades that were watching them and had heard Kolivan's explanation of this latest kit being blind. Hopefully, their leaders weren't intent on having this new kit become a Blade when he grew up. He didn't look Galra and was blind. He would be a liability on the battlefield, even if he could be trained. They hoped he wasn't going to be training with Regris. They already didn't care for the excitable kit that was close with Antok, and this new kit seemed to have won the favor of both of their leaders all ready, something some of the Blades have been trying to do since their trials.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Sharing His Heat"Keith was on the training deck, trying to work out his nervousness and frustration. He knew no one on the castle ship would be happy that he was on the training deck this close to his heat, but that didn't stop him. He felt like he had
to train, so when his heat hit, it was only a few quintants off instead of a full movement.%%%Lance frowned when he saw the empty nest his Omega had made in their room. Lance had gone to collect more supplies for him as requested (he couldn't resist his Omega's requests, especially this close to his heat). He didn't expect Keith to have disappeared before he got back. Glancing around the room gave Lance a clue as to where Keith had gone. Both his bayard and his Marmora knife were gone.%%%Keith could tell he was suffering. He should stop but didn't know if he would be able to on his own. Keith whimpered. He needed his Alpha.As if he was drawn there by Keith's whimper, Lance opened the doors. "End training sequence!"Not only did the gladiators drop, but Keith did too, his bayard deactivating and his sword transforming back into a knife. He sunk to his knees, Lance by his side in an instant. Keith reached out for Lance, and he scooped up Keith, carrying him out of the training deck.
"Alpha."
"Shh, Omega. I'm taking you back to your nest.""Our nest," Keith corrected."Shh. Your heat is starting early due to your training. That's why we tell you not to train. Now, it's going to be a longer, more intense heat, but don't worry, Omega. I'll be there with you."Keith nuzzled Lance's neck, immersing himself in his Alpha's scent. Lance quickly returned to their shared quarters and laid his Omega in the nest. Remaining outside the nest, Lance put Keith's bayard and knife on the table across the room and undressed himself and Keith, adding their clothes to the nest. He only entered the nest when Keith raised his arms out to him. He stepped in and gathered his Omega in his arms. Keith whimpered and continuously nuzzled his Alpha.Lance kneaded his Omega's scent gland with his teeth. The little gasps escaping the pretty Omega made the Alpha grin. "Please, mark me, Alpha!"Lance didn't hesitate and bit Keith's neck. Keith screamed in pleasure. The Alpha released his Omega, who slumped against him. "Thank you, Alpha.""My pretty Omega, you're so sweet, even deep in your heat."Keith rubbed his head against Lance's chest. "Only to you, Alpha."Lance rumbled softly. "Now, let's take care of your heat."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Surrounded By Love"Keith entered the lounge after taking a shower. He had been on the training deck for most of the morning, and, even though he missed lunch, he was wanting someone to hug him, to hold him. His eyes took in the scene in the room before him in dismay. Shiro and Lance were wrapped around each other with no room in between them for Keith to wiggle into. Coran was brushing Allura's hair while she entertained the mice. Pidge was typing away on her laptop, once in awhile stopping to assist Hunk with a piece of tech they were trying to figure out. Oh well. At least there was a place for him to sit. He would be fine. He lasted a year in the desert alone without someone to hug him. He would be just
fine. Unconsciously, he wrapped his arms around himself, but unfortunately, it looked like his arms were crossed to anyone who looked at Keith.%%%Lance sighed contentedly into Shiro's chest. He loved
spending time with his boyfriend, especially when there was time to cuddle. The door opening caught his attention, and he was surprised to see Keith. He was sure the Red Paladin would have been still on the training deck, especially since he seemed to live there. Keith seemed to pause at the door for longer than usual before he sat down on the edge of one of the couches and crossed his arms like he was being forced to be there. Lance suppressed the urge to huff and simply snuggled into Shiro's chest as if he was trying to bury himself into Shiro's vest.%%%Shiro had his face buried in Lance's hair but was still able to see Keith walk into the room. The other Paladin's black hair was still wet from his shower as his violet eyes roved over everyone there. After what seemed to be an over exaggerated amount of time, Keith settled himself on the edge of the couch nearest him and Lance. Shiro's attention was drawn back to Lance as his boyfriend snuggled further into his chest.%%%The two Alteans didn't really take notice of Keith's entrance. Everyone else had gathered in the lounge, so who else was left on the ship to enter the room except Keith? It also escaped their notice that his posture wasn't the same closed off attitude he usually displayed.%%%Pidge knew Keith was headed their way. He had messaged her and asked where everyone was at. She shot a message back stating that everyone was in the lounge and that she and Hunk were making a little headway decoding the alien tech that they had been working on for weeks. So, when Keith entered, Pidge didn't even lift her gaze from her lap top. She continued to work on decoding the piece of tech.%%%Hunk had noticed Pidge's message from Keith and had accidentally read it and Pidge's response, which he simultaneously regretted and didn't regret. So, he also knew that Keith had entered the lounge. He was pleased that the entire team was together, even though they were engaged in different activities.%%%Keith wrapped his arms around himself tighter. He had been thinking about why he was able to spend a year in the desert by himself without falling apart but wasn't able to last a week out here and had figured it out. In the desert, he had had this feeling of comfort, even though he had been alone. The feeling emanated from the Blue Lion. She had apparently felt his loneliness and wanted to comfort him, even though he wasn't her Paladin. That comfort came through the temporary bond he had with her and filled him with comfort like he was being hugged. So, he had
been getting hugged while in the desert.Since no one seemed to acknowledge his presence, Keith figured he might as well go see Red. He knew she'd never ignore him. He stood up but only made it a couple steps from the couch before he collapsed, a soft cry escaping him before he fell unconscious.%%%Several things happened at once when Keith collapsed on the floor. Lance shot out of Shiro's grasp as if he had been shocked, Allura gasped, Shiro gripped his head as if in pain, and three roars resounded in the castle. Once the pain subsided in Shiro's head, he walked over to Keith and picked him up. He carried him out the door, Allura and Lance on his heels.%%%Black Lion, Blue Lion, and Red Lion all felt Keith's emotions. Their Paladin was hurting. Even though he didn't pilot her, Blue still considered him hers. So when he fell unconscious, all three lions were outraged and roared through their bonds with their other Paladins, Black ordering her primary Paladin to bring Keith to them.The three lions had gathered in Black's hangar and waited for Keith to be brought to them. When Shiro carried Keith into the hangar, they focused their quintessence and transformed into their real lioness forms. Black approached her Paladins and growled. "Give me the boy."Shiro laid the unconscious Paladin down on the floor, and Black gently maneuvered him onto her back and carried him over to the two other lionesses. Black laid down, allowing her secondary Paladin to slide off her back. Once Keith was settled against her back, Red and Blue curled around him, protecting him.Shiro, Lance, and Allura stared at the trio of lions encircling the Red Paladin. Lance approached Blue, who growled at him, her tail lashing. "Stay back, Paladin.""Blue, wha-?""He was hurting. He needs a hug.""A hug?""Yes. He wanted someone to hold him, but you all were too busy.""He didn't say anything," Allura mentioned."He shouldn't have had to say anything!" Red growled. Keith whimpered in his unconscious state. Red laid her head in his lap and purred to him, soothing him. Blue nuzzled Keith's arm, and Black licked his hair.A purr worked itself out of Keith's throat at the attention he was receiving from his lions. His eyes fluttered open and landed on the trio of lions curled around him. "Red?""It's okay, cub. We're here for you.""I don't understand.""It's okay, cub." Blue nuzzled Keith. "We'll take care of you."Black Lion continued to lick his hair, eliciting a louder purr from Keith. Red purred to her Paladin, her head still in his lap. Blue nuzzled Keith's side. Keith didn't know Shiro, Lance, and Allura were there or when they left. He loved the attention he was getting from the lionesses but was getting tired. His eyes started sliding closed, but he wrenched them back open, only for them to slide back down."It's all right, cub. You can go to sleep, my dear Paladin. We will stay here with you." Red purred to Keith as he fell asleep. He knew the lions would keep him safe, because he was surrounded by love.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Silent Pleading"It was a quiet day at headquarters, especially since the day cycle had just began. Everyone was in the familial nest with Keith and Acxa cuddled up against their mom, Ezor laying on top of her Daddy, Lotor snuggled against Kolivan with a hand clinging to his braid, and Regris splayed out over Antok with their tails linked. Ulaz was laying behind Acxa, and Taulol was curled around Keith, her face buried in his slightly longer strands of hair that spilled down to just above his shoulders.The little family was just starting to wake up, except for Regris. The eldest kit loved to sleep in, especially on top of his Dad. Ulaz was the one who attempted to leave the nest first. He only got as far as backing away from Acxa before the youngest female kit whimpered. Ulaz froze and looked at Acxa. He paused, unsure of what she was whining about. The look she pinned on him was silently pleading with him to curl back around her. Ulaz felt like he shouldn't leave and scooted back into his position curled around her. Acxa closed her eyes and purred softly.Taulol lifted her head from Keith's hair and gave him a couple of licks before she moved away from him. A sleepy chirp left him, which made Taulol pause. She bent over and nuzzled his cheek. "It's all right, kit. It's time for me to report to the communications room."She straightened up but made the mistake of looking into Keith's purple eyes. The look in them made Taulol feel guilty about leaving the kit. She laid back down, burying her face back in Keith's hair where it had been while she was sleeping. Keith smiled sleepily and purred to his surrogate aunt.Krolia was awake the entire time but kept her eyes closed. She knew her twins had a talent that they were just beginning to realize the power of. She knew the entire pack was in danger of falling under their power, and, if she was honest with herself, she couldn't wait to see Kolivan (and Antok) fall.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Special Occasion"Adam smiled as he felt the sunlight on his face. That fact meant that Takashi was awake already. His fiancée always opened the curtains before he left for his early hoverbike ride, knowing how Adam liked to wake up to the sunlight on his face. Opening his eyes gave him the scene of his beloved Takashi standing in the doorway with a tray of delicious smelling food in his hands and a smile on his face."Good morning, handsome.""Good morning yourself," Adam yawned. "So, what's the occasion?" A second passed before he added, "You didn't cook that yourself, did you?"Shiro laughed. "No. You know I can't cook. It was Keith.""Sad when a teenager can cook better than a grown adult.""Sad when a grown adult asks the teenager for advice on class assignments.""Touché." Adam received a kiss when Shiro got close enough and after he set the tray down. "But, seriously, what is the occasion?"Shiro set the tray on Adam's lap with an astonished look on his face. "You seriously don't remember?""Should I?"Shiro blinked. "It's your birthday, Adam."Adam was surprised. "Huh. I guess I forgot." Looking down at the tray, he added, "Speaking of forgetting, where's the coffee, Takashi?""It wasn't ready.""It is now!" Keith walked in carefully, holding a steaming cup of coffee, with a grin on his face. He set it down on the tray, pulling out the creamer and sugar from his pockets and setting them on the tray as well. "Happy birthday, Adam." Keith fidgeted slightly on his feet. "I know you probably want to spend all day alone with Shiro, so I will go back to the barracks and-""Whoa, slow down there, Keith. Who said that's what I wanted?""What? It's not?"Adam blushed. "As nice as spending time with only Takashi is, what I really want is to spend time with a wild, disaster of a lieutenant and a sharp tongued cadet who is an amazing cook."Shiro and Keith both blushed at Adam's accurate descriptions of them. They both sat down on the bed and watched (but not staring) Adam eat his birthday breakfast, happy that they both got to stay with the brunette officer that was family to them and considered them the same.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Observing""Again! Again!"Keith blinked. He didn't understand why Regris was getting so excited from getting beaten by him. Then again, Keith didn't understand how he was
beating Regris. "Okay?""Yay!"The two kits didn't realize that Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz were observing them. Ulaz was leaning against his mate as they watched their kit play fight with the only other kit in the organization. They were extremely proud of how far Keith had gotten in the deca-phoebe that had passed since he met Regris, who was no less intrigued by Keith's sightlessness. Even though Antok had warned Keith about Regris's excitedness, Thace and Ulaz could tell that Keith wasn't used to being around someone who was that energetic.Kolivan and Antok were observing the kits with Kolivan leaning against his larger mate, who was watching the kits in an effort not to unbraid Kolivan's white strands. Antok loved to mess with Kolivan's braid. His mate was so serious until his braid was undone. Then, he was so relaxed that he almost melted into Antok's claws.The kits' play fighting dissolved into tumbling, where Regris kept his tail wrapped around his waist in order to make sure it didn't get in the way. Regris loved that Keith was there on the base and was allowed to play with him. Training was nice, but a kit needed play time as well, and it was always better to play with someone close to your own size and/or age. He didn't care that Keith couldn't see nor did he think it disadvantaged Keith in any way, shape, or form. In fact, he was excited to have a playmate, especially since the adult Blades didn't like him. It was only four of the adult Blades that disliked him; mostly because he was a kit. There were also the same ones who continuously threw dirty looks at Keith. Maybe he should tell the four highest ranking Blades. He quickly stole a glance at said Blades, who were watching them. Maybe not. Perhaps he would not say anything until later. Perhaps the four Blades who disliked both himself and Keith would grow to like them, given enough time.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Coming Together"Acxa was in the shooting range, practising her aim, when Veronica joined her. Acxa paused in her shooting to greet Veronica with a nuzzle and a soft purr. They had been dating for several months and were just
getting comfortable being affectionate around other people.Veronica smiled at the Galra greeting. She understood that it was the way Galra greet their boyfriend/girlfriend. She had seen Keith greet Lance the same way but with a louder purr. "Hi, Acxa. Are you busy tonight?"Acxa paused for a moment. "Not really. I don't think Keith has a mission planned. He usually tells us well in advance.""Would you want to meet my family over dinner tonight?""Sure." Externally, Acxa seemed indifferent to the question. Internally, she was screaming. She considered herself fortunate that she could finish practice without her aim deviating at all. She cut her practice short and nuzzled Veronica before she left the shooting range. She walked down the corridor, and when she determined she was far enough away, she broke into a run. "KEITH!!!!!"Keith rolled out his room, Marmora blade transformed in his hand and poised in a battle position. Seeing no enemy, he stood up, his blade transforming back into a knife. "Acxa, what's the problem?""I need your help, brother! Veronica invited me to meet her family over dinner."Keith smiled. "Well, that's wonderful, isn't it?""But I don't know what to wear!"Keith grinned. "It's true that you can't wear your Blade uniform, but I think I can enlist some help to pick out some clothes. I'm also coming along and will buy anything you need." Acxa looked like she wanted to interrupt, but Keith put a finger to her lips. "Let me do this as your older brother.""Barely older," Acxa muttered good naturedly. "Will you also come to dinner with me?"Keith grinned and drew his sister into a hug. "I'd be glad to. Mama McClain loves having me over."%%%"What exactly are you asking me for?" Nadia asked."Please, Rizavi. I need your help. Acxa needs a nice outfit to meet the McClain family," Keith pleaded."Why are you asking?" Nadia was suspicious."Acxa is my twin sister." Keith was confused at her surprised expression. "I thought that was common knowledge.""Not exactly, but I'd be glad to help. Do either of you have money?""I do. The Garrison has to pay reparation to me for unlawfully kicking me out." Keith smirked."Why did they kick you out?""Iverson provoked me by badmouthing the Kerberos crew, specifically Shiro, and I decked him in the face." Keith's smirk grew bigger. "That's why he can't see out of his left eye. Anyway, let's go."Nadia followed Keith silently. She had never interacted with Keith before, and perhaps she let James color her interpretation of him. Keith had seemed cold and distant, but he was warm, especially towards his family, just socially awkward.They met up with Acxa near the mall. Keith noticed her and chirped, gaining his sister's attention. The twins nuzzled each other in greeting. "Acxa, Rizavi is willing to help you pick out a nice outfit to meet Veronica's family in."Acxa nodded to Nadia and allowed the human to pull her into a clothing store. Keith followed at a subdued pace, never losing sight of the pair. He stood near the counter, trusting Nadia to outfit his sister in clothing appropriate for meeting the McClain family. He was on his phone, messaging Lance.
Can I come over for dinner tonight?
Sure. My mom is making tamales tonight.
We'll be over.
Keith smiled at his phone until he heard, "Keith!"He looked up just in time to see his mom rush over. He grinned and tucked himself under her chin with a purr. "Hi, Mama." His left hand drifted down to rest on her slightly rounded stomach. "Hi, little one."Krolia nosed Keith's hair as the rest of the pack approached. Antok and Kolivan came to stand next to their expecting mate, Thace had his arms wrapped around Ulaz with his chin resting on his mate's shoulder, and Regris hurried over to Keith's other side. Keith purred louder being surrounded by the older members of his pack.A chirp drew their attention to Acxa, who was standing near by in a beautiful, muted burgundy, knee length dress with three quarter length sleeves. She hurried to her mother's and brothers' sides, giving and receiving nuzzles. Her right hand rested on her mother's baby bump. "Hello, little one.""Acxa! I wasn't done!" Nadia called out.All eight Galra (or part-Galra) looked over at the human, who had her hands on her hips, a basket hanging from one of her wrists. Her posture didn't waver even when she had eight pairs of eyes on her. Keith looked at what his sister was wearing and what Nadia had in the basket. "I think this is just fine for dinner with the McClains. She just needs shoes to go with it. Go put away the other things, I'll pay for the dress, and we'll find a shoe store."Acxa hurried back to the fitting room to change her clothes, and Keith turned back to the rest of his pack. "So, what are you guys doing here?""I want to pick out some clothes for my new little kit," Krolia answered."And she dragged the rest of us along," Thace added."I volunteered to come," Regris corrected.Acxa reappeared with the dress in her arms and handed it to the cashier, who rang it up. Keith went to pull out his card, when Kolivan stepped in and paid for the dress. When Keith tried to argue, he simply said, "Indulge me, kit."Keith frowned but put away his wallet, grumbling under his breath. Acxa and Keith bid good-bye to their pack as Nadia waited none too patiently at the entrance/exit.%%%Keith straightened his black suit jacket as he and his twin approached the front door of the McClain house. Keith was actually glad he had agreed to accompany his sister as there were several times where he had to physically lead Acxa in the direction of the house or she would have turned around and never made it to dinner.Keeping an arm around his twin's shoulders, Keith knocked on the door. Unsurprisingly, Mrs. McClain opened the door. "Keith, Acxa, welcome! Come in!"Keith smiled. "Hi, Mama McClain. Thank you for having us over.""You are family.""Keith!"Keith looked up to see Lance coming down the stairs in a more dressy version of his usual blue and white shirt. Keith released his sister's shoulders and went to Lance's side. He wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled his head with a purr.Acxa jumped slightly when she felt a hand slip into hers. She cast her eyes to the side and saw it was just Veronica. "Hello, sweetheart."Acxa nuzzled Veronica's head with a soft purr, which was heard in her voice. "Hi.""Dinner's ready!" Rachel called out."Yay!""Dinner!"Keith braced himself as Sylvio and Nadia raced into the foyer on their way to the dining room and saw him. They chorused, "Uncle Keith!""Hello, you two." Keith laughed as Sylvio hung from his shoulders and Nadia hugged him around the waist."Nadia, Sylvio, let go of Keith and wash your hands," Lisa admonished.Keith bent his knees so Sylvio would have a shorter distance to drop down to. Lance's niece and nephew released Keith and raced off to do as their mother said. Lance and Veronica led their significant others to the dining room and pulled their chairs out for them. As their eyes met across the table, Veronica and Keith knew this dinner was going to be amazing.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Joining The Paladins"Keith couldn't believe he was staring at the Thaldycon system. He had heard that the Blades had a base there and that there was a special trick to getting to it but couldn't remember what that trick was.Suddenly, the alarm started blaring. Coran exclaimed, "There's an intruder in the castle!""How could someone just sneak aboard the ship?" Lance asked."I knew coming here was a mistake!" Allura started flipping through screens before finally pulling up the security system. "There he is. Level five.""Everyone, suit up," Shiro ordered. As Keith put on his armor, he couldn't help but grin. He recognized the uniform the 'intruder' was wearing. It was a member of the Blade, and he wondered which operative it was.Everyone took up solo positions along level five, hoping to see, if not catch, the intruder. Keith knew none of them would be able to stop the Blade, so it came as no surprise when Coran's voice came over his helmet's comm system."All right, it's up to Keith now.""Copy that. I'm ready." Keith activated his bayard and started running down the corridor."Ooh, this is exciting! He's got a sword. One young Paladin, one seemingly indestructible foe..."As soon as Coran stopped talking, the Blade came around the corner. Keith had to duck under the grappling line from Pidge's bayard and slid a little before he managed to change directions. He started running after the Blade but had to jump over the grappling line before he tried to catch up with the intruder. He recognized the uniform as the one Ulaz wore. He fought to keep the grin off his face. He couldn't believe his Papa was there!Keith swung at Ulaz, but he dodged, not surprising Keith in the slightest. "Swing and a miss!"Keith tried again. This time, Ulaz paused, causing Keith to go past him in a somerault as he turned down another hallway. "Another swing and a miss!"Keith growled as Coran spoke again. "He can't catch him! He's too fast!"Keith caught Pidge's gaze, and she nodded and tried to dig her heels in to slow the Blade down, giving Keith the opportunity to catch up. Ulaz stopped running and turned in time to block Keith's bayard with his Marmoran blade that was on his back. He easily knocked Keith's bayard out of his hand."He knocked his bayard out of his hands! It's on the ground!"Keith grinned as Coran kept commentating and simply unsheathed his mom's knife, holding it out in his hands (palms up) like an offering as he knelt on one knee in front of Ulaz.Ulaz dropped Pidge's grappling line and pushed down his hood, his mask disappearing. His ears flicked as soon as they were free, and his eyes widened. "Keith? Kit, is that really you?"Keith stood up and sheathed the knife. He yanked off his helmet, revealing the tears in his eyes, and tucked himself under Ulaz's chin. "Papa! I missed you so much!"Ulaz wrapped his arms around Keith, nosing his hair. "Oh, kit. I missed you so much. It's all right. I'm here. I've got you." Keith pulled back slightly to look his Papa in the face and met Ulaz's eyes, which widened slightly. "Kit, what happened to your cheek stripes?""I had to hide them while I was on Earth, and I got used to hiding them, but they're still here.""That's a relief. When I saw that you were a Paladin of Voltron, I remembered Krolia's nightmare about how you lost your stripes and your memories of us."Keith tucked himself back under Ulaz's chin. "It's okay, Papa. I still have them."The other four Paladins finally caught up to them and were surprised to see Keith hugging the intruder. Shiro's eyes widened at Ulaz. "Ulaz?""Hello again, Shiro. It is good to see you."The distinctive click of Allura's boots caught Keith's attention, and he realized that she wouldn't be pleased with having a Galra on her ship. As soon as Allura rounded the corner, her eyes narrowed. Keith stood in front of his Papa and immediately put his arms out, shielding him from the Altean Princess. "Allura, please don't attack him. This is Ulaz. He is one of the beings who raised me.""Raised you? Weren't you born on Earth?" Pidge asked."No. I was raised out here in space by a rebel group of Galra, one of whom was Ulaz. He's my Papa."Allura narrowed her eyes. "Rebel Galra? There's no such thing."Keith narrowed his eyes at her in return. "How dare you! Not all of us are like the Empire!""Keith? Why would you say 'us' when talking about rebel Galra?" Shiro asked."Because I am part Galra and was raised by the Blade of Marmora," Keith stated, adding in his mind, 'and my siblings.'"Impossible," Allura breathed."Uh, dude, you were on Earth when we found the Blue Lion," Lance pointed out."I was sent to Earth to protect the Blue Lion," Keith explained. He didn't want to add about collecting information about humans, which he was waiting to send home."Why did you enroll at the Garrison then?" Hunk inquired."Eh, it gave me something to do. I was hoping to be able to contact my pack, but Earth wasn't that far in space travel.""So, you're Galra?" Lance questioned."Part Galra," Keith corrected."That explains so much," Shiro muttered. When everyone turned and looked at Shiro, he continued, "At the Garrison, Adam, Matt, and I noticed that there was something strange about Keith and had made a bet about what it could be. Matt was the one who said aliens."Keith giggled. "You owe Matt money, then, Shiro. Anyway, can we take this to the lounge?"%%%Keith wanted to growl when Allura only agreed if Ulaz was in restraints. He sat next to his Papa, resisting the urge to sit in his lap and nuzzle him. He knew his Papa wanted to hold him as well. He pretty much tuned out the conversation Allura and the other Paladins were having.It wasn't much longer before he was piloting the Red Lion to the Thaldycon base with his Papa, Shiro, Pidge, and Hunk riding along. He was so glad that the restraints were off Ulaz that the tick they left the Red Lion, Keith hugged Ulaz again. He whimpered. "It's all right, kit. I'm here. I'm so proud of you. The entire pack will be.""I know you guys didn't want me to be part of the war, let alone piloting one of the lions, but I did the best I could, Papa. I did the research Dad wanted," Keith said, handing Ulaz his data pad.Ulaz took his data pad and copied the file onto his data pad before he handed his kit his back. "Kolivan will be glad to get this.""Can we talk to them now?""No, kit. Your team wants answers for their questions." Ulaz turned towards the other Paladins and led them deeper into the base. Keith admired the view while Pidge asked Ulaz about her family. Keith could sympathize with her, really he could. He missed his pack and had since he was sent on his first mission two deca-phoebes ago.Suddenly, alarms were blaring, catching them all off guard. The next set of actions went by in a blur. One dobosh they were in the communications base Thaldycon and the next they had formed Voltron and were battling a robot beast (or a robeast, as Hunk had dubbed it). They were having some issues as this robeast had a tractor beam in its mouth it could use to pull not only the Xanthorium clusters but Voltron and the Castle of Lions as well."It's going for the Castle!" Keith yelled."We need some way to stop its tractor beam!" Pidge exclaimed."I've got an idea. Pidge, form shield!" Shiro ordered. Pidge formed the shield, and Voltron flew towards the robeast. "We can use the shield to block the beam!" They shoved the shield into the monster's mouth and then punched it, knocking it off balance. "Form sword!" Keith shoved his bayard into the port, and the sword appeared in Red's mouth. They quickly sliced through the robeast several times, dicing it up into tiny pieces and withdrawing their shield at the same time.The tiny pieces exploded, and Voltron split up in time to see a small Marmoran ship enter the castle ship. Keith grinned, and Red took off towards her hangar. It looked like his Papa was going to stay at the castle with him.%%%While Voltron was battling with the robeast, Ulaz made contact with headquarters. He grinned when Regris appeared on the screen. Antok was so proud of his kit when he showed an aptitude for computers and hacking. Regris visibly brightened when he saw Ulaz. "Hi, Ulaz. Why do I get the feeling this isn't a social call?""Hello, kit. You are mostly right. However, is your mother nearby? She will want to hear this news.""I can go get her.""Please do."Regris nodded and left the communications room and returned with not only Krolia but Kolivan, Antok, and Taulol as well. Kolivan caught sight of Lotor peeking into the communications room at the gathering of the adult members of his pack. He wasn't surprised to see Ezor and Acxa peeking around the doorframe as well. Kolivan whispered to Taulol about taking the three eavesdroppers away from there and that she would be filled in later.Taulol left the room and beckoned the three kits to follow her. All three looked at their mom for a tick before following their surrogate aunt. Once that was dealt with, they turned back to Ulaz. "I met up with Keith, and he gave me his report."Krolia perked up. "Keith? What are you talking about? He was stationed on Earth.""He was charged with protecting the Blue Lion. How is he supposed to do that when it was taken into space by its new Paladin unless he goes into space as well?""So, my youngest kit is in space?" Krolia asked hopefully."Yes. I'm transmitting his report to you now, leader." Ulaz sent Keith's report to headquarters."Received." Kolivan downloaded the report to his data pad to go over later."Leader, permission to join the Paladins?" Even though it was phrased as a request, everyone knew that Ulaz would do it even if Kolivan told him 'no.'"Permission granted. Keep our kit safe," Kolivan said."Tell him we love him," Krolia said."I will."%%%Allura was the only one not pleased about Ulaz joining them in the castle. She wasn't openly hostile towards Ulaz nor did she request that he be shackled. Keith was over the moon about his Papa being nearby once again. Keith was snuggling Ulaz in the lounge when Lance walked in with a strangely familiar long white box in his hands."Hey, guys! What do you say to a game?"Keith sat up, intrigued. "What game did you find?"Lance grinned and set the box down. "Everyone's favorite. Monopoly!"Keith's eyes grew wide. He and Ulaz chorused, "NO!"Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Acceptance"Keith was resting with his arms wrapped around his four-year-old son, Kuron. He had taken his son to the Blade of Marmora headquarters to raise him surrounded by his pack, who were more than happy to have their kit and his adopted son home. They didn't care who Kuron was before. Keith called him his son, so that made him their grandkit.They were resting in the familial nest, knowing that the Paladins had requested a visit. The Blades were preparing for their visit. Kolivan, Antok, Thace, Ulaz, and Regris were very protective over Kuron and knew that only Lance was allowed to be around the little boy unless Keith said otherwise.Kuron was very happy to have such a large family, even though he was confused as to why he and his Daddy didn't look like anyone else on the base. He enjoyed when his Uncle Lance found time to visit as he was very funny and was always willing to play with him. That wasn't to say that his family didn't play with him; they did. It was always better when there were more people willing to play with him. He hadn't initially wanted to take a nap, but his Daddy promised him that if he did, then Uncle Lance would come over. He knew his Daddy wouldn't lie and considered it a bonus that his Daddy napped with him.Regris entered the nest room, checking on his resting pack members. He could tell Kuron was sleeping but Keith was not by the lack of purring. "Hi, Keith."Keith turned his head and smiled. "Hey, Regris. Are the Paladins close?""Lance said that he was waiting for you to tell him when it was okay.""I'll send him a message when this little guy wakes up." Keith nuzzled his son's hair gently."It's hard to believe that not everyone likes him. He's so happy and friendly.""Hunk, Pidge, and Allura don't really know how to interact with him. It only took Lance like five doboshes to settle into his role as an 'uncle,' but that could be because he has a niece and nephew on Earth. Shiro is the only one who still doesn't like him, but I refuse to let anyone near Kuron who isn't going to treat him right.""Personally, I love the little one. I'm proud to be an uncle to him, and I know our other pack members are proud grandfathers. In fact, the entire base loves your kit.""You say that like it's news. I already knew that, Regris, but it's still nice to know."Even though they were whispering, their conversation woke up Kuron. He stirred in his Daddy's arms and opened his eyes, blinking at Keith. "Hi, Daddy.""Hey, baby. Did we wake you?""Kinda, but it's okay." Kuron stretched and then noticed Regris. "Uncle Regris!""Hello, kit. Do you want to come with me for a little bit, so your Daddy can make a call?"Kuron looked at Keith. "Are you going to call Uncle Lance?""Yes.""I wanna talk to Uncle Lance.""Okay, sweetie. Let's call Uncle Lance." Keith sat up and pulled out his data pad, Kuron sitting in his lap. He called Lance's data pad and was grateful when Lance answered. "Hi, Lance.""Hey, Keith." Lance peered at the data pad. "Is that my little nephew I see?"Kuron giggled. "Hi, Uncle Lance!""Hey, kiddo. Did you have a good nap?"The four-year-old nodded. "Uh-huh. Are you coming to visit today like Daddy said?""Sure am. In fact, we should be there soon.""Really?! Yay!""I should hang up. For some reason, these things don't want to work during a wormhole jump.""Okay, Lance. See you soon, buddy.""Bye bye, Uncle Lance.""Bye, Keith, Kuron."The link disconnected, and Keith ruffled his son's hair. "Let's get ready. We don't want to keep Uncle Lance waiting."Kuron grinned as he scampered from the nest in order to get dressed. Keith smiled as he and his son got dressed in matching BoM uniforms. Antok had meticulously sewed a small uniform for his grandkit when Keith had mentioned that Kuron didn't have clothes. In fact, Antok had made all of Kuron's clothes and was proud of the fact that the kit loved them.Keith scooped up his son and carried him to the training hall to play. Regris followed the father and son pair and stationed himself just inside the training hall door. Regris knew there were several other Blades outside the doors and several more in the hall, milling about and sharpening their blades. The four highest ranking Blades were the first ones to greet the Paladins when they arrived, giving Lance the warmest greetings."So, where is he?" Lance asked."The usual place," Thace replied.Lance grinned and set off down the corridor towards the training hall. He nodded to the Blades he saw in the corridor. He shook his head as he saw even more
Blades near the doors to the training hall, sharpening their swords. Lance entered the training hall, attracting Regris's attention. He went over to the door and glanced behind Lance. "Don't worry, Regris. Its just me. The others are still with Kolivan."Regris nodded. "We can't be too careful. The safety and happiness of Keith and his kit is of the utmost importance.""Understood." Lance glanced at where Keith was play fighting with Kuron. "They look so happy. I'm glad you guys are here for them."
"We wouldn't let a member of our pack suffer. Besides, he's family.""Uncle Lance!"Lance was knocked over by a overenthusiastic Kuron. Lance scooped him up, stood up, and tossed him into the air. He shrieked in delight, which caused a few Blades to poke their heads in. Keith waved them off, giving them a smile. He knew they were just making sure the newest kit was okay."Hey, Regris! Catch!" Lance tossed Kuron over to Regris, who wasn't too far away. Regris imitated Lance by lightly tossing the small kit into the air, causing him to laugh. Lance sidled over to Keith and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Hey, buddy. I miss you. A lot of us do.""I miss you guys too, but unless Shiro changes his behavior, we can't come visit.""Speaking of visiting, can Hunk come in here? He baked cookies and wants to give them to the little guy.""Is it just Hunk that will come in here?""Yes. You know Pidge isn't comfortable with kids and Allura still doesn't know how to treat him," Lance reassured him.Keith nodded and pulled out his data pad. He messaged Thace to accompany Hunk to the training hall. He put away his data pad in time to catch his son, whom Regris had thrown his way. Keith tickled Kuron, easing him onto the ground for a more thorough tickling. Keith paused in the tickling when Kuron was gasping for air.It was at that moment that the doors opened, admitting Thace and a visibly frightened Hunk. Keith immediately came over to Hunk's side and gave him a hug, purring to him in order to calm him down. He knew the Blades sharpening their swords scared the Yellow Paladin and felt bad about that.Hunk was happy when Keith came over and hugged him, his purr soothing his nervousness. He wrapped his arms around Keith and lifted him off the ground, a breathless laughter tinged with his purr escaping him. This unusual sound attracted Kuron's attention. "Daddy?"Hunk put Keith down, and they unwrapped their arms, Keith turning to his son. "Yes, baby?""Who's that?""This is your Uncle Hunk. He makes all kinds of good food, including treats. Do you want to say 'hi?' He made cookies."Kuron shyly made his way over to Hunk. When he was close enough, Hunk knelt down. "Hi, Kuron."Keith knelt down behind his son. "Uncle Hunk gives good hugs too. Do you want one?"The little boy nodded, and Hunk opened his arms in invitation. Kuron cautiously stepped into his arms, and Hunk hugged him with less force than he did with Keith. It was so warm and comforting that Kuron actually started purring. Hunk's eyes widened in surprise. He didn't know that he could do that. Lance joined in the hug, adding his own warmth. Keith wiggled himself behind his son, purring to him as well. It may be taking awhile, but maybe, just maybe, the rest of the team would be willing to accept Kuron as Keith's son.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"A Late Night Appearance"Lance yawned. This late night field trip was so boring. They studied about stars all the time, so why did they have to waste valuable sleep time looking at the stars? At least he wasn't alone. He had his team with him, Hunk Garrett and Pidge Gunderson. True Pidge didn't really hang out with them, but he was still part of the team.Lance yawned again as his eyes drifted to the side instead of up where the instructor was telling everyone to look.
His eyelids started sinking, but he wrenched them open again just in time to catch sight of something red disappearing behind a distant dune. He patted Hunk's arm to get his attention. "Hey, buddy. Did you see that?""See what?""I saw something red over there." Lance pointed in the direction of the dune. "I want to check it out.""Are you sure?" He watched as Lance snuck over there. "Oh man." Hunk sneakily followed his best friend. Fortunately, the instructor didn't see them sneak off.%%%Keith had seen the group of Garrison students traipsing through the desert. He was intrigued as to what they were up to. He followed them at a distance, wearing his red and white jacket. He knew the desert could get cool at night and wasn't about to not
wear his jacket. He crouched down behind a dune, peering over it at the assembled cadets. He recognized Lance McClain, Hunk Garrett, and James Griffin. He did a double take when he saw a new student. It looked like a younger version of Matt Holt. Another pang shot through Keith at the reminder of the Kerberos mission.
He ducked back down behind the dune and steadied his breathing. He knew
it wasn't Matt, so maybe it was his sister? What was her name again? Katie?Keith shook his head. It didn't matter. He had to get away before someone noticed him. He slipped away, back towards his Dad's shack. He shouldn't have followed. He needed to get some rest, so he could get an early start the next day. After all, that was the date of the arrival the lion carvings spoke of.%%%
Lance crawled on top of the dune and peeked over it. He was disappointed to see nothing and no one there. He was sure he had seen his ex-rival and the only person whose shadow he was still standing in, Keith Kogane.Hunk appeared next to Lance, breathing hard. Noticing his disappointed look, he asked, "Are you okay, dude?""Yeah, I guess. I just thought I saw Keith."Hunk looked doubtful. "I don't think you saw him."Lance said with a sigh, "Yeah. Yeah. You're probably right."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Second Wind"Keith yawned. He was so tired. Maybe he shouldn't have done the afternoon training session. He was dragging his heels as he trudged into the nest room. A whine escaped him as he saw an empty nest. He didn't want to sleep alone. He struggled to think of which pack member was closest and remembered that Antok was in the training hall. He whimpered as he left the nest room.%%%The newer Blade recruits couldn't fathom why this cold, large Blade was in charge of training. He was so intimidating and relentless. They were hoping for a distraction or at least an early dinner. They weren't expecting a tiny alien to enter the training deck, let alone approach Antok. They watched in horror as this tiny alien climbed onto their trainer's back. They were certain they were going to witness a murder.To their immense shock, Antok barely registered the alien laying against his back. "Keep training! Do not disturb my kit!"The trainees froze. His kit? What kit?"Now!" Antok heard Keith's whimper, and his tail rubbed up and down Keith's back, in order to soothe his obviously sleepy kit. He realized Keith wanted company while he napped. He watched the trainees spar with each other and took the chance to rumble to Keith, receiving a sleepy purr in response. Antok wrapped his tail around Keith's waist, pinning him to his back for the duration of his nap.%%%Keith slowly came to his senses, hearing grunts and low growls coming from far in front of him. He felt the warmth of the body he was leaning against and the feel of the tail wrapped around his waist. He chirped softly, receiving a hum in reply. He opened his eyes, and the familiar scenery of the training hall came into view. He started climbing higher on Antok's back and laid his chin on his shoulder, peering at the trainees.%%%The trainees felt dead on their feet. Was it going to be like this every quintant?"Keep going! You're doing a good job!"Whose voice was that? It was coming from Antok's direction, but it definitely wasn't his voice. They spared him a glance and saw the alien still laying against Antok's back but with his head perched on his shoulder. He was baring his teeth. Was he angry?"Shush, kit." Antok didn't sound angry. He sounded like he was...amused?Wait a dobosh! That tiny alien was his kit?!"Oh, come on, Antok. You know they think you're intimidating. Everyone does.""You didn't when you first came here.""Even though you tripped and body slammed me."The new Blades stared at Antok and his kit as they...argued...bantered...back and forth. They didn't understand what they were talking about. Was Antok such a hard and cold Blade that he was that way to even his kit?"Can I get down, Antok?" Keith whispered. Antok unwrapped his tail and allowed Keith to slide down his back. The tick his boots hit the floor, he was walking. He circled the training hall, offering tips and encouragement to the trainees.Antok watched as Keith interacted with the trainees and noticed the trainees seemed to have gotten their second wind. He didn't know how they did. Was it just them pushing through or was it Keith's presence? He wasn't sure, but he was pleased nonetheless.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"He's My Paladin"After Season One, Episode OneRed stalked towards Blue's hangar. She had found out that Blue had a connection to her new Paladin and wanted to know why."Blue!"Blue looked up and was surprised and not surprised to see Red entering her hangar. Blue knew that Red would be possessive of her new Paladin and wanted to let her know that this cub needed her. He was so lonely on Earth. She couldn't help calling out to him, even though he wasn't her Paladin. "Hi, Red."Even though Red was smaller than Blue, she wasn't intimidated by her sister. "Why do you have a connection to my cub?""Because he was so lonely on Earth."Red deflated a little. "Lonely?""He was all alone and full of hurt."Red lifted her head. "Well, not any more. He's my
cub now."%%%After Season Three, Episode OneBlue stalked towards Red's hangar but was surprised that she wasn't there. Then, she heard raised voices from Black's hangar."What do you mean? Why does it have to be my
cub?""I need a Paladin, and he has leadership qualities.""B-But he's mine!" Red sniffed. "Then, who do I get?""You get Lance," Black stated."What?!" Blue exclaimed. "Why does she get my cub?""Because he actually supports Keith," Black answered."Then, who do I get?""It's probably going to be Princess Allura," Black mentioned."Ooo. The princess! She's so strong!"Red and Blue looked at each other and nodded in agreement. They walked over to Black Lion and curled around her. They knew she was missing her Paladin. Shiro was such a good leader for the Paladins. Red and Blue knew they were going to miss their cubs but knew this was for the best. Each lion needed a Paladin, and if a Paladin switch was going to happen, then they were going to make the best of it.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Fevered"Keith curled up under his blankets, but he was still cold. His hand ventured outside the warm pile of blankets to steal Lance's blankets, and he dragged them into his pile. He was so sick all he wanted to do was lay in bed.Lance had to bite back his chuckle when he saw Keith's pale hand sticking out from under his blankets and stealing his. Lance didn't mind that Keith was using his blankets, since he would be washing them once he was well again. He had brought his sick boyfriend more tissues and a cup of warm, almost hot tea. Keith didn't usually drink tea, but when he did, he didn't like it really hot. It was one of the little quirks he learned about his boyfriend over the years that they had been together.They had initially met at the beginning of college in a general science class and had not
gotten along. They verbally fought each constantly and refused to work together. It was only in an astronomy class a couple years later that Lance had to have a tutor. He was assigned Takashi Shirogane, who was an astronomy major with an offer to work at NASA. Shirogane, or Shiro as he liked being called, was a wonderful tutor and just happened to be Keith's older brother. So, during most of Lance's tutoring sessions, Keith was in the same room, working on whatever assignment he needed to. There was one session where Keith wasn't there, which struck Lance as strange."Where's Keith?""Hmm? Oh, he's at his apartment. He's really ill today. I had to take him there when he collapsed after his astronomy class. Fortunately, Professor Holt is a family friend and knew to call me. I was able to drive him there and ensure that he didn't leave. I only had to come back to tutor you."That made Lance feel bad. He was depriving Keith of proper care, because he couldn't wrap his mind around the difference between Jupiter's moons and Saturn's moons. Of course that wasn't Shiro's motive. He was just worried about his brother, so when Lance suggested that they move their tutoring session to Keith's apartment, so Shiro could do both, Shiro was more than happy to agree.That had been the start of their friendship. Keith had been sure Lance being in his apartment was part of a fevered dream at first, but when his fever broke and Lance was still there, he knew it was real. They started spending time together, and it was almost natural to take their relationship to the next stage. It was comfortable and even moreso when Keith asked Lance to move in with him.Keith loved when Lance moved in, except for the fact that Lance was slightly disorganized. Keith was super organized, and it drove him crazy that his boyfriend had what he called organized chaos. He still loved him though. They were opposites in almost every way. Keith was organized, had routines, and wasn't socially adept. Lance was more disorganized, was spontaneous, and was a social butterfly. What they had in common was a love for astronomy and each other and respect for Shiro.
Cough, cough
Keith's coughing brought Lance out of his memories, and he approached the bed. "Hey, baby. I have more tissues and a cup of tea."Keith peeked out of the pile of blankets, looking at Lance with miserable purple eyes. Lance set the cup and box on the nightstand next to the bed and sat on the bed. He was simultaneously happy and sad that the college was on summer break. He convinced his workaholic boyfriend to take the summer semester off, and then he fell ill. Lance suspected that Keith had been sick the past few weeks of the previous semester but had been over dosing on over the counter meds to ensure that he finished the semester. Now that he was done, the illness knocked him on his back, and Lance was taking care of him.Lance kissed Keith's too hot forehead, prompting him to struggle to an upright position. Lance held the cup up to his lips and tipped it slightly, allowing Keith to just focus on drinking since his hands were shaking slightly. When Keith had enough, he gently moved Lance's hands to hold the cup upright. Lance took the hint and set the cup back down. "What do you need, baby?""Can you stay with me, sweetheart?"Lance could tell Keith was feeling bad. He normally didn't use pet names, except when his walls weren't up. "I will."He sat down and gathered his sick boyfriend into his arms, blankets and all. Keith sighed and burrowed into the blankets, content to go back to sleep buried in his and Lance's blankets and ensconced in Lance's arms.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Space Dad Shiro"It was a slow day on the castle ship. Pidge had been searching the sector they were flying through, simultaneously looking for Galra and for information on her brother and father. She had been at it for almost the entire day, skipping lunch in the process. Shiro had let that slide since he knew she had had breakfast but wouldn't let her skip dinner. He had dragged Keith out of the training deck and through a shower before he set him in a chair in the dining room with a threat of taking his knife if he went back to the training deck any time that quintant. Shiro peeked into the kitchen and saw Hunk cooking and Lance desperately trying to get a taste of what the Yellow Paladin was preparing. He nodded to himself, leaving the kitchen area and heading for the bridge.He entered the bridge and approached the Green Paladin seat. He gently placed a hand on Pidge's shoulder. "Hey, Pidge. It's time for dinner.""I have to keep searching.""Pidge, you have been here for the past several vargas. You need a break. You can leave the program running and let it record anything that falls under the programs you designed to run while you are doing other things."Pidge blushed. "All right, Shiro."She set up the programs and followed Shiro to the dining area. She sat down in time to see Keith blush at something Lance said to him. Lance noticed that Pidge had joined them. "So, Pidgey got pried away from her computer?""Space Dad wouldn't let me stay. I wouldn't put it past him to actually
pick me up and carry me here." Pidge's cheeks tinged pink when she realized what she called Shiro.Lance laughed. "Yeah. He's our Dad, our Space Dad."%%%The Paladins had gathered on the bridge of the Atlas in order to get the orders from Shiro. Lance yawned and leaned against Keith, who blushed from the contact but allowed it. He turned red and wrapped an arm around Lance's shoulders."Keep your hands to yourself."Keith yanked his arm back, and Lance stood up straight. "Come on, Dad. Let us have this."The bridge fell silent. Veronica turned in her seat to face her youngest brother. "Dad?"Lance's face turned red. "We started calling Shiro Space Dad, which just shortened to Dad when we got back to Earth.""We'll have to see what Dad will say about that," Veronica fake threatened.Shiro paled. "I don't want to take the Dad title from anyone. I just watched out for the other Paladins in their families' stead."Veronica grinned. "I'm just joking with you, Shiro."Shiro grinned in relief. Lance took advantage of Shiro's distraction and leaned against Keith again. Shiro caught the movement out of the corner of his eye. "Hey!"Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Klance"Keith wrapped his arms and his tail around himself and bit back a whine. He really wanted a hug and hoped Lance would come back from his solo mission soon. He needed touch from his mate; a side effect from his Galra heritage. It was a recent development due to the emergence of his Galra features. He ended up with two purple cheek stripes; a long, thin, purple tail; sharp fangs; fluffy, purple ears; and patches of violet fur.He bit his lip, trying to keep his whines at bay, a bead of blood dripping from his bottom lip. He was glad he didn't inherit claws as his fingers dug into patches of fur on his arms. His ears were flattened against his skull. Little whimpers were escaping him, since he was unable to stay quiet.%%%Lance landed Blue and hurried to the lounge. He and Keith had been separated for a couple of quintants and were both feeling the strain. Lance stripped out of his armor as he went. He still toted his armor with him and deposited the pieces in the lounge before he sat next to Keith, pulling him into his lap. Keith's tail unwrapped itself from Keith's waist and wrapped itself around Lance's waist. His ears relaxed into a content position halfway between down and alert. He laid his head against Lance's shoulder, and Lance used his fingers to gently pry Keith's fangs off his bottom lip."I've got you, kitten. It's all right. I'm back now."Keith whimpered and buried his face into Lance's shoulder. Lance cooed to him and stroked his hair, easing Keith into a more relaxed state, his whimpers dying out. Lance scooped up Keith and carried him back to their bedroom. He settled them on the bed, grinning as he heard his mate beginning to purr. He gently laid his head on top of Keith's and tucked a blanket over the two of them. The two of them deserved to spend time with each other, and they were going to start with a good night's sleep.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Baby Red"Keith was sitting on the sidelines of the training deck and sipping the hydration pouch he brought with him. He had intended on training but realized he was in between head spaces when he got there. He hadn't even realized that he had been carrying around his Red Lion plushie until he got to the training deck. He had apparently grabbed her in addition to his bayard. He knew his Daddy didn't like him being in there when he wasn't fully big, but he also didn't know where else to go. His lower lip trembled as he finished his drink. He was slipping into a much younger head space than usual and didn't know what to do. He cuddled with his plushie and cried. He was so tiny and wanted his Dada.%%%Lance went to the training deck to yank Keith off of it. Even though he wasn't little all the time, Keith spent too much time on the training deck. He paused at the doors as he didn't hear the sounds of Keith fighting the gladiators but the sound of his little crying. He opened the door and rushed over to his little, who was sitting on the sidelines, holding his plushie, and crying."Oh, Keithy, what happened?"Keith looked up and, to his relief, saw his Dada. "Dada?"Lance realized that his baby slipped further than usual and wasn't able to tell him what happened. He pulled him into his arms and cuddled him close. "You're okay, cariño. Dada's got you."Keith whimpered and clutched his Red Lion plushie. Lance scooped up the Red bayard and carried Keith to his room, cooing to his little as he went. He laid his baby down on the floor and ruffled his hair as he collected everything he needed. He changed Keith out of the wet clothes and into a dry diaper and a red cotton sleeper. His baby tended to run warm, and Lance didn't want him to be uncomfortable. He clipped the pacifier leash to the sleeper before offering the pacifier to the little. Keith gratefully accepted one of his favorite comfort items.Lance scooped Keith up and bounced him gently in his arms. "Are you sleepy, baby?"Keith shook his head. He mumbled around his pacifier. "No.""Okay. Do you want to spend time with just Dada or with everyone?"Keith buried his face in Lance's chest. "Dada.""Just Dada?""Ye."Lance smiled. "That's okay, sweetie. Do you want to watch a movie?"Keith lifted his head and nodded. He liked watching a movie with his Dada and Red. Lance carried Keith over to the bed and sat down, settling the little between his legs. Keith reclined against his Dada's chest and cuddled Red as Lance pulled a light sheet over their legs and brought out his data pad. As Lance was browsing the movie selection looking for a good title, Keith noticed a Blue Lion plushie sitting on his Dada's bed. He leaned over and snagged it as well."Here we go, baby. How about we watch Robin Hood?"Keith nodded and shyly held up the Blue plushie. "Dada, Bwue?"Lance looked to see what his little was holding up. It was the Blue Lion plushie that Lance liked. Even though he was a caregiver, he liked plushies as much as his little. He gently accepted the plushie. "Blue likes watching movies too. Can she watch with us?"Keith nodded, and Lance laid the plushie on his shoulder before he carded his fingers through Keith's thick hair as the movie played. Even though Keith said he wasn't tired, his eyelids drooped, and he fell asleep, snuggling Red and his Dada. Lance knew Keith fell asleep as he heard tiny purrs coming from his little. He continued holding his little, smiling when he turned and snuggled into his chest.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Applause"Keith was nervous, but he knew he shouldn't be. He was just part of the backstage crew. He wasn't the one on stage, but his boyfriend was. The drama club decided to do a modern take on Romeo and Juliet. It was actually written by one of the students in the literature club. Keith had rolled his eyes at the club. Honestly, it was a glorified book club. He shouldn't be so antagonistic towards them, since they worked with the drama club on several occasions, but he couldn't help it. They were so stuck up in his opinion with their noses stuck in books.His attention was drawn back to the stage, where his boyfriend, Lance, and the female lead, Nyma, were performing the end of the play. Keith's hands were gripping his jeans so hard that he was sure there were going to be new rips in them. He didn't like how Nyma hung all over Lance. She only did it when they performed a play. Keith grinned. Nyma knew better than to hang off Lance off stage, because Keith was a jealous boyfriend and didn't have any issues staking claim to Lance. He lent Lance his jackets and offered his arm to him, so Lance could hold his hand or wrap his arms around his when they went to classes.The second the play ended, the actors received a round of applause as usual. However, Lance demanded that the backstage crew get recognized as well, and the drama teacher, Adam
Wright, loved the idea. Mr. Wright called out each section (i.e. - lights, scenery, props, etc.), and the students who made up that section came forward. Keith had to step forward when Mr. Wright called out
wardrobe. Lance reached out and grabbed Keith's hand, bringing him to his side. He and Keith took another bow together. Keith blushed and tugged Lance close. He put his forehead against Lance's and looked deep into his eyes. "You were amazing tonight, Lance.""Thanks, Keith." Lance quickly closed the gap between them and captured his lips with his, kissing him passionately. Keith instinctively wrapped an arm around Lance's waist and tugged him closer, making Lance fist his hands in Keith's hair. The catcalls and wolf whistles from the cast and crew were drowned out by the applause from the audience; all of these were ignored by the couple on stage that were wrapped up in each other.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Asleep"Kolivan was sitting at his desk, going over reports. He wasn't alone though. His little kit was sitting in his lap. He was four deca-phoebes old and loved spending time with all four of the highest ranking Blades, who were his pack and the ones who watched the little kit. Since it was after lunch, Keith normally went back to the nest for a nap, but he wanted to spend time with Kolivan, who didn't mind having Keith with him. The little kit was reclined against him, not even bothering Kolivan's data pad. He knew better.Keith was a little bored sitting with Kolivan, since the leader was just reading reports. He snuggled against Kolivan's chest, his eyes drooping closed and a purr escaping him.Kolivan let a smile play on his lips as he heard his kit purr. He figured the little kit would take a nap since it was after lunch. What was a surprise was that he
was getting sleepy as well. Maybe he'd just close his eyes for a dobosh.%%%Antok was coming by to take Keith off Kolivan's claws. He eased the door to Kolivan's office open and saw the cutest scene. Keith was asleep in Kolivan's lap, and the leader was also asleep. Antok's tail swished against the floor as he withdrew his data pad. He took several pictures of the sleeping duo and sent them to the two remaining members of the pack, Thace and Ulaz. He put away his data pad and gently picked up Kolivan, making sure Keith stayed in Kolivan's lap. He rumbled to them as he carried them to the familial nest for a proper nap, filing away the detail of Kolivan purring in his sleep for potential blackmail.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Pursue"Lance glanced behind a bunch of kelp, a frown appearing on his face. His friend was certainly good at hiding, even though his tail was a bright red. The two merboys were playing hide-and-seek while their older siblings were visiting. The older siblings were hoping to be engaged, but Shiro had to ask for the King's approval. Keith had to tag along with Shiro since their parents had perished several years ago. The two brothers were all each other had, which Lance found sad, though he never pitied the dark haired mers.Lance had an older sister and his father, though his own mother had perished a few years ago, so Lance knew what Keith and Shiro felt. He also had an advisor, though he was close friend of his father's. The family had white hair and darker skin, and each member had unique markings under their eyes. The King had a blue-green color, Princess Allura had pink, and Prince Lance had a pure blue that matched his eyes.Lance's eyes scanned the area and thought he saw a flash of red in the garden. He quickly swam in the direction of the royal garden. He scrutinized every grouping of flowers, looking for the tell tale sign of the red tail of his friend. He was starting to think he had been seeing things when he finally caught sight of Keith's tail. He reached out and tugged on the nearly transparent fins located at the end of the tail. Keith's head popped up from among the flowers, and there was a grin on his face. He launched himself out of the flowerbed and tackled Lance, the two boys tumbling head over tail as they continued playing.%%%Keith was kneeling before the king. He was waiting for the King's decision whether or not he was allowed to court Lance. They had been friends for almost ten years and had grown quite close. They had been wanting to get closer, seeing their older siblings enjoying the cuddling and kissing. Shiro and Allura had been married for five years so far, and their younger siblings wanted that closeness, which was what led Keith to asking the King for his approval.The King looked at the dark haired mer in front of him. He had seen him grow from a painfully shy merboy into a confident merman, even though he was a few years away from being considered an adult. He was also aware of how close this mer was to his son. He could see the love Keith and Lance had for each other, which made his decision easy.%%%Lance was nervous. He really hoped his father approved of Keith as more than just a friend. He swam in circles in his room, unable to sit still. He kept glancing at his door, hoping to see Keith swim through.He was just coming up on his doorway again when Keith tackled him with a wide grin on his face. As they tumbled through the water, Keith flipped them over so Lance would land on him. When they landed, Keith had his arms wrapped around Lance and kissed him on his lips. Lance closed his eyes, kissing him back. When they parted, Keith put his forehead against Lance's. "He said yes. I get to court you."Lance leaned a little closer, so that their lips were almost touching again. "I hoped that's what that meant.""Of course it did." Keith tilted his head and reclaimed Lance's lips once again.
Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Fluttering"Lance went to the market, wings fluttering as he visited stall after stall. He wanted to buy a few things for his home in hope of attracting a mate. He knew that it was unusual for a fey as old as he was not to have found their mate, but it gave him time to do what he wanted and gather things for his home.He loved feeling the warm sun's rays on his blue and white wings. It was a good feeling, only second to them being submerged in water. He smiled at the fey running the fruit stand. She was such a warm, friendly fey that grew sweet fruits. He flitted about the choices, his wings shining in the sunlight.%%%Keith had been walking through the market, giving his wings a rest. He wasn't really looking for anything but felt like he needed to be at the market. He usually didn't ignore these strange feelings, so that was what led him to wander the market. He ended up at his brother's stall. Shiro ran the stall with his mate, Curtis. They sold baked sweets like pies and little cakes. Keith leaned against the stall, talking with Shiro while Curtis was dealing with a customer."I'm surprised to see you here today, Keith.""I got a feeling that said I should be here today.""It's good to follow your feelings.""I know-aah!" Keith's wings fluttered, lifting him off the ground and catching him off guard."Keith! What happened?" Shiro reached out and caught his brother's wrists.Keith twisted around to see what his wings reacted to. He didn't see anything initially until he caught sight of a pair of shimmering azure wings. His eyes widened as they landed on the brunette fey attached to those shimmering wings. He was so handsome, which caused Keith's wings to keep fluttering, but he was only hovering a few inches off the ground, Shiro letting go of Keith's wrists once he was satisfied that Keith wasn't going to be launched into the clouds."That fey with the blue and white wings. He's something special. I can feel it.""Go talk to him.""I think I will." Keith was still hovering so he just flew over to the fey, who was still examining the fruit. "Hi."Lance turned and saw a dark haired fey with crimson and black wings hovering nearby. "Hi."Lance's wings shimmered again, and his eyes widened as the other fey's wings fluttered, lifting him a little higher, eliciting a gasp from the other fey. Lance instinctively reached out and grabbed onto the darker haired fey's wrists, tugging him against him. Keith clutched onto Lance. "Thank you...""I'm Lance, and you're welcome.""I'm Keith.""I was shopping for something to add to my home to attract a mate, and it seems like I didn't need to.""Your home already had the most important thing. You."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Resurgence"Sven didn't want to open his eyes. He could tell where he was without having to. It was the same smell he had smelled when visiting Akira's bedside. The captain of the Guns of Gamara had been taken captive by the Altean Empire and had had one of those horrible contraptions, the Hoktril, embedded in the back of his head, eliminating his "will" to defy the Empire. They even forced him to display his Altean markings. It had taken several phoebes, but Sven along with Slav had rescued Akira and brought him home. The removal of the Hoktril was a dangerous procedure, but fortunately, it was successful. However, Akira remained unconscious, slipping into a coma a movement after the removal. Sven had been by his side most of the quintants, telling him how their fight was going, about the missions their comrades had gone on, and if there were any casualties.Now, Sven didn't know how long he had been out after being shot in the chest after saving the Paladin in the Blue Armor that reminded him of Isamu, but he knew it had been at least a quintant."Hey. Why don't you open your eyes, buddy? I know you're awake."Sven sighed and slowly opened his eyes to stare at Isamu's smug face. "I was enjoying relaxing after getting shot in the chest."Isamu waved a hand in the air in a dismissive way. "Yeah, yeah. Like you haven't been shot before. I just thought you'd like to know that Akira just woke up."Sven shot up at that announcement. "Akira!"The man sitting on the bed next to his turned and locked eyes with Sven, who could have cried at seeing emotion in the captain's eyes. "Sven.""I told you not to move." A blonde woman was standing behind Akira, brushing his hair."Sorry, Melle." Akira's eyes dropped to his lap."Hey. None of that, Chief. I'm not mad at you. You just recovered from a horrific experience and woke up from a coma. I just thought you'd like your hair up out of your face."Akira lifted his eyes to look Romelle in the face and gave her a small smile. "I would. Thanks.""After that, we can get you a change of clothes and fix your cheeks. Then, you can cuddle your boyfriend."Akira blushed, which actually clashed a little with the red marks under his eyes. "Just hurry up."It didn't take Romelle long to bind Akira's long hair into his usual ponytail, which effectively hid the scars from the Hoktril implantation. She laid out some clothes and pulled a screen around Akira's bed to give him some privacy. Akira quickly changed into his casual clothes and pulled back the screen. He peeked out at Sven, who was still sitting on his bed. Sven smiled warmly and opened his arms in invitation for a hug.Tears gathered in Akira's eyes, and he flung himself into Sven's arms, burying his face into his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I couldn't fight it. It was too strong. I-""Hey, hey. It's all right, Aki. It's over now," Sven soothed his captain and boyfriend. "You're safe back at headquarters."Isamu just stood back. He would have liked to have greeted Akira as well but knew that Sven and Akira's reunion took precedence over his and Akira's. They were best friends, but Sven was his boyfriend.Sven pulled Akira firmly into his lap and simply held him. "I'm just glad we got you back, Aki. I wouldn't want to live in a reality that didn't have you by my side.""Reality?" Akira raised an eyebrow. "You've been hanging around Slav too much, haven't you?""Someone call?"Akira jumped as the Bytor showed up out of nowhere. Sven chuckled not only at Akira's reaction but Isamu's as well. It was no secret that the brunette didn't get along with Slav and would prefer not to be in the same room as him, especially when he got started on one of his rants."I used the term reality," Sven answered."Did you know there's a reality where you are without him?" Slav asked, pointing at Akira first and then Sven. "We met people from that reality, so it must be nearly a 96% probability that we could meet again.""Met people from that reality?" Akira looked at Sven. "Is there something you neglected to tell me?""I didn't have time to tell you when I got back. I had been shot in the chest, saving one of those people."Akira scowled. "Quit getting shot!" He gently grasped Sven's chin. "Now, tell me everything."Sven smiled and used this moment to kiss Akira, who relaxed in Sven's arms. When they broke apart, Sven replied, "I intend to."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Affectionate Kitty"Lance entered the lounge to see his boyfriend sitting there on his data pad. He loved that he looked more Galran; it made him look like an actual cat. He had fluffy, purple ears; purple stripes on his cheeks; small fangs; and a long, thin, purple tail.Keith's ear flicked but his eyes never leave his data pad. Lance grinned at the movement and sat down next to Keith. His tail wrapped around his waist and tugged him closer. He purred as he read something on his pad. Lance glanced down to see what had captured Keith's attention and was surprised to see an alien language on the pad. Lance cocked his head. "What language is that?""Galran. My pack has been teaching me.""What's this story?"Keith blushed. "I'd rather not say.""Why not?""Because it's not a hard book."Lance blinked. "So what? There are times where I like reading easy books. Even Pidge likes comics.""It wouldn't be embarrassing if it was a comic."Lance reached up and rubbed Keith's ears. "It's okay, baby. It doesn't matter what it is. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to, especially if it's helping you learn Galran."Keith purred and nuzzled Lance, who continued rubbing his ears. "Thank you, Lance. I appreciate it.""You're welcome, baby."Keith locked his data pad and closed his eyes, enjoying Lance's rubbing. It felt so good Keith couldn't help but climb onto Lance's lap and purr even louder. Lance chuckled. "Such an affectionate kitty.""Nn-not a kitty.""So you say. I think you like it.""Mm-maybe."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Manicure"
The Blades of Marmora were visiting the Castle of Lions to meet with the princess to discuss battle tactics but also to see their kit, whom they hadn't seen in a few quintants. They knew he was in good hands with his team, especially since he admitted that he liked the actions the humans (especially Lance) used to show their affection for someone. Since the Blades had a few vargas before the meeting with Allura, they decided to find Keith and spend some time with him. Strangely, his voice lured them to the lounge, their footsteps falling faster as his words became clearer."Lance, must you?!""Don't do that!""I like my nails. They don't need to be shorter!"Right after that last comment, they busted into the lounge and rushed over to the Red and Blue Paladins who were sitting on the floor in between all the couches. Ulaz immediately scooped up Keith and examined his nails. Lance nervously glanced around at the rest of the Blades, their expressions a mix of anger and concern. Lance swallowed hard. "Guys, I know how to cut nails. I did it all the time back home with my sisters.""Yes, but do you know a Galran kit's claws are sensitive and the slightest nick can cause pain?" Thace growled.Lance shrank back a little. "No, but Keith would've told me if it hurt. He didn't even mind the first part of the manicure."While Lance was trying to defend himself, Ulaz was examining Keith's nails. Keith was partially glad that his pack got him away from Lance but was also partially sad that the manicure had to stop. It was actually feeling nice aside from Lance begging him to cut his nails. He knew Lance would be careful with his nails, but he didn't really like anyone cutting them, except himself."Ulaz, it's okay. My nails aren't that sensitive.""Are you sure, kit? Damaged claws can be painful.""I'm sure they can be, but I don't have claws. Just fingernails."Ulaz blinked. "Do they not hurt when nicked?""Well, sure, if you get nicked far enough down, but generally no.""Can I get back to Keith's manicure?" Lance asked, brave enough since the Blades stopped glaring at him."Will you listen to him if he tells you 'no,' kit?"Lance spluttered. "I'm not a kit.""You are younger than Keith, are you not?" Antok asked. Lance nodded, to which he replied, "Then you are a kit.""Lance, if you let me cut my own nails, then we can continue," Keith broke in, hoping to stop the potential argument."Only if I can shape them later," Lance retorted."Deal." Keith nuzzled Ulaz for a tick before sliding back in front of Lance and snatching the fingernail clippers. He was acutely aware of his pack sitting on the couch around him and watching him intently. They were so interested in what their kits were doing that they lost track of time and missed the meeting with the princess. Allura was initially mad but when she found out what they were doing, her anger dissipated, and she found their interest adorable. She was glad she had decided to pull up the security cameras first, because it allowed her to the opportunity to make a scene. She was alone, so no one was there to witness her giggle and coo at the scene in the lounge. The Blades were so open in their intrigue with anything involving Keith and Earth culture in general. She took a moment and studied Lance's steady hands and technique. Maybe it would be a good idea to enlist Lance's help the next time she needed (and had time) to relax, especially since Keith was starting to nod off as Lance did his nails.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hunk To The Rescue"Lance wanted to kick the wall, but with a broken ankle, it wasn't possible. The rest of the team wasn't much better. He was pretty sure Shiro had a concussion, which meant it was up to Keith to keep him awake and talking. However, the only thing Shiro wanted to talk about was the years they spent at the Garrison with Adam, which was normally a painful subject to not only Shiro but Keith as well. Keith himself had a broken leg. Pidge seemed to be the least injured. She only had scrapes and bruises. Keith and Lance had protected her when the guards came by to question them as to the location of their missing Paladin. Somehow, Hunk had not
gotten captured with the rest of them. It was entirely possible that Hunk was mounting a rescue.%%%Hunk was feeling a myriad of different emotions, fear, anger, and nausea too, if he was honest with himself. He needed to rescue his friends. He got back to the castle ship and was a teary mess. He wasn't good at making plans, which made him grateful for Coran and Allura. Their expertise was invaluable. They had a rescue plan in a matter of doboshes. Hunk was to break out his team and assist them to Yellow Lion. He was just glad that Pidge had installed the cloaking devices in all of the lions; that way he could sneak in while the castle kept the Galra busy.Hunk engaged the cloaking device and stealthily approached the base. He was so glad it wasn't a ship that could go into hyperspace at a moment's notice, so he could take his time and avoid sentries and guards instead of going in bayard blasting. He slipped through the shadows, avoiding sentries where he could and taking out the ones who spotted him. He located the cell his team mates were in relatively easily as it was the only cell that was guarded. He took out the guards and used one of their hands to open the cell. The state of his team shook him to the core. Lance's ankle was at least twice its normal size, Keith's leg was bent at an unnatural angle and he looked close to tears, Pidge had several scrapes and bruises on her face and arms, and Shiro was close to unconsciousness as Keith begged him to keep talking, which meant Shiro had a concussion.The tick the door opened, the three conscious Paladins called out, "Hunk!""Come on, guys. We have to get you out of here now.""How are you going to get us out of here?" Lance asked. "Keith and I can't walk on our own, and Shiro has been concussed."Hunk looked over his team mates again and nodded, his decision made. "All right, Keith and Lance will hold onto my neck and each other, I will carry Shiro, and Pidge will lead the way."Keith and Lance exchanged a look of dismay but did as Hunk instructed. They wrapped an arm around Hunk's neck and the other around each other's waist. Hunk picked up Shiro, and Pidge peeked out of the door."The coast is clear," she whispered, leading the way out of the cell.Hunk followed as they made their way to the Yellow Lion. When they approached, Yellow's barrier disappeared, and she bent down to allow her Paladin to enter with his friends. Hunk bent his knees to allow Keith and Lance to get down without having to jar their injuries. Unfortunately, Keith's leg wouldn't support his weight, and he crumpled to the cockpit floor with a soft cry.Lance hobbled over and sat down next to him. "It'll be okay, Keith. We'll be at the castle before you know it. We'll go into those pods, and everyone will be fixed up.""I won't go into one without making sure Shiro goes first," Keith stated through gritted teeth."Okay, calm down, Samurai. I never said that you couldn't.""I don't think he's mad, Lance. His leg is broken in at least two places," Pidge said as Hunk activated the cloaking device and flew to the castle. "He's in an extreme amount of pain.""Hailing Castle of Lions. This is the Yellow Lion. We got our team, but everyone is in need of a pod. I will need help transporting everyone safely.""Castle of Lions read you Yellow Lion. Get to your hangar, and we'll meet you there."Hunk landed Yellow in her hangar, and true to their word, Allura and Coran were there. Yellow bent down, and the princess and her advisor rushed into the lion's cockpit. Allura's hand flew to her mouth in shock at how injured the team was. When she came back to her senses, she started issuing orders, "Hunk, you take Shiro. Coran, help Lance. Keith, I will assist you. Pidge, follow us.""I don't really need a pod, princess," Pidge replied."I will not stand by and have my Paladins injured when we have enough pods to heal all of you at the same time." With having said that, Allura held out a hand to Keith, who winced."Princess, I can't walk."Allura took one look at his leg and gently scooped him up. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders to make it a little less awkward and let Allura carry him out of the hangar.Coran held his hand out to Lance, who grasped it and wrapped an arm around Coran's shoulders. "Come on, Number Three. Let's get you healed up."Coran helped Lance out of the lion and the hangar while Hunk picked up Shiro and followed along after making sure Pidge was behind him. The slow procession made it to the pod room where Allura and Keith were arguing with each other."Get in the pod!""I will not
go in one before Shiro!"The scene was quite comical if Keith hadn't been propping himself up with one of the pods due to his broken leg. Hunk strode into the room and set Shiro inside one. "Princess, just set this pod to heal Shiro and then Keith will get in one."With one last look at the Red Paladin, Allura stepped over to the pod containing her Black Paladin and programmed the pod. While she was doing that, Hunk walked over to Keith. "Here, Keith. Let me pick you up and then you can see Shiro getting healed in the pod."Keith wordlessly held out his arms to allow Hunk to pick him up. True to his word, Hunk moved over to Shiro's pod, letting Keith watch as Allura programmed the pod to heal their leader. Once the programming was complete, Keith was more than happy to go into a pod himself. Allura busied herself with getting Pidge into a pod, and Coran had just finished putting Lance into a pod, so the Altean advisor programmed Keith's pod to account for his hybrid physiology. Hunk sighed as he looked at all of his team mates in the healing pods.A hand on his shoulder startled him. He jumped slightly but calmed when he saw it was just Allura. "You should be happy. The mission was successful, and you rescued your team mates.""But they were hurt.""Which wasn't your fault.""I should do something for them for when they get out." Hunk looked thoughtful.Coran twirled his moustache. "Why not what Number Four calls a nest?"%%%Pidge was the first one out of the pod since she was the one who sustained the fewest injuries. Hunk made sure to catch her as she exited the pod and carried her to the nest he made. He was pretty proud of it, even though he was sure that Keith could make a better one. When Pidge came to, she was more than happy to accept the hydration pouch he handed her and to stay in the nest.A varga later, Lance exited his pod, his ankle all healed up. Hunk still made it a point to escort his best friend to the nest and press a hydration pouch into his hands.They waited a few more vargas before Shiro and Keith were released, which was within ticks of each other. Lance helped Hunk in catching their team mates. Hunk caught Shiro, and Lance caught Keith. Both of the Red and Black Paladins were escorted to the nest and given hydration pouches.Keith insisted on sitting next to Shiro, because he wanted to make sure his brother (in everything but blood) was all right. Shiro wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders, smiling when Keith started purring.Hunk surveyed his team mates and was happy with what he saw. Keith and Shiro were snuggled against each other, the former purring happily. Pidge was cuddled against Lance, who was leaning against him. He managed to drape blankets over his best friend and his tech buddy. He quietly called over, "Shiro, here."He tossed over two blankets, one for each Paladin. Shiro easily caught them without dislodging a drowsy Keith. He draped the blankets over himself and Keith. "Thanks, Hunk. I'm glad you were here."Hunk smiled. "Me too."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hyper Keith"Keith had just finished a lengthy, morning session on the training deck and had inadvertantly missed breakfast. He took a shower and made his way to the kitchen. He may not know what the different ingredients were, but he would make do. He opened the Altean refrigerator and checked out the ingredients. His face lit up when he saw a root vegetable similar to a carrot. He always liked carrots when he was on Earth. He found it strange that the Blades didn't have vegetables at any of their bases, including headquarters, so when he saw an opportunity to have one of his favorite snacks, he took it.%%%Keith was so full of energy but didn't know why. It was like he couldn't sit still! He worked out on the training deck again and got even further than before. He got to level thirty! He was super happy about that; so happy that he wanted to tell someone, maybe everyone! He ducked through another shower before he hurried to the lounge, sure that at least someone
would be there.%%%Lance was enjoying a relaxing day and had no idea that he was about to witness something unusual. He lifted his head when the door opened and was slightly concerned about the wide, slightly crazy smile that was on the Red Paladin's face."Keith?""Lance!Lance!Ijustgottolevelthirtyonthetrainingdeck!Isn'tthatgreat!" [Translation: "Lance! Lance! I just got to level thirty on the training deck! Isn't that great!"]Lance raised an eyebrow. He had never heard his team mate sound so excited...did he even breathe when he was talking?"Uh, yeah, buddy. That's great." Lance paused. "Are you feeling okay?""Yeah!Ifeelgreat!Betterthangreat!Ifeelsofullofenergy!Ican'tstop!" [Translation: "Yeah! I feel great! Better than great! I feel so full of energy! I can't stop!"]"Okay. Why don't you go find Shiro? I'm sure he'd like to hear your news?""Whereishe?" [Translation: "Where is he?"]"Uh, I think he's on the bridge.""Thanks!" Keith rushed out of the lounge, and Lance breathed a sigh. Hyper Keith was strange.%%%The bridge was quiet with Coran, Allura, and Shiro doing their own things. The door leading to the bridge opened, and the silence was broken."Shiro!Shiro!Guesswhat!Igottolevelthirtyonthetrainingdeck!" [Translation: "Shiro! Shiro! Guess what! I got to level thirty on the training deck!"]Shiro blinked. "Are you okay, Keith?""Whydoeseveryonekeepaskingmethat?Ifeelfine.Betterthanfineactually!I'msofullofenergy!Ican'tsitstill!" [Translation: "Why does everyone keep asking me that? I feel fine. Better than fine actually! I'm so full of energy! I can't sit still!"]"Did you eat anything today? We missed you at breakfast.""Iwastraining!SorryImissedbreakfastbutIdidgetsomethingafterashower.Idon'tknowwhatitwas,butitremindedmeofacarrot!Itwassodelicious!" [Translation: "I was training! Sorry I missed breakfast, but I did get something after a shower. I don't know what it was, but it reminded me of a carrot! It was so delicious!"]Coran inhaled sharply, and Allura gasped. "Oh no."Shiro whipped his head around as Keith hopped from one foot to the other. "What's wrong?""I'm sorry, Shiro. Galra aren't supposed to eat vegetables. They consider those sweet, and it gives them a lot of energy, though I haven't seen one act like Keith," Allura explained, tilting her head a little."I have actually seen a Galra act like this," Coran further explained. "It was many deca-phoebes before the war. King Alfor was visiting Honerva and Zarkon on Daibazaal. He had brought a selection of Altean vegetables for them to enjoy. The video your father took of Zarkon was amusing. Too bad it was destroyed with the rest of Altea."Allura giggled as she watched Keith move about the bridge. The usual stoic Paladin was moving with his usual grace but with more speed. "I want to see what he can do in an obstacle course.""That could be a good way to expel his excess energy. I assume this will just work itself out of his system?" Shiro asked."Oh yes, Number One, and then he will be asleep once he does," Coran replied."Keith, do you want to go back to the training deck? I have a new program you can try," Allura offered.Keith's face lit up with pure joy. "Yes!Yes!Yes!Iwannttotrythenewprogram!Meetyouatthetrainingdeck!" [Translation: "Yes! Yes! Yes! I want to try the new program! Meet you at the training deck!"]The trio watched as Keith ran off the bridge at a quick speed. Allura followed at a slower pace with a small smile on her face. She met up with the Garrison Trio outside the training deck."So, Lance told us that Keith is hyper," Pidge said."Is he okay? Where did he find that much sugar?" Hunk asked."Actually, it wasn't sugar, Hunk," Shiro answered. "Apparently, his Galran physiology makes him act this way when he has vegetables. Vegetables are sweet to Galran like candy is to us.""So he is on a sugar rush?" Lance inquired. "Man, I can't wait for his crash! Hyper Keith is weird."They all entered the observation deck, and Allura pulled up the programs and activated an obstacle course. She called down, "Here you go, Keith. Try this out. Get to the other side.""Thanks,Princess!" [Translation: "Thanks, Princess!"]The group sighed in relief as he tore through gladiators with his Marmora blade, ducked under some obstacles and jumped over others, and used a lot of his energy in general. He made it to the other side but was still quite energetic. Allura reset the course. "Again."As everyone watched the Red Paladin do it again and again, Shiro asked, "How long is this going to last?""Well, since he had the vegetable after breakfast, he should crash right...about...now," Coran responded.Just as Keith reach the other side of the obstacle course for the third time, he slumped to the floor in an undignified heap with his eyes closed. Shiro left the observation deck and entered the main floor of the training deck. Allura deactivated the obstacle course, allowing Shiro a more direct path to Keith. The tick the Black Paladin got close to his second-in-command, a small smile was on his lips. He could hear the small purrs coming from him. He scooped up Keith, taking him to his room to sleep this off and making a mental note to help Hunk lock up any vegetables that were in the kitchen.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Flying""Krolia, can I borrow Keith for a little?" Taulol poked her head into the familial nest room."If you can find him, he and Acxa were playing hide and seek, and she can't find him," Krolia said."Why can't she sniff him out?""It's against the rules!" Acxa insisted from where she was sulking in her mom's arms.Taulol grinned. "I'll find Keith." She had a pretty good idea where the youngest kit was hiding. She walked into the hangar and discreetly sniffed to see which ship he was hiding in. It was quite dangerous to hide in a ship, but Keith knew better than to hide when there was a launch scheduled.She walked over to an older model and knocked thrice in rapid succession, and a head of black hair popped up. Keith grinned. "Taulol!""Your twin couldn't find you and is sulking with your mom. However, I need you for a special secret."Keith glanced around and lowered his voice, "What is it?""Let me in and find out, kit."Keith grinned and stepped back, allowing Taulol to hop into the ship. Keith stepped closer to the controls. "I studied the controls of the ships and watched my Dads and Mom fly.""That's great, kit, but how would you like to actually
fly the ship?""Can I?" Keith's eyes sparkled like amethysts."As long as you don't tell your siblings, Dads, or your Mom.""I promise!"Taulol grinned at his excitement. "Well then, kit, the seat is yours."Keith sank into the pilot's seat and placed his hands on the controls, looking up at Taulol to make sure this wasn't a cruel joke. Seeing her grin, Keith started the ship and flew it out of the hangar. Once outside the base, Taulol showed him how to navigate the area around the
black holes
and the sun."This is amazing!"Taulol was astounded. This young kit was better at flying than half of the Blades! He was a natural! Maybe she would have to see if she could take him out in open space and see what he could really
do.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Rough Period"Keith straightened his legs but then immediately curled into the fetal position, gasping. The cramps were so horrible, and any movement caused the pain to flare up. He knew it was breakfast time, and he had promised Shiro that he wouldn't skip today. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he hated lying to Shiro. He grabbed his data pad and messaged Shiro that he wouldn't be coming to breakfast and explained why. What Keith failed to realized was that it wasn't a private message to Shiro but a group message to the entire team, the Alteans included.%%%Lance, Pidge, Hunk, Allura, and Coran were worried about Keith when they received the message. Shiro had to explain about Keith being intersex. He considered himself male, even though he had periods."What can we do to help him?" Allura asked. "These cramps sound horrible.""Well, he said that it hurts to move, so excusing him from training is a good idea. He would enjoy a heating pad, chocolate, and some peace and quiet," Shiro stated."I have been experimenting with making chocolate," Hunk stated, his eyes darting in Pidge's direction for a tick. "For obvious reasons.""That's good. What else?" Shiro asked.Allura looked thoughtful. "I think I might be able to do something."%%%Keith whimpered, screwed his eyes shut, and bit his lip. His eyes flew open, and he released his lip. He gently tapped his lip and was surprised when his finger came back with a little blood on it. Why was his lip bleeding? He was concerned when he felt his ears move. What was going on? Why did he shift?His door slid open, and he was surprised to see it was Allura who came to see him. She came over to his side and knelt down next to his bed. She reached out and stroked his hair, rubbing behind his ears. It felt nice, and Keith couldn't help but nuzzle her hand."I heard you aren't feeling good. Do you want or need anything?""I'm sorry, Allura. I don't want to be a burden.""Nonsense. You are not a burden at all. What do you need, Keith?""I..." Keith trailed off, inadvertantly giving off a whine.Allura's eyes widened, and she sat down on the bed, reaching out and letting her fingers brush against his abdomen. Her fingers glowed briefly, easing the pain, and Keith sighed. "Is that better?""So much. Thank you.""You're welcome, Keith. Is there anything else you want?""I...want-" Keith cut himself off with a soft whimper. It was a Galran kit noise that told Allura what Keith couldn't bring himself to voice.She gently scooted him closer and onto her lap. He froze until she started rubbing his ears, causing him to relax against her.%%%Keith's door opened a varga later, allowing Shiro and Hunk entrance."Shh!"The two Paladins looked at Keith's bed, where Allura was sitting with a dozing Keith on her lap; a Keith who had some Galran features. Shiro could see purple fluffy ears, fangs (just barely poking out of his slightly open mouth), and purple cheek stripes. He was also purring ever so softly."How did you get him to rest?" Shiro whispered."I used some Altean magic to dull the pain. It doesn't last long, and I don't like using it, because it tricks the body. However, I dislike seeing Keith in so much pain that he shifts." She stroked Keith's hair."Well, Hunk made some chocolate for him whenever he wakes," Shiro said as Hunk put the chocolate on a nearby table."I can't stay too long. I have more baking to do. I had to promise to make some for Pidge...and Lance," Hunk sighed. "I'm just glad they let me make an entire batch for Keith first." He gently patted Keith's head. "I hope it helps him."He left Keith's room, and Shiro drew closer. "Did he say anything?""Well, he said he didn't want to be a burden, but I told him that he could never be a burden. Shiro, he whimpered. It was a Galran kit noise. He couldn't bring himself to say it out loud, but he was wanting to be held."Shiro placed a gentle hand on Keith's knee. "He has issues saying what he needs and almost never says what he wants. It's a byproduct of his childhood. It's not my place to say anything, but sometimes it becomes too much for him, and he makes a strange sound. I've heard them before when we were at the Garrison together, but I never knew they were Galran noises." He looked at Keith. "If you want, you can give him here.""If it's all the same to you, Shiro, I'd rather hold him. He's so sweet. I can't believe I was so cruel to him when I learned of his Galran heritage."Suddenly, Keith whined, and his eyes flew open. He sat bolt upright before curling in on himself. Allura held onto him, and Shiro grasped his shoulders gently. "Keith! Are you okay?"Keith panted. "Sh-Shiro?""Yeah. I'm here, buddy. So is Allura."Keith uncurled a little and sagged against Allura again. His ears flattened, and little tears appeared in the corners of his eyes. Shiro noticed this and asked, "What's wrong, Keith?""I'm preventing you guys from doing what you had planned. I'm sorry. Let me go and leave me alone. I'll be all right."Allura looked at Shiro for direction. She wasn't sure whether she should follow Keith's suggestion or do the opposite. Shiro shook his head. "We didn't have any plans, Keith. You know I don't mind taking care of you when you're not feeling well."Allura stroked his hair again. "I don't mind helping you through this, Keith. No one should be alone, not when there are people willing to help you. Let us help you, Keith."Keith looked at Shiro and then at Allura. Their expressions made him relax again, leaning against Allura. His period may be wreaking havoc with his emotions, but maybe he wouldn't have to be alone, and he liked that idea.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Seeing Double"Shiro was waiting in the lounge for his boyfriend to leave the training deck and come cuddle with him. Keith loved cuddling, and Shiro found it was an effective way to entice him off the training deck. He just had to wait for Keith to run through a shower since he had seen the message Shiro sent him.%%%Since everyone was elsewhere, there was no one around to witness the white flash of light or the person that stumbled into the hall. Keith put a hand to her head before lifting it and looking around. She recognized that she was still on the castle ship, but what had that flash of light been? Maybe Shiro could tell her. Where would he be? She decided to check the lounge for her boyfriend. She walked to the lounge, the heels of her red, white, and black boots softly clacking on the metal of the corridor. The doors to the lounge opened, and Keith's eyes widened at the sight of Shiro. She rushed in and glomped Shiro. "Takashi!"%%%
Shiro was startled when he felt arms wrap around one of his but calmed down when he saw a head of black hair. It was just Keith, but why was his voice strange and since when did he call him 'Takashi' and not 'Shiro?'When Keith lifted his head to look at Shiro, it was obvious that there was something not quite right. Keith was somehow female now. "Keith, what happened?""What are you talking about, Takashi? I'm the one who was going to ask you that question.""Shiro?"%%%Keith was finishing drying his hair as he walked to the lounge. He couldn't wait to cuddle with his boyfriend. The doors to the lounge opened, and he walked in to see a strange sight. Shiro had another Keith sitting next to him with his..no, her
arms wrapped around his arm."Shiro?"Shiro and the other Keith looked at the Keith who just walked in; the one with the towel around his neck. "Keith? But I thought-then, who?"The female Keith looked from Shiro to the Keith standing in the doorway and back. She withdrew her arms from Shiro. "You're not my Takashi. What did
happen?"%%%Lance was walking down the corridor, heading for the lounge. He entered the lounge but had to stop short, so he wouldn't slam into Keith's back. "Why are you just standing there, Mullet?"A flat look appeared on Fem Keith's face, and she crossed her arms over her chest at the exact same time Keith did. They chorused in a flat tone, "Lance."Lance looked from Keith to Fem Keith and back again. "Whoa, Keith. Do you have a twin sister that you didn't tell us about?""Obviously not," Keith replied before turning to his female counterpart. "So, you don't get along with your Lance either?""Obviously not. He even annoyed Takashi at the Garrison with his hero worship."Keith sat down on Fem Keith's other side. "Let's compare notes."During the next varga, the two Keiths compared everything from their lives from their team mates to their circumstances. During that time, Hunk and Pidge entered the lounge. Fem Keith's eyes lit up when she saw Pidge, even though she knew it wasn't the same Katie she met."Katie!""I go by Pidge.""Sorry. Where I'm from you let me call you Katie since that's what you went by when I first met you.""Where you're from? Where are you from?"Pidge and Hunk sat down across from the Keiths. Pidge leaned forward in anticipation.Keith smiled. "We think she's from an alternate reality; one that's very similar to ours.""There are several similarities. We're both the Red Paladin, both dating Takashi, both got kicked out of the Garrison, both don't get along with Lance, both got abandoned by our Mom, both of us lost our Dad in a fire, and both of us have been in several foster homes," Fem Keith stated."And we're both part Galra.""That too.""One thing we didn't discuss, though, was how we get along with the Blades.""They're my pack, my family. Thace and Ulaz are my fathers.""Same. They consider me a kit, and they're on their way.""Kit?"Both Keiths looked at the door with smiles on their faces. Keith stood up and made his way to his pack. He nuzzled all four of them, purring. Thace locked eyes with the female Keith sitting on the couch and asked, "Kit, who is this?"Keith turned around and extended a hand to his counterpart. When she was close enough, Keith pulled her in. "This is an alternate me. She got here from an alternate reality."Antok tugged Fem Keith closer, sniffing her. She knew what he was doing; he was checking her identity. She didn't blame him at all and wasn't surprised when Antok rumbled to her. It was a familiar sound; one that told her that she was welcome. A tongue across her hair told her that Thace was grooming her. She purred, which was echoed by Keith when Ulaz started grooming his hair. Antok nuzzled her neck, while Kolivan rubbed Keith's back. Fem Keith liked that this pack was willing to accept her as theirs for as long as she was there. It made her feel a little less out of place.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"The Med Bay""Regris, are you ready?" Keith called out."Give me a tick!" Regris yelled back, and exactly one tick later, he exited his room. He and Keith were scheduled to work with Ulaz in the med bay to see if either one had an aptitude for medicine.Keith had been allowed to go get Regris by himself. It had been two deca-phoebes since the kits met, but they had become the best of friends. In that time, Keith had made leaps and bounds in his training. He was able to navigate the corridors of headquarters without bumping into anyone or anything, even if an unexpected obstacle obstructed the kit's path, he stepped around it and continued on his way.The two kits made their way to the med bay and located Ulaz in his office."Papa, we're here," Keith announced.Ulaz looked up from his data pad. "Wonderful. Now, we have a full quintant ahead of us. We will check on the patients that had to stay for overnight observation, which is quite a lot, and take care of any new patients. During the quintant, a shipment of supplies should come in, and we get to log in the supplies and put them away. I will teach you which compounds and medicinal herbs work best in which situations and which ones to avoid. Even if neither of you show an aptitude for medicine, this knowledge will be invaluable later in life."It ended up being a long and boring quintant for the kits as they found it interesting but not interesting enough where they could see themselves doing it. Ulaz's patients were pleased to see the kits helping out. Most of them had seen Regris before, but they hadn't encountered the pale kit with the unusual eyes before. They were astonished to learn that he was blind. He moved around well for not being able to see. Keith and Regris both received head pets from the patients that were able to.Once the rounds were done, Ulaz took the time to educate the kits on the various remedies, letting them smell them (and telling Keith what color they were). Their lesson had to be interrupted by lunch which was delivered by Thace. The little group of four ate their lunch in Ulaz's office, Keith sandwiched between his Dads.When lunch was over, Thace nuzzled each of the trio, and he left, Ulaz went back to the lesson, which was once again interrupted by the arrival of the shipment Ulaz was expecting. Ulaz melded his lesson with the supplies he just received.Two very tired kits made their way to their nest rooms at the end of Ulaz's shift, but Regris didn't know if he would be able to make it that far, so Keith offered to let him nap in the nest he had in his room. They curled up in Keith's nest, falling asleep easily given how tired they were.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"A Solitary Little"Keith was curled up on the couch in the lounge with a sketchbook in his lap. He had been sketching whatever came to mind and had just finished a sketch of his Da- no, of Shiro and Lance. The two caregivers were a couple, and Keith liked when they took care of him when he was in little space. He was feeling a bit little, but he wanted to finish the sketch.It didn't take long for Keith to finish the sketch. He closed his sketchbook and put his special set of pencils away before he walked back to his room and set them on his dresser where he kept them. He spotted his Red Lion and Black Lion plushies on the dresser where they liked to lay. They could watch him while he slept, no matter which head space he was in. He scooped up his two favorite plushies and gave them a big hug. It was so nice and warm, and he sat down, continuing to hug Red and Black.%%%Lance was enjoying a good sparring session with Shiro. He normally didn't do sparring, but it gave him a chance to put his hands on his hot boyfriend and fellow caregiver in a relatively public place, even though the only one who was likely to come in was Keith, one of the only littles on the ship. It was fortunate that Keith didn't mind sharing his Daddy and Papa with Pidge, especially because when both were regressed they had fun together.Lance lunged at Shiro, who flipped his boyfriend around and slammed him into the padded mat they were sparring on. Shiro bent over the downed Paladin. "I win."Lance surprisingly managed to flip Shiro over and straddled him, pinning his wrists above his head. "Do you now?"Shiro flipped them over. "I do."Lance struggled but to no avail. Shiro leaned even closer and claimed his lips, which ceased Lance's struggling."Daddy? Papa?" a little voice called from the doorway.Shiro and Lance broke the kiss and looked up to see Keith standing just inside the door, his two lion plushies in his arms.Shiro pulled Lance to his feet, and they went over to Keith. Shiro was there first and scooped him up. "Hey, Keithy."Lance petted Keith's hair. "Hey, cariño."Keith purred at the affection from his Daddy and Papa. Shiro asked, "Is everything alright?""Yes, Daddy. Was just lonely.""Well, that's okay, baby," Lance replied. "Now, Daddy and Papa are here."Keith snuggled against his Daddy as Shiro and Lance carried their little and his plushies to their room. "Love you, Daddy, Papa.""Love you too, baby.""Love you too, cariño."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"The New Emperor and Empress"The Kral Zera seemed like a lifetime ago and mere doboshes ago at the same time. Keith was excited to be attending the grand gala the new emperor was hosting. However, Keith didn't know what to wear. Normally, he would just wear either of his uniforms (Paladin or Blade), but this was a special occasion.Not only was Lotor celebrating becoming emperor, but he was announcing Keith as his empress. True, they weren't married in the Earth definition, but in Galran terms, they were mates, but it definitely wasn't public knowledge. Keith had only told the Paladins and his pack. Well, his pack already knew, because they could smell it. When a Galra took a mate, their scent changed slightly, just enough for their pack to tell.Keith stood in front of the closet in his room at central command and let out a whine. He really didn't have a clue what he was to wear. Arms wrapped around his shoulders, and he was gently brought back to rest against a familiar chest. "Shh, my empress." Keith turned around and snuggled against Lotor, burying his nose in his neck. "Now, what seems to be the problem?""I don't know what I'm supposed to wear for the gala. I know it's an extremely important event with our announcement, but-""Shh. You're rambling, love. I already selected your clothes for you."Keith looked up at his face. "You did?""I did, especially since I knew you would fret over your clothes." Lotor led Keith over to the bed, where the clothes were laid out.Keith gasped and gently ran a hand down the silky material. "It's beautiful. Are you sure this is for me?""I had it made for you. I want no one to question whether or not you belong at my side. Anyone who does so will not live to repeat their folly. Now, I must go greet the guests. Get dressed and meet me when you are ready."Keith kissed Lotor, resisting the urge to start undoing his elaborate braid. They broke apart, and Lotor left to allow Keith to get dressed. Keith watched his mate leave before he put on the clothes Lotor picked out for him.%%%Lotor was greeting his guests, which included the Paladins, Keith's pack, and some influential commanders and their lieutenants. When he was greeting Shiro, the oldest Paladin asked, "Where's Keith?""He's getting ready," Lotor had replied. Then, he felt arms wrap around his arm. He looked over and saw his beloved. He was dressed in a lovely red, modest yet off the shoulder dress. It was floor length with a full skirt and hugged his curves. "Hello, my mate."Keith then noticed the Paladins. "Hey, guys. I'm glad you were able to make it."Shiro smiled at him. "You look amazing, Keith."Keith blushed, complementing his dress. "Thanks.""Your pack is here too."Keith perked up. He hadn't expected Lotor to invite the four highest ranking members in the rebel organization. Lotor noticed Keith's posture and wrapped an arm around his waist. "Of course I invited them. They are your family, my beloved."Keith spotted his pack and, with a gentle push from Lotor, went over to them. They noticed his approach and drew him close. Nuzzles were exchanged, and Keith rubbed his head against Thace's chest. "I'm so glad you guys came.""Of course, kit." Thace gave little licks to Keith's cheeks, causing Keith to purr softly."I'm surprised you aren't wearing jewelry, kit," Ulaz stated.Keith gave a little laugh. "Lotor knew that I wouldn't want to. It's the same reason my hair isn't done either. He knew it wouldn't last long, especially with my pack in attendance.""That's true, kit." Antok petted Keith's hair, earning him another purr. "Lotor's about to make an announcement."Keith jerked his head up, dislodging Antok's hand, and straightened his dress and hair. He wanted to make sure he was presentable when Lotor called him to his side."Greetings to my allies and comrades. Welcome to this extremely important celebration. I am pleased to introduce you to the one who will rule by my side, my empress, Red Paladin, member of the Blade of Marmora, my mate, Keith Kogane."Keith made his way to Lotor's side and was surprised when Lotor placed a modest circlet on his head. He raised his eyes to ask Lotor about the circlet. Lotor placed a gentle hand on Keith's cheek. "This just signifies your new status. Just as your bayard signified your status as Paladin and your sword your status as a Blade, this circlet made of luxite signifies your status as my empress."Keith surged forward and captured Lotor's lips with his own. The Paladins, Blades, and assembled commanders and lieutenants clapped for the emperor and his new empress, which Keith and Lotor ignored in favor of kissing.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Cadet Keith"Shiro ran his human fingers through Keith's thick hair. He didn't know how this younger Keith got there, but he couldn't help but comfort him. He recognized him from the time before the Kerberos mission. The cadet was fourteen and from a time where he trusted no one but Shiro. Hence the reason he was sitting pressed up against Shiro's side and glaring at everyone else in the room, including Paladin Keith.Paladin Keith tried not to stay too close to Shiro since he remembered how possessive his younger self was (possessive to the point where he would growl at anyone). However, it was hard for him. His Galran heritage made him need touch, but he didn't know what to do.Lance noticed Keith's problem immediately. "Hey, Mullet. Come here."Paladin Keith walked over to Lance. "What do you want?"Lance pulled him down onto his lap and stroked his hair. "You need touch, Mullet. I don't mind helping you."Paladin Keith froze slightly and couldn't help but purr. He hesitantly laid he head against Lance's shoulder. He closed his eyes, so he was unaware of his younger self's gaze on him.Cadet Keith watched the other dark haired man snuggle against the brunette man. He was unmistakably purring, which surprised him. He didn't realize that the man was like him. Shiro still stroked his hair but told him. "You are in the future, buddy. That is your future self."Cadet Keith couldn't help but make one of those weird sounds he tried so desperately not
to make. Shiro smiled and tugged him onto his lap. "It's okay, Keith. He makes those sounds too."Paladin Keith yawned as he snuggled further into Lance as if trying to bury himself in Lance's jacket. Lance smiled. "Someone looks like a tired kitty.""N-n-not a kitty," was the sleepy reply.Lance smile got wider and wrapped his arms around Keith, allowing him to drift off to sleep. Cadet Keith watched to see if his future self was going to get in trouble for falling asleep in the middle of the day. When no reprimand was forthcoming, Cadet Keith let his own eyes drift closed. Shiro could feel the tension seep out of Keith's body as he fell asleep. The dual purrs filled the lounge. Shiro may not know how Cadet Keith got to be there in the future, but it may actually be a good thing in regards to his instincts.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Coping"Lance set up his stuffed animals on his dresser. They helped him with his homesickness, so he got more once in awhile as long as they closely resembled Earth animals. He got a Great White Shark, a Bengal Tiger, a Siberian Husky, a Red Fox, a Snowy Owl, a Red Lion, and a Blue Lion. The last two were stuffed versions of his two lions rather than red and blue versions of an Earth lion. It was a coping mechanism that he wasn't ashamed of the others knowing about.%%%"Start training level 10!"Keith started battling the gladiator that came at him. He clashed swords with it, parrying it with ease. It helped him clear his mind, keeping him sharp. He knew it wasn't the best coping mechanism, but it was what he knew how to handle being thrusted into a situation he had no idea about.%%%Hunk pulled a tray out of the oven and put it on the counter, closing the oven door. He let the cookies cool. He smiled sadly. At least he knew these cookies were
cookies, not like the scaultrite ones he had made that one time. He set about baking more sweets, since that was his coping mechanism. He missed his family and didn't like being in war but knew he didn't really have a choice.%%%Pidge was sitting in the Green Lion's hangar, typing on her lap top. She was pouring over data, looking for any hint of where her brother and father could be. She picked up her data pad and checked on the program she had running there. This program was helping her develop more upgrades for the lions. Technology and computer programs were her coping mechanisms. They helped her from missing her family too much.%%%Allura was on the bridge, watching four of her five Paladins. She wasn't surprised to see them engaged in their activities. She knew all about their coping mechanisms. However, she didn't see Shiro. He wasn't there on the bridge with her nor was he with the other Paladins. Where was he? She flipped through the remaining cameras, looking for her Black Paladin. She shook her head. No, they may be her Paladins, but they were also her children. She should really stop them from running themselves into the ground. They needed to relax, and she was the one who could get them to, but first she had to locate Shiro. She flipped through camera after camera before finally seeing Shiro in the lounge. She sighed. At least one of her children was relaxing. Now to get the others to the lounge.%%%Allura walked into the kitchen and waited for Hunk to pull his latest treat out of the oven. He set it on the counter. "Hunk."He spun around. "Princess!" She raised an eyebrow. "Mum."She smiled and placed a hand on his arm. "You need to stop. Why don't you go to the lounge and relax? Shiro's already there, and I'll be sending the others too.""Really?" Hunk asked. Allura nodded, and Hunk smiled. "Okay, Mum."Allura kissed his cheek and let him leave the kitchen. She watched him walk in the direction of the lounge before she turned to the Green Lion hangar. She walked into the hangar and over to Pidge. "Pidge."Pidge's head snapped up, and she locked eyes with Allura. Noticing the look in Allura's eyes, Pidge ducked her head a little. "Mom."She drew her into her arms. "You need to relax. Shiro and Hunk are in the lounge, and I'll be sending Lance and Keith there soon."Pidge relaxed in Allura's arms.
"Okay, Mom, but you might want to hurry. Keith's been on the training deck for quite awhile.""I know. I'm getting him next. Now, get going...and leave your lap top here.""Can't I take it so we can watch a movie?"Allura smiled. "Of course. That's a wonderful idea."Pidge stepped out of Allura's arms and carried her lap top to the lounge. Allura exited the hangar and walked in the direction of the training deck. She was quite concerned about her Red Paladin's, no her son's obsession with training."End training sequence!"Keith whirled around with a frown on his face until he saw it was Allura standing there. "Mama?"Allura approached him and tugged him into her arms. She stroked his hair. "You need to not train so much. Take a shower, and meet your siblings in the lounge.""But-""No buts, sweetheart. Take a shower.""Yes, Mama."Allura walked with Keith in the direction of his room, not because she didn't think he'd not go there, but more because she still had to see Lance. She kissed Keith on the forehead before allowing him to enter his room. She walked to the next door and knocked before entering. Lance looked over from where he was fiddling with his stuffed animals."Mamá!""Hi, Lance. The others are gathered in the lounge to relax, and Pidge is going to put on a movie. Why don't you come too?"He heard the distinct sound of running water, and his eyes landed on the wall connecting his room to Keith's. "I thought you said everyone else was in the lounge. Why isn't Keith there?""He's just taking a shower, sweetie. He was on the training deck again."Lance nodded before looking at his stuffed animals with a thoughtful look on his face. Allura noticed his expression. "What's on your mind, Lance?""Do you think the others would like to borrow some of my stuffed animals during the movie?"Allura's heart melted a little at his generosity. She knew how much his stuffed animals meant to him. "I'm sure they would love that."Lance smiled. "I know just the ones they would like!"Lance quickly grabbed his shark, owl, red lion, husky, and fox. Allura escorted Lance to the lounge, and they were joined by Keith before they went too far. They entered the lounge and sat down, Allura next to Shiro.Shiro looked surprised at Allura's appearance. "Okāsan?""It's all right, Takashi. You had the right idea about relaxing in here."He leaned his head against her shoulder, and the other Paladins gathered around her. Lance had already dispersed the stuffed animals he brought. Hunk with the fox was snuggled up on her other side, Lance with his shark was in front of Hunk, Keith with the Red Lion was sitting in front of her but leaning against her chest, and Pidge with the snowy owl was sitting between Keith and Shiro, who had the husky. Pidge had set a movie to play. Apparently, Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge had agreed on Labyrinth, which Keith and Lance liked as well. Allura hadn't seen the movie and was sure she was in for a treat.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Fearful""Shiro?"Keith looked around but couldn't see anything around him. It looked like everything was shrouded in a thick fog. He walked along a gravel path that wound through the forest. Where was he? It looked a little familiar, but he couldn't place it. He had a sinking feeling that he wasn't alone, but he couldn't see anyone. He kept walking and could definitely hear someone else walking on the gravel path a few paces behind him. He sped up his steps, and his pursuer did the same. This continued until they were both running. Suddenly, Keith spun around and tackled the person chasing him. He was expecting a Galra soldier or even Lotor himself. He wasn't expecting to look into the grey eyes of Shiro. He stood up and extended his hand out for Shiro to grasp. "Shiro?""Where you expecting someone else?" Shiro grasped Keith's hand with a smile.Keith pulled Shiro to his feet but felt like something was off. Shiro's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Shiro, what's wrong?"Shiro was still smiling, but it didn't reach his eyes once again. He started approaching Keith. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong."Keith began backing up. Something was definitely off. It didn't even seem like Shiro, even though it looked like him. He had the same beautiful brown eyes and the soft black hair with the white forelock, even the clothes were the same. What wasn't the same was the sword that was generated by his Galra arm. "Shiro?"Shiro grinned evilly and ran forward with startling speed. He tackled Keith before he could react and drove the sword home. Keith's breath was knocked out of him by the impact of the ground. The pain caused by the sword being plunged into his chest was a physical representation of the heart break caused by Shiro being the one to hurt him. Tears gathered in his eyes and dripped down his cheeks. "Sh-Shiro, why?"%%%Shiro was enjoying a relaxing afternoon in the lounge. He was glad they were in a peaceful sector of the universe and could afford to relax. He had even gotten Keith off of the training deck! His boyfriend took a shower and now was laying on one of the couches, napping. Shiro had been trying to read an article on his data pad but kept getting distracted by Keith saying his name in his sleep. However, Shiro's attention was fully drawn to Keith when his breath quickened. Shiro put down his data pad and turned to watch Keith. He was concerned when he saw tears falling down Keith's face. He reached out to shake Keith's shoulder when Keith sat bolt upright with a small shout."Keith?"Keith whirled around to look at Shiro, and fear flashed in his eyes for a tick before Shiro's appearance sunk in. His right arm looked like it normally did and not like it did in what apparently was a nightmare. "Shiro?""It's me, Keith."Keith relaxed and allowed Shiro to wrap his arms around him and pull him close. Keith snuggled against Shiro's shoulder, trying to get his breathing under control. It was just a nightmare. It wasn't real. Shiro didn't stab him and break his heart.Shiro held his boyfriend close. He didn't know what had scared his brave boyfriend so horribly that he was even afraid of him for a tick when he woke up. He carded his left hand through his thick black hair as Keith snuggled against his shoulder. "Shh, Keith. It's okay. I've got you. I'm here." Once Keith got his breathing under control, Shiro asked, "What was your dream about?""It was horrible. It started out with someone following me, but it turned out to be you." A small smile graced Keith's face before it fell. "You killed me."Shiro's fingers stilled in their movements at that pronouncement and the flat tone it was said in. It obviously scared Keith something horrible to have the one person you care for hurt you. Keith didn't have anyone besides Shiro. His mom abandoned him, his father was killed in a fire, and he had been shunted from foster home to foster home. The other Paladins (Lance, Pidge, and Hunk) didn't really interact with Keith much, so they were just comrades. Allura and Coran didn't go out of their way to interact with the Red Paladin either. Shiro and Keith had a strong bond since they met at the Garrison.Shiro rearranged the position of his hands and pulled Keith onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around Keith and gave him a hug. "I would never do that, Keith. I could never hurt you like that. I love you, Keith.""I love you too, Shiro." Keith relaxed even further into Shiro's chest with a sigh. The terror from his nightmare was slowly seeping away as he sat protected by Shiro's embrace.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Bedridden"Keith knew he shouldn't be out of bed, but he couldn't take any more just laying in bed. He just hoped his 'guards' weren't outside his door anymore. The scolding he got from Shiro last time was bad enough; Keith didn't need another. He opened his door and peeked out the doorway. He sighed in relief and left his room. He had been forced to be in bed for a while, suffering from a Galran disease which was kit disease. The rest of the team took turns taking care of him, much to his displeasure. He was used to taking care of himself, so when he was so incapacitated that he couldn't, it was humiliating to him. Now that he was up and about, he was going to enjoy himself.He was a little hungry so he was headed for the kitchen. He didn't take into account how little energy he had.%%%Hunk was on his way to the kitchen to start making lunch and was surprised to see Keith sitting in the hallway with his back to the wall. "Keith?"Keith lifted his head tiredly. "Hunk, hi.""You okay, man? Lance let you leave your room?""What do you mean? Lance wasn't anywhere near my room.""What? He was supposed to be watching you."Keith slowly stood up, leaning against the wall to keep his balance. "I don't need watching over. I'm fine. I want something to eat.""Well, at least I'm going to the kitchen. Let's go, buddy." Hunk wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders and guided him into the kitchen. He picked him up, set him on the counter, and set about getting food ready. He turned around to give Keith the plate but was astonished to see him about ready to fall asleep where he was sitting. He set the plate down. "Hey, man, let's get you back to bed. You still look dead on your...well, you're not on your feet, but you get my meaning."When he didn't receive a response, Hunk looked a little closer at Keith and was surprised to see he actually fell asleep. Hunk scooped him up and carried him and the plate to Keith's room. He was glad to see Lance standing outside the door.The gobsmacked expression on Lance's face told Hunk everything. "I didn't even know he left! I was gone for like a dobosh, two tops!""It's okay, man. Just help me get him back into bed. Take the plate and open the door for me."Lance did just that and followed Hunk into Keith's room. He put the plate on the dresser and helped Hunk rearrange the covers so that he could lay Keith in bed before covering him with the blankets. Hunk laid a gentle hand on Keith's head. "Get some rest, buddy. You need to regain your strength before you try to do much of anything. Ulaz told us that."Lance snickered. "He also said that if you were as stubborn as you usually are that he and the pack would come and make sure you stayed in the nest they would build."They weren't expecting a response, so when they got one, they were surprised. "You win, guys. I will stay here...but I could use some company."Hunk and Lance smiled and sat down next to Keith's bed. "Do you want us to talk to you or anything?"Keith thought for a dobosh. "Maybe you two could talk about your time at the Garrison. I'm sure you two have some good stories."Lance laughed. "Aw, man, do we! We can regale you with our exploits, Mullet. No doubt about that!"Keith smiled and listened to Lance and Hunk (mostly Lance) recounting their adventures at the Garrison.%%%Shiro approached Keith's door, surprised that Lance wasn't standing guard. He opened Keith's door to make sure Keith was still there and was astonished to see Keith sleeping with Lance sitting on the floor next to the bed.Lance looked up. "Hey, Shiro.""What are you doing in here? Did he relapse?""No. Nothing like that. He wanted some company. Hunk and I were both in here earlier, but he left to make lunch."Shiro approached Keith's bed and ran his left hand lightly through Keith's hair. "I didn't think he'd want company.""I didn't either, but when he asked, I couldn't say no.""You're a good friend, Lance.""I just wish there was more I could do."Shiro was confused. "What do you mean?""I like him a lot. He infuriates me and competes with me, but I like him more than a friend.""I like you too, Lance."Lance and Shiro hadn't realized that Keith woke up. "I'm sorry, Keith. Did we wake you?"Keith shook his head and looked at Lance. "There is something you can do, Lance.""What?"Keith wordlessly held his arms out, and Lance scooped him up and sat on the bed with Keith in his arms. Keith laid his head on Lance's shoulder and sighed in contentment. Shiro backed out of the room, so he didn't disturb Keith and Lance.Lance kissed Keith's too hot forehead. "Get some rest, Keith. I'll stay here."Keith's eyes closed, and he fell asleep ensconced in his boyfriend's arms.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Dad Jokes"Keith regretted letting Lance talk to any of his pack members. He figured the safest one to allow near the Blue Paladin was Kolivan. Surely the stoic leader wouldn't be tempted to hear about what Dad jokes were. Keith was sorely mistaken. Not only did it interest Kolivan, he told the rest of the adults in the pack. Now, Keith had to endure Dad jokes not only from Shiro but from his pack as well.%%%Kolivan was in his office as usual. There were so many reports he needed to look over and requests he needed to either approve or disapprove. His door swung open, and he wasn't surprised to see Keith stumble in. He had gotten word from Krolia that her kit was on his way to nap in Kolivan's office. The pack didn't understand the strange feelings their kit got to sleep with certain pack members, no matter where they were. He had been known to nap in Ulaz's office in the med bay, in Thace's lap in the communications room, on Antok's back on the training deck, in the familial nest with his mother, and in Kolivan's office. At least, in his office, there was a nest for his kit to rest in."Hello, kit," Kolivan greeted without taking his eyes off the data pad in front of him."Hi, Kolivan. M'tired."Without missing a beat, Kolivan responded with something that made Keith want to murder Lance. "Hello, Tired. I'm Dad."Keith fell face first into the nest and mumbled something about killing a certain cargo pilot. Even though Kolivan didn't know why Keith sometimes referred to Lance as a cargo pilot, he knew his kit was undoubtedly referring to Lance.%%%Thace was in the communications room, monitoring incoming and outgoing conversations. He was expecting a call from Keith. Their kit had gone to visit the Paladins and was expected to come home anytime now. A Marmoran pod approached the base, transmitting a code unique to each Blade. Thace recognized the code as the one Keith had. He initiated contact, and Keith's picture appeared on the screen. "Hi, Thace. I'm back."Thace grinned. "Hi, Back. I'm Dad."Keith groaned audibly over the comms. "Not you too!"Thace chuckled. "You're cleared to enter. Fly safe, kit."%%%Ulaz was waiting none too patiently for Keith to come see him after his mission. It was standard protocol for Blades to come to the med bay after any mission, and Keith was explicitly told to report there when he got back. Fortunately, Ulaz could smell Keith getting closer. He met Keith at the doors and scooped up his kit, carrying him to the examination bed.Keith whined. "I can walk.""I know that, kit, but I was worried about you."Keith nuzzled Ulaz's head with a soft purr. "I'm okay."Ulaz grinned. "Hello, Okay. I'm Dad."Keith groaned. It was bound to happen at some point. Oh well. At least his mission was a success, and he wasn't injured.%%%Antok wasn't liking what he was witnessing. His kit was in the training hall when he wasn't supposed to be. Antok stepped further into the training hall and growled. Keith immediately froze upon hearing the growl. He knew
what that meant. He let his sword transform back into its knife form and sheathed it. He looked at Antok before lowering his gaze to the floor. "Sorry."Antok stopped growling. He knew his kit felt bad for disobeying him, so he approached him and drew him into his arms. "I forgive you, kit, but you need to learn when to train and when to rest."Keith nuzzled his head against Antok's chest. "I understand, and I'm really sorry."Antok grinned under his mask. He couldn't resist. "Hi, Really Sorry. I'm Dad."Keith whimpered into Antok's chest. He just couldn't escape the Dad Jokes.%%%Keith dragged himself back to the nest room but paused at the door. All four of the adult males of his pack were in the nest. That didn't bode well for Keith, since he knew all four found Dad Jokes humorous. Keith had to be careful what he said, which was hard since he was tired. He stepped into the nest and snuggled against his pile of blankets. The topmost blanket was super soft and felt good against his skin. He nuzzled the blanket, rubbing his cheek against it. He didn't even realize he was murmuring to himself or that it was loud enough for the Blades to hear. "M'comfy.""Hi, Comfy. I'm Dad," all four Blades chorused. Keith groaned and just buried himself into his blanket pile. Would this torture ever end?%%%Krolia entered the base after a mission. It was the first mission she accepted after being reunited with her son. It was nice to lead a team of experienced Blades and not have her orders questioned. However, as nice as it was, she still missed her kit. She reported to the med bay per protocol. Ulaz checked her out, giving her clearance to return to the nest, but couldn't keep the grin off his face."What's got you in such a good mood?""Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and I have been cracking what Lance refers to as Dad Jokes.""Dad Jokes?""Keith says something like 'I'm okay' and I respond with 'Hi, Okay. I'm Dad.' It's like he's saying his name is 'okay' instead of 'Keith' and is introducing himself.""Ah. I see. May I be excused? I want to see my kit.""Of course, Krolia."Krolia left the med bay to look for her kit. He wasn't in the familial nest room, so maybe he was in her personal room. She swiftly entered her room and wasn't at all surprised to see him lounging in her nest. She had made it clear to him that he was welcome in her nest, even if she wasn't there. She divested herself of her armor and entered her nest, tugging her kit close. "I missed you so much, kit!"Keith hugged his mom back. "I missed you too, Mom."Krolia tightened her grip and started nosing his hair. Keith squirmed uncomfortably. It was starting to get harder to breathe. "Mom, you're squeezing me a bit tight."The pressure didn't let up, though. If anything, it was getting tighter! Keith started pushing Krolia away, desperate for a breath. "Mom! I need some personal space!"Krolia grinned and leaned down to whisper in his ear, "You came
out of my personal space."Keith's entire face turned as red as his lion. "Mom!"Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Rescuing Myself"Lance flinched as the Galra behind his seat growled again. He understood that she was Keith's mother, but did she have to growl so menacingly?Krolia barely registered the Paladin's flinch. She was much more concerned with her missing kit. Each adult member of the pack was with a Paladin. Kolivan was riding with Shiro, Antok was riding with Hunk, Thace was riding with Allura, and Ulaz was riding with Pidge. Coran stayed behind at the castle ship where they had convened and came up with a plan. It was during this meeting that they received word that a Galran cruiser was close by. Pidge was able to hack into the ship remotely and determined that this was the ship that Keith had been assigned to infiltrate; the same mission that he was taken on. The Blades, especially Krolia, were adamant about retrieving their kit, a fact that the Paladins echoed.As the Paladins flew the lions, Lance had to smile. He felt Red's anger at 'her cub' being held captive on this ship. He petted one of her consoles and spoke to her through their bond. "Don't worry, Red. We'll get Keith. He'll be safe again soon.""He will ride back with us," Red insisted."Wouldn't dream of letting him do otherwise," Lance quipped."Okay, team," Shiro's voice crackled through the comms. "The ship is full of sentries and low level soldiers. We need to get in, get Keith, and get out.""If they hurt my kit, I'll tear them apart," Krolia growled, which was heard through the comms."Heard loud and clear, and we understand," Shiro responded."Stand down, Krolia. We understand that you want our kit back. We do as well, but it would be best if we retrieve our kit quickly," Kolivan stated.Krolia sighed. "Understood, Leader."%%%Keith growled. He despised this dingy cell the soldiers put him in. They took his bayard and helmet but forgot to check him for other weapons. His blade activated and cut through the bonds binding his hands early in his stay, but he kept his hands behind his back to mimic the look of being shackled. He looked around, taking in his surroundings. He knew in his heart that the Paladins and his pack were mounting a rescue, but he also knew that he couldn't remain still, just waiting on a rescue like some damsel in distress. He was a Paladin of Voltron and a Blade of Marmora. He could get himself out of this situation. He started examining the door, certain he could open it with the help of his sword.He brought his sword out from behind his back just as the ship rocked as though it hit something. Keith took the chance and slashed through the door. It took a couple of slashes, but it fell away, allowing Keith to enter the corridor. Before he did though, he closed his eyes and concentrated on where his bayard and helmet were. He felt they were in a nearby room. He entered the corridor and almost lost his balance when the ship rocked again. He put a hand on the wall and made his way to the room his bayard and helmet were in. There were only two sentries in the room. The first one was taken out by his blade and then, his bayard appeared in his hand before he dispatched the second sentry with it. He deactivated his bayard, letting his disappear into his suit as he retrieved both his helmet and his blade. He put on his helmet and ran down the corridor to where the hangar was. He needed a ship to make his escape.%%%The entry of the ship was easy for the Blades thanks to the Galra focusing on the lions. They rushed to the brig, sure that their kit was confined in one. They were concerned that they couldn't find Keith in any of them. Several of the cells were trashed, a couple of them had their doors torn from their frames. Thace sniffed but couldn't smell their kit. It had been a long shot anyway, since Keith had been wearing his Paladin armor. Krolia wanted to search the entire ship, but it wouldn't have done any good."He's not aboard this ship!" Pidge called through the comms. "I scanned the ship and there's no human/Galra signatures.""We need to retreat and regroup," Shiro ordered."But-" Krolia started.Kolivan put a hand on her shoulder. "Shiro is right."Krolia whined but followed the rest of her pack back to the lions, and the Paladins flew back to the castle. The Blades trudged out of the lions and towards their nest, worried about their kit. Krolia was whining the whole time.The door to their nest room opened, and to their astonishment, Keith was laying there. He was dressed in a long, purple shirt and was lightly dozing in the nest. He looked up with half-lidded eyes when the door opened. He chirped and held his arms out. Krolia immediately stopped whining and went to Keith's side, stepping into the nest. She scooped up her kit and sat down. The rest of the Blades entered the nest and gathered around Keith and Krolia."What happened, kit?""I rescued myself from the ship. They didn't take my blade, so I used it to free myself from the shackles and the cell. I used a Galran fighter and flew back here."The door opened again, revealing the rest of the Paladins. "Kolivan, we need to-Keith!"The five Paladins entered the nest room and knelt beside the nest."Oh, Keith! We were so worried about you!" Allura exclaimed."Sorry to worry you all. If it's all right with my pack, I'd like everyone to be in the nest.""It's alright with us, kit, but we'll need a bigger nest to accommodate everyone," Ulaz stated."We can build a larger one in the lounge," Antok said.The Blades (except for Krolia, who was holding Keith) and the Paladins carried blankets and pillows to the lounge, and Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz quickly built a humongous nest. Krolia stepped into the nest and laid down with Keith on top of her, tucked under her chin. Antok laid next to Krolia with Kolivan in front of him, his tail wrapped around Keith's waist and his claws undoing Kolivan's braid. Thace and Ulaz were on Krolia's other side, Ulaz sitting on Thace's lap. Lance laid down against Keith's legs. Shiro was in front of Kolivan with Allura close to him. Hunk and Pidge were in front of Ulaz and beside Lance. Everyone had gathered as close to Keith as possible and were all touching him in some way.There was a loud purring that attracted everyone's attention. It happened to be Keith and Krolia purring in their sleep. Lance smiled and snuggled against his crush's legs, starting to doze himself."Looks like Keith and Krolia have the right idea." Shiro yawned. "We could all use some rest after our mission."All of the Blades and Paladins missed Keith when he had been captured, and they were pleased when he appeared back at the castle. They were also proud of him for rescuing himself. He wasn't a Paladin and Blade for nothing after all.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Date Night""Hunting?""This is our kit, Thace. He's part human as well. He hasn't shown any interest in hunting before either." Ulaz sighed. "Besides, as nice as an evening meal is, both Keith and Shiro are wanted by the Empire, so they can't enjoy a leisurely meal at a restaurant either.""We have to come up with
something! We told Keith to prepare for a date with his mate, and we haven't come up with anything suitable in the two vargas we have been actively discussing it.""It's been three vargas, my mate."%%%Keith was standing in front of his closet, trying to figure out what he was supposed to wear. His pack told him that they were going to send him and Shiro on a 'date night,' though they didn't have a term for it. However, they adopted the Earth term when they heard Keith call it that.
It did present Keith with his current problem. Without knowing exactly what they were going to be doing on the date, Keith couldn't figure out what clothing he should wear, and that led him to be standing in just his pants in front of his closet.Shiro was sitting on their bed in their shared quarters, enjoying the view. Keith was standing directly in his line of sight, which Shiro swore he was doing on purpose, and if he didn't choose what shirt he was going to wear, their date was going to start and end in their bedroom, whatever plans the Blades came up with be damned. Keith was gorgeous, and on a normal day, Shiro was hard pressed to keep his hands to himself.Keith let out a whine, prompting Shiro to get up and go over to Keith. He wrapped his arms around his boyfriend's shoulders, pulling him back to rest against his broad chest. Keith turned around, raised up on his tip toes, and nuzzled Shiro's neck. "'Kashi.""Kitty." Shiro stroked Keith's fluffy Galran ears.Keith purred at the touch and the nickname. He had some Galran features that showed up recently. He had purple, fluffy Galran ears; a long, thin, purple tail; sharp fangs; and a purple cheek stripe on each cheek. The one on his right cheek was discolored by his scar that was in the same location.The data pad in Keith's pocket vibrated, causing Shiro and Keith to spring apart as Keith fished it out. He looked at it with a quizzical expression. "'Come in loose fitting yet comfortable clothes.' What does that mean? Are they having us train?""Doesn't sound like too much of a date to me.""Well, without knowing what exactly they have planned, we don't know." Keith pulled on a short sleeve, red shirt. "I guess this will do."Shiro had a mischievous grin on his face as he sauntered back to Keith. He whispered in his ear, "We could always stay here and have alone time for our date."Keith wound his arms around Shiro's neck. "As much as I like the sound of that, my pack are expecting us, and besides, we could always do that after our date." Shiro kissed Keith, his hands lightly scratching Keith's head. Keith moaned. "We better stop before we forget about the date."Shiro reluctantly pulled back from Keith but stayed within arm length as he wrapped an arm around Keith and led him to Red Lion. The mechanical lion's eyes lit up, and she bent down to allow her Paladin and his boyfriend entrance. Keith sat down in the pilot's seat with Shiro standing beside him. Keith expertly piloted his lion to the Blade of Marmora headquarters and landed her in the hangar, where she towered above the pods and fighters already parked there.Keith and Shiro exited Red Lion, the former leading his boyfriend to the main hall. Shiro watched as Keith greeted the members they passed. Some of them gave him hugs (picking him off the floor in the process), others ruffled his hair, and still others rumbled to him. Shiro also heard 'kit' several times. He knew Keith was considered young in Galran culture and realized how lucky he was that Keith's pack wasn't against them dating. Keith had had a serious talk with his pack about that, stating that he was dating Shiro whether they approved of it or not.
It didn't take long for Keith and Shiro to get to the main hall, where they were met by Antok. The large Blade scooped up Keith, who was purring at this point. "Welcome back, kit. I'm glad you're back.""Hi, Antok. I'm happy to be back too, but can you put me down?""No. I'm taking you to training hall B. Shiro, follow us." Antok carried Keith out of the main area and into the mostly empty training hall. In fact, the only ones there were Thace, Ulaz, and Kolivan. Antok set Keith on his feet, and he was immediately surrounded by the rest of his pack.There was an exchange of Galran sounds that went over Shiro's head. Purrs, rumbles, hums, amused sounding growls, and huffs along with nuzzles and pets were exchanged at a rapid pace before Keith turned to Shiro and held his hand out. Shiro grasped it and was pulled into the group.This time, Shiro could understand everything as Keith's pack switched to English, so their kit's mate wouldn't feel excluded. He was as much a part of their pack as Keith was after all."We hope you kits enjoy the date we set up for you," Thace stated."But I'm not a kit," Shiro countered."You are not much older than Keith, who is a kit," Kolivan insisted."And what does the date entail?" Keith asked curiously."You get to tumble with each other," Ulaz answered. Shiro turned red, misinterpreting what Ulaz meant until he added, "And play fighting.""Uh, it's a kit date?" Keith recognized the activities as typical kit activities. He sighed. "Can we at least not be supervised?""Very well, kit. Let us know when you are done," Antok agreed, petting Keith's hair before ruffling Shiro's.The four Blades left the training hall, and Keith turned to Shiro before he busted out laughing. Shiro's hair was sticking up in multiple directions from the hair ruffling. Shiro pouted at Keith's laughter. Still chuckling, Keith came over to Shiro's side and straightened his hair but not overly so. There wasn't any point especially if they were going to spar."Sorry, Shiro. I probably should have given them a list of things humans do for a date and told them to pick from that list."Shiro reached out and stroked Keith's ears. "Then, I wouldn't get to tumble and play fight with you."Keith purred and almost melted against Shiro. "We can just spar, 'Kashi.""I want to see what tumbling and play fighting is, Kitty."Keith used his tail to knock Shiro off his feet before he pounced on him. They tumbled over each other, trying to get the upper hand. Neither one succeeded for long. Shiro had the superior strength, but Keith was quick and agile.Even though they told Keith they wouldn't watch, the pack still checked on the pair. The kits seemed to be having a good time on their date. Thace and Ulaz had come up with a kit date since that's what Keith was, and him enjoying tumbling with his mate just cemented that fact. Thace grinned when he saw Keith flip Shiro over his shoulder. It seemed like they made a good choice for their activity.Keith was grinning as he and Shiro switched seamlessly to play fighting. It was more fun than he thought it was going to be. Maybe it was because it was Shiro he was play fighting instead of one of the Blades, but whatever it was, it was fun, and if they crashed in the nest after their date, that was okay.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Due Date"Keith was watching Lance, who was sleeping in their nest. His Omega was overly tired, and Keith didn't blame him. He was expecting their first child and was really far into the pregnancy. In fact, he was due any time now. The baby was sitting super low, which concerned Keith, even though it was normal. He had taken paid time off from work to tend to his mate's every need. He was lucky that his boss, Allura, knew how protective Keith was of Lance and wouldn't make Keith work extra or leave the country, even though he was their most accomplished bodyguard.That wasn't to say Keith was bored at home. He took on all the household chores Lance usually did on top of making sure everything was ready for the big day. In those rare moments where Keith was supposed to rest, he took to watching Lance. He wasn't simply watching his mate; he was also sketching. Keith loved to sketch in his free time, and his favorite subject was Lance. He had sketchbooks filled with pictures of Lance, from little doodles to full blown masterpieces. Lance always told him that he could have been a famous artist instead of a bodyguard to snooty diplomats. Keith always replied that if he was forced to create, then his art would lose its appeal. He was more than happy to sketch and only share it with his close friends and family.Speaking of family, Lance's mother had gone shopping for them, since Keith didn't want to leave Lance alone this close to his due date. It was an instinct that Mrs. McClain loved. She knew Keith was a good Alpha for her youngest and was willing to help them out any way she could.Keith had just finished putting the finishing touches on his latest sketch, when Lance's eyes screwed tightly closed before flying open. "Alpha..."Keith reached out to stroke Lance's hair with a rumble. "I'm here, Omega. I didn't go anywhere."Lance whined but shook his head. "It's time."Keith's eyebrows shot into his hairline. He took a deep breath. They were prepared for this. He helped Lance up and shouldered the overnight bag that had clothes for Lance, the baby, and Keith. There was a special hospital for Omegas giving birth. It was designed for Alphas to stay with their Omegas throughout the entire process. It may have been a little further away than a regular hospital, but Keith was willing to drive that far in order to stay by Lance's side. After all, it wasn't just Lance's baby; it was his too.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Moonrise"Lance nervously paced the abandoned house he shared with his mate. The moon was about to rise, and he wasn't back yet. Since their bond, they never experienced a moonrise apart. It was unheard of for mates to be apart during the full moon, and Lance and Shiro were no exception.Lance knew Shiro had been feeling like something was missing lately. He knew, because he had been feeling the same way. There was supposed to be someone else in their pack. They never could find their other mate, whoever they may be, but Shiro went out earlier today with an expression that told Lance that he was coming back with their other mate tonight. Lance just wished he'd hurry up already.Suddenly, a crunching noise came from outside. It sounded like someone was walking on the gravel driveway. Lance knew it was Shiro, but there was a new scent accompanying Shiro's. Was it their new mate? Lance dashed to the window and peered out. It was Shiro all right, and he wasn't alone. However, this other person was completely covered from head to toe; not even an inch of skin was showing in the light of the setting sun.Lance hurried to the door and threw it open in time for Shiro to escort the other person in. Lance shut the door and sniffed. It wasn't another werewolf that was for sure. The other person slowly peeled off layer after layer until he was just in a pair of jeans and a cotton t-shirt. His skin was so pale it was almost white, and he had black hair, but his eyes were such an unusual shade of purple. Lance was sure he had seen those eyes before."Shiro, aren't you going to introduce us?""Of course, Lance, this is our mate, Keith.""Lance?""Keith?"The two younger males came closer, and Lance nosed Keith's hair. It was the same scent from his childhood, before he was cursed. He had had a best friend by the name of Keith that he did everything with. That all changed one night when he went camping with his older brothers and father. It was just the four McClain males having a guy's night that fateful night of the full moon. Fortunately, Lance was the only one who was bitten. However, his family had to move in order to keep Lance's curse a secret, so Lance had to bid good bye to his best friend. Someone who Lance never thought he'd get to see again, but here he was in the flesh...but his scent was slightly different.Keith hugged Lance tight, allowing the other to nose his hair. He couldn't believe that Lance was right there, alive and well. He never thought he'd get to see Lance again, especially after he was attacked. It was a few years after Lance had moved away. Keith was cutting through a dark alley on the way home after seeing a movie. He hadn't seen his assailant, but he felt something piercing his neck. He didn't realize they were fangs at first. When he had come to, he realized that he had been turned. He was now a vampire. At first, he didn't know what to do. His parents had both left him. His mom abandoned him at birth, and his father perished in a fire. He couldn't even fathom living forever or taking his own life either. He continued living his life, barely going out before dark. If he had to, he would cover every inch of skin, so he wouldn't burn. He had no idea that one of the times he ventured out, he would run across one of his mates.Shiro looked from Lance to Keith in slight confusion. "Do you two know each other?""We had been best friends growing up," Lance explained, giving Keith a look out of the corner of his eyes. "But I didn't know he was a vampire.""I didn't know you were a werewolf," Keith admitted."Yeah. My family thought it was best that we move after I was bitten.""I was attacked a few years after you moved."Shiro wrapped his arms around his two mates. "It's all right now, though. You both survived the attacks, and we are now together."Lance snuggled into Shiro's chest, Keith following suit. Even though they had just met (as mates) and moonrise was only minutes away, Lance and Shiro were filled with a calming sense of completion. They knew their mate would protect them as they would protect him. Their triad had finally become complete.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"A Series of Losses"Why did the universe hate him? It was a question Keith asked himself all the time. His entire life had been a series of losses and bad times. His mother had left him when he was a baby. He couldn't even remember what she looked like, but he would catch his father looking at a strange knife with a wistful expression from time to time. For several years, it was just Keith and his Dad. Keith had thought his life had been going pretty good, until the fire. It was a horrendous fire that consumed their home. Keith's father managed to save his son but lost his life in the process. Keith had gone into a state of shock for the first week and had been in the hospital recovering from smoke inhalation and was put on suicide watch.After it was determined that he wasn't suicidal, child protective services looked into his next of kin, only to discover he didn't have any living relatives. They allowed him to collect a few things from the shack his father had built, including the knife his father had always had on him. Keith kept the knife hidden and never showed anyone the knife or the strange glowing symbol above its guard. It was hard to keep it hidden, even in its sheath, so Keith wrapped the glowing symbol so it wouldn't give him away. The next several years he was passed from foster family to foster family as one family after another gave up on him and labeled him as 'antisocial' and 'a loner with anger issues.' Being passed from family to family (and sometimes changing schools as a result) caused Keith to have issues with school. He was brilliant but had problems with authority figures and received another label. He was a 'discipline case.'No one wanted to attempt to raise a child with issues, so he stayed at the orphanage. However, this seemed fortuitous for a change. Keith got along wonderfully with the younger orphans. He made sure they never went without and were always presentable for prospective parents.Keith was happy when he learned that one of the younger children got adopted, but it was one more thing that went away in Keith's life. He kept getting people taken away from him. He kept taking care of the younger children until one day at school.There was a guest speaker from the Galaxy Garrison that came today. He couldn't care less. He knew he wouldn't be able to go to the Garrison. It would cost too much, and he didn't have any money. The class gathered outside at the flight simulator that classmate after classmate tried their hands at, except Keith. That was, until the guest speaker, Takashi Shirogane, called to him. He shrugged his shoulders and climbed into the seat. He flew wonderfully, better than his classmates. He heard Shiro ask about him attending the Garrison, but his teacher tried to dissuade him from picking Keith. Keith couldn't take it anymore and stole Shiro's car.Keith figured it was the best way for him to get out of the orphanage. At least in juvie there would be no one to pick on him, and there would be three square meals a day. To Keith's immense surprise, Shiro bailed him out AND got his record cleared. How
he did that Keith had no clue, but the surprises didn't stop there. Oh no, Shiro not only got him into the Garrison but also got him in on a scholarship. Keith had never
qualified for anything that amazing. He just had to keep his grades up and fly the simulator well.Keith thought maybe, just maybe his world was looking up and he had finally something, someone
worthy of staying. Then, tiny little disappointments crept up. Shiro was selected to go on a mission, which would be the last mission since he had a degenerative muscle disease. So, not only was Shiro leaving, but he was sick, something he kept from Keith until Keith confronted him about it, having eavesdropped. Still, it was only supposed to be an eighteen month long mission, and Shiro was coming back.Or so he thought. Pilot error. Those two words shattered his entire world. He walked around in a daze for a week, not talking and barely eating. Then, he snapped out of it with a fervor. He knew
that the Kerberos mission was not lost due to pilot error, especially not with Shiro as the pilot. The Garrison was hiding something and were afraid of it becoming public knowledge. The worst part was the instructors, specifically Iverson, constantly used the Kerberos failure as a lesson for the current cadets, badmouthing Shiro in particular. It all came to a head when Keith beat another one of Shiro's records. Iverson scoffed and said, "At least that failure's name is off another record."Keith saw red and decked Iverson in his left eye so hard that he lost the use of it forever. It also gave the Garrison license to kick him out. He headed back to his Dad's shack, which he was surprised was still standing and hadn't been disturbed. He sat on the couch and ignored the dust cloud that was launched into the air in favor of trying to figure out what he was going to do now.He had lost his place at the orphanage, his spot at the Garrison, his mentor, and his dream of going to the stars all in one swoop. He didn't know what to do. He stayed in his Dad's shack (or was it his now?) for another week, barely eating some questionable contents of some tinned cans he found in the cabinets. After that week, he started going out to his porch and looking at the stars. When he started doing that, he felt another presence in the desert. It intrigued him in a way that he hadn't encountered since he was kicked out of the Garrison.Renewed with a sense of purpose, Keith scoured the caves and dunes of the desert before he discovered a cave full of carvings of blue lions and a hidden message of a special event, an arrival, happening. Keith spent the next year trying to uncover the mysteries of the Blue Lion.He hadn't expected the arrival to be Shiro's. Keith couldn't believe someone who had left him had come back. Keith along with three cadets rescued Shiro and took off in the Blue Lion. Leaving behind Earth didn't hurt Keith in the slightest. The only person he had left was standing to his right, so he didn't have anyone he was leaving, but still, he was finally the one who was doing the leaving instead of being left.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Intimidation""Kit?" Thace poked his head into Keith's room, where he had been resting. He didn't see anyone in Keith's room. "Where did he go?"Thace frowned. His kit better not be on the training deck. He angrily stalked to the training deck and opened the door. He was surprised to find the training deck empty too. Well, at least his kit wasn't training when he was told no. Where was he then?Thace was about to give up when he heard a purr. That was his kit's purr all right. He followed it to and entered the lounge. He saw Keith cuddled up next to Lance on the sofa, purring. Thace smiled and pulled out his data pad. He took a picture and sent it to the pack. He tucked his data pad back into his pocket and approached his kit. "Hey, kit."Keith looked up and chirped. "Hi, Thace.""Keith, is there something you need to tell the pack?"Keith blushed. "Y-Yeah. I'm dating Lance."Thace cocked his head. "I'm afraid the translators didn't work against one of those words, kit. What do you mean by dating?""Oh, uh, it means that Lance is my boyfriend." Seeing Thace's confused expression, Keith racked his brain for a Galran alternative. "Uh, he's my mate.""Mate?! You're too young for a mate!""No, I'm not.""You are a young kit. Kits are-" Thace began."Normally you are right, Thace. However, Keith is part Galra and part Human. He is fine having a boyfriend," Krolia interrupted as she entered the lounge.Keith smiled. "Mom!"Krolia sat down on the couch on Keith's other side and nuzzled Keith's head. She raised her eyes to meet Lance's over Keith's head. "Having said that, if you hurt my kit-""I'd never!"Krolia smirked. "Good. However, if you do..." She trailed off, flexing her claws.Lance gulped. "You'll kill me?""Oh no. Voltron still needs you, but you'll wish I had.""Technically, Mom, we do have six Paladins," Keith added thoughtfully."Keith!" Lance yelped.Keith grinned and purred to Lance. "I'm only joking. I'd miss you too much."Once Lance got his heart rate under control, he kissed Keith's temple. "Good. I'd miss me too."Keith groaned at the joke. "I changed my mind."Krolia chuckled at the bickering between her kit and his mate. It reminded her of when Thace and Ulaz first got together. It spoke of what kind of relationship Keith and Lance were going to have in the future, and she liked it. Lance was going to be good for Keith...or he was going to regret it.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Engaged""Acxa!"Acxa looked up to see her commanding officer and twin coming towards her. "Hi, Keith."Keith tugged her into his arms and nosed her hair (a Galran greeting) before nuzzling her. She nosed his long hair as well. He had it tied back into a ponytail. After the greeting was over, Keith stepped back and tugged on her hand. "Come with me. There's something I need to show you.""All right." Acxa was a little hesitant, but her younger twin was insistent.Keith led Acxa over to the red hover bike he had brought over to the Garrison. It had been their Dad's, which Keith had inherited when he died, and Keith loved riding it, even after all these years. He climbed into the driver's seat and patted the spot behind him. "Climb on, sis."Acxa had some reservation but did as her twin said. She climbed on behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist. He grinned and started the hover bike. He took off at a high speed, loving the feel of the wind through his hair as the landscape sped by them. Soon enough, he was following the same path he had taken when he and the other Paladins saved Shiro, the very same path Shiro showed Keith those many, many years ago. He drifted around the curve and picked up more speed as he drove towards and off the cliff. He felt Acxa tighten her hold on his waist, which didn't let up even after he leveled out and sped off into the desert. He only slowed down when he approached his family's old shack, which wasn't alone in the desert anymore.A little distance away was a large house. Lights shone through the windows and music could be heard even though the windows were closed. Keith slowed down and coasted to a stop beside the house. He dismounted the bike and helped his sister get down. They cautiously approached the house, not liking the loud music coming from within.They obviously weren't the only ones who didn't like the music. There standing outside the house with a red plastic cup of questionable liquid in her hand was Romelle. She looked a little down until she saw Keith and Acxa approaching. She smiled and waved. Even though they couldn't hear her over the music, she still shouted, "Keith! Acxa! Hi!"Keith drew Romelle into his arms and nosed her hair. He bent close to her ear. "Hi, Romelle. Let me do something about the music."Romelle squeezed him tighter. "Thanks."Keith entered the house, wincing as the music got louder when he opened the door. Mindful of the two aliens outside, he shut the door behind him. It didn't take long to figure out where the music was coming from or why it was up so loud. Nadia Rizavi and James Griffin had stationed themselves near the stereo and had it up to max volume. Wanting his twin and his pseudo-sister to come in, he marched over and turned the volume down to a tolerable level.James immediately turned to Keith and narrowed his eyes. "What's the big deal, Kogane? The music was at a great volume.""It escaped your notice, Griffin, but our allies have sensitive hearing. I will not let my sisters be excluded or be in pain just because you wanted to feel
the music.""What?""I'm going to assume the music damaged your hearing. The volume drove Romelle outside to escape from the loudness. I didn't even want to come in here, because it was so loud." Keith turned to the door. "Now, keep it at this level until Veronica makes her announcement. At that point, you turn it down. Do not
ruin this for them."Keith walked to the door, opened it, and called out, "It's okay now. The music won't be turned up. You guys can come in."Romelle and Acxa walked in. Keith handed his twin a drink in a red plastic cup, after making sure it was okay for Galra to drink. Veronica made her way over to the trio. "Thank you, guys, for coming.""Our pleasure, Veronica, even though I wasn't sure if we were going to make it. Someone decided to drive off a cliff," Acxa replied."It's okay. I've done that before with and without passengers." Keith shrugged, taking a drink from his own red plastic cup."Who?""Well, first time with passengers, it was years
ago, and Shiro, Pidge, Hunk, and Lance were there.""What?" Veronica exclaimed."Shiro was unconscious and being held by Pidge, Hunk was on the back of the bike, and Lance was on the side. It was the night we rescued Shiro from quarantine, which was the night before we launched into space in the Blue Lion.""Alejandro!" Veronica turned to Lance, who stopped dead in his tracks."Hey, sis.""Don't 'hey sis' me! You were a passenger on a hover bike that drove off a cliff!""It wasn't my idea, but that was years ago and I have done worse things than that like fighting in an intergalactic war."Veronica's eyes softened in realization. "Lo siento, hermano. Sometimes I forget that your not my hermanito any more."Lance gave his sister a hug. "I will always be your brother. I'm just not little anymore." He put his mouth next to her ear and whispered, "I better be your best man."Veronica smiled. "Of course, Lance. Thank you."She locked eyes with Keith, who nodded and pulled out his data pad. She waited until he nodded again. Once he did, she motioned for the music to be stopped. James did so, groaning softly at having to do so.Veronica turned to Acxa and grabbed her left hand. "Acxa, I fell for you this first time I saw you after Earth was saved from Sendak's invasion. Most people saw you as another Galra, but I saw someone trying to learn her place in a new, unfamiliar world, something we had in common. Once I got to know you, I found someone I wanted to spend my life with." She bent down on one knee, pull out a box from her pocket, and opened it, revealing the ring inside. "Acxa, will you marry me?"Acxa gasped. The ring was gorgeous. The setting was sterling silver, and instead of a central gem, there were a trio of gemstones (aquamarine, emerald, and kunzite). She glanced around the room to see everyone watching, including two people on Keith's data pad. Krolia and Kolivan were crowded around the data pad and were waiting patiently for her answer. Her eyes traveled back to Veronica, who was still kneeling in front of her. "Yes. I will!"Veronica smiled and slid the ring on her finger. She stood up, and Acxa kissed her as everyone clapped and cheered. People started crowding around them, offering their congratulations. Keith (with Krolia and Kolivan on his data pad) made his way to the front of the crowd. Once he made it to her side, he pulled her close. "Congratulations, sis.""Thanks, Keith. I'm glad you told me what the Earth terms were for couples were.""Congratulations, daughter. Kolivan and I are so proud of you," Krolia said. "We apologize for not being able to be there, but there was a meeting earlier today, one we couldn't miss. So, when Keith told me of his plan, we made sure we wouldn't miss his call."Acxa looked at her twin. "You knew?""Of course. I helped Veronica set this up, and I was in charge of making sure you were here.""Keith did a wonderful job as your brother and commanding officer," Kolivan mentioned."He did," Veronica stated. "Hello, Krolia, Kolivan. I'm glad you were able to see this. Thank you for allowing me to propose to Acxa.""I like you, Veronica," Krolia said. "You came all the way to Daibazaal to ask for my permission to date Acxa, and you made the trek again to ask in person if you could propose to her.""I'd traverse the universe for her," Veronica vowed."We are glad to hear that, but you needn't go that far," Kolivan spoke up. "You two were made for each other.""Thank you, sir.""We hope to be able to attend the ceremony. Let us know the date," Krolia added."We will," Acxa answered. "Bye, Mom, Kolivan."The data pad went dark, and Keith stuck it back in his pocket. "I hope to be your best man.""Of course, Keith. You stand on Acxa's side, and Lance will stand on my side.""Lance
is your best man?""Yes, he called dibs.""Figures."As if drawn by the conversation, Lance wandered over and wrapped an arm around Keith's shoulders. "Got a problem with my sister, Keith?""Nope. I like her. It's you being her best man that I have an issue with.""What's that mean?""The title is 'best man.' I don't think that describes you.""Why you-that was a joke, wasn't it?" Lance spied the smirk. "It was a joke! Oh my God. You almost had me going, Mullet. Now, let's continue this party til the sun comes up!"Keith grinned and decided to not even mention that the sun hadn't even set yet. He let Lance draw him into the small crowd which consisted of Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, Matt, Sam and Colleen Holt, James, Nadia, Ryan, Ina, Romelle, Coran, and the McClain family. Keith was glad Lance led him away as the rest of the McClain family gathered around Veronica and Acxa, congratulating them and welcoming Acxa to the family.Keith glanced from his sister and soon to be sister-in-law to Lance, who still had an arm around his shoulders. He was glad to see Lance happy, because he was so depressed after Allura's sacrifice. Mopey and depressed didn't fit Lance, and Keith wondered if he'd be able to help continue lifting Lance's spirit.Lance blushed as he led Keith into the crowd, allowing his family to gather around the newly engaged couple. He had been slowly healing after Allura's sacrifice and thought he might be willing to get back into the dating scene. However, he needed to find someone who would understand what he went through and wasn't just dating him for being a hero, which brought him to the guy by his side. Maybe Keith would be open to dating him? Lance wanted to ask him but decided to wait because he didn't want to take attention away from Veronica and Acxa. Tomorrow was another day after all.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Little Activities""One...two...four...""You forgot 'three,' Lancey," Shiro called out."Oh, sorry, Daddy. One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...eight...nine...ten! Ready or not, here I come."Shiro watched as his middle little searched the lounge for his older sister and his younger brother. Shiro knew that Pidge, who was five, had wedged herself between the cushions, and Keith, who was two, was hiding under the couch. Shiro loved watching his littles play. He was glad Lance, who was four, and Pidge were willing to play with Keith. Pidge adored her youngest brother and made sure Lance didn't pick on him, not that Lance would on purpose, but sometimes he was a bit mean. There were times he didn't want to play with "a baby," but then, Pidge would make it a point to play with Keith instead of Lance, which made Lance either play with both of them or be alone."Found you, Pidgey!" Lance exclaimed as he grabbed
ahold of her green t-shirt. He let go immediately though, continuing his search for his "younger" brother.Pidge plopped on the couch, waiting for Lance to either find Keith or for him to give up. She leaned over. "Daddy, where's Keith?"Shiro looked over to see where Lance was and, seeing him looking on the other side of the room, whispered softly, "Under the couch."Pidge giggled. Lance would never find Keith there."Come out, come out, wherever you are, Keithy!" Lance sang out. He was getting frustrated with not being able to find Keith. Lance thought he
was the hide-in-seek champion, but apparently, Keith was better. He supposed that was because Keith knew how to be quiet. Besides, he was bored with looking. He wanted to do something else. "I give up! Where are you, Keithy?" Strangely, there was no reply. "Keithy? Come out!" When Keith failed to appear, tears appeared in Lance's eyes as he ran to Shiro. "Daddy, I lost Keithy!"Shiro pulled Lance into his lap and gave him a big hug. "You didn't lose Keith, Lancey. I know where he is. I don't know why he didn't come out though. Do you want to see?"Lance sniffled but nodded. As much as he may complain about having to play with "a baby," he loved his brother. Shiro set Lance on his feet and crouched down to look under the couch, Lance repeating his actions. There, under the couch, was Keith, but he was sleeping. Noticing his brother was sleeping, Lance quietly said in a satisfied tone, "Keithy.""He shouldn't sleep under there." Shiro carefully maneuvered himself to drag Keith out from under the couch. Keith whined when Shiro pulled him out. "It's all right, Keithy. I've got you."Keith opened his eyes halfway. "'Kashi."Shiro stroked Keith's hair and cuddled him close. "Just go back to sleep, buddy. It's okay." Keith closed his eyes and fell back asleep, a hand grasping Shiro's vest. Shiro settled back onto the couch with Keith on his lap and looked at his older littles. "Why don't you two draw a picture? I would like some more art from two of my little artists."This comment drew big grins from Pidge and Lance, and they sat down at the low table and began to draw pictures with the occasional comment."I'm going to draw lions, and they're gonna be all the colors of the rainbow! One for each of us!""But lions aren't every color of the rainbow," Pidge replied."Well, these are."Shiro smiled as Pidge and Lance drew their pictures. He pressed a kiss to his youngest little's hair as he slept. He hadn't thought that Keith was going to fall asleep during the game, but it was close enough to nap time that he wasn't too surprised.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Assistance"Keith limped out of the training deck, having taken a hard hit from the gladiator to his right leg. Level twenty was harder than he thought! He was limping to the infirmary for some pain reliever and ointment for the bruise he was sure was going to form, when he saw light on on the bridge. He frowned. He thought the rest of the ship's inhabitants were asleep. Why was there a light on? Instead of going to the infirmary first, Keith limped onto the bridge.%%%Allura was sitting in the Blue Paladin seat, contemplating what's going on with Lotor being Emperor. He seemed to be trying to get all buddy-buddy with her, a move so obvious that even Keith who was at the Blade of Marmora headquarters noticed and moved back into the castle. Allura smiled. She was glad that her boyfriend was back. She missed him; the entire team had. She understood why he left but was glad that he had returned to her.She looked up, when the door opened, and Keith limped in. She stood up and rushed over to him. "Keith, what happened?"Keith was surprised that Allura was supporting his weight rather than his right leg. "I, um, I was training."Allura sighed. "What level?"Keith ducked his head slightly. "Twenty.""Twenty?! Are you trying to severely injure yourself?!""No. I was on my way to the infirmary for some stuff to help with the stiffness and the bruise that's going to form.""Well, lucky I'm here. I can help." Allura used her Altean ability and shifted so she was a lot taller than Keith and scooped him up, which reminded him of being on the BoM headquarters. The Blades, especially his pack, tended to pick him up if he was somewhere he wasn't supposed to be or if they were on a mission and speed was necessary. They picked him up and ran, their longer legs making them faster than Keith."Allura! I can still walk!""Keep it down. You don't want to wake anyone else, do you?"Keith quieted down. He definitely didn't want anyone to see his girlfriend carry him bridal style down the corridor to the infirmary. They remained quiet until they reached the infirmary, and Allura placed Keith on one of the examination beds. Keith pouted slightly. "Was that necessary, Allura?"Allura shrunk to her normal size and giggled. "Yes. I believe it was.""You're lucky I love you," he grumbled. "Do you have anything to help me?"Allura perused the cabinets. "Here's a pain reliever...and here's the bruise cream." She turned to face her boyfriend. "Do you want any help?"Keith hesitated. He normally didn't let anyone help him, but his leg was throbbing, and no one else had to know. "Yes, please."Allura was slightly surprised at Keith's answer. She had expected him to refuse her help but felt like she had
to offer. He actually accepted her offer. "Okay. Do you want me to carry you or just help you to your room?"Again, Keith hesitated. As much as his pride had taken a beating already, he didn't know how much more it could take. "Would it be too much of a hassle to help me to my room?"Allura smiled. "No, Keith. I'd be happy to help."She went over to his side and caught him when he slid off the bed. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and let him lean against her. She helped him limp back to his room and stayed when he changed clothes, but her back was turned until he told her he was dressed. He was in the loose fitting Red Paladin pajamas, which gave her access to his right leg. She rubbed the cream into the area where he said the gladiator struck as he took the pain reliever. Once she was done, she put the lid on the container and set it aside. Keith had repositioned himself on the bed and laid down. "Will you stay with me, Allura?"Allura paused. Would it be okay? One look at Keith gave her the answer. "Yes."Keith opened his arms, and she laid down, relaxing against him and his arms closing around her. Keith buried his face in her unbound hair and breathed deeply, inhaling her scent that somehow still smelled of juniberries though none had bloomed for over 10,000 years. It was a comforting scent to Keith. Since the flowers were no longer around, Keith knew that if he smelled them, it meant his girlfriend was nearby and that he was home.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Hiding"Keith was huddled in his nest in as tight a ball as he could manage and under a blanket. He was supposed to be training but couldn't bring himself to leave his nest, let alone his room. He felt bad that he had reserved the training deck for three hours and wasn't even using it. One of the other Paladins could be using it. One of the more useful Paladins could be honing his/her skills. He felt so useless. He couldn't get out of his head long enough to eat anything. What kind of Paladin was he?%%%Shiro entered the training deck to see what Keith was working on and was surprised that the deck was empty. Where was Keith? He hadn't seen him all day, so Shiro decided to start checking in Keith's room. The eldest Paladin went to Keith's room and knocked on the door. "Keith? Are you in here?""Sh-Sh-Shiro?""Yeah, it's me, buddy. Can I come in?""Y-Yeah."Shiro entered the room and noticed that there was a lump in Keith's nest. He knelt down outside the nest. "Keith, I'm here."The blanket shifted, and Keith peeked out without moving the blanket off his head. He whimpered a little. "S-Sorry f-f-f-for n..." Keith took a deep breath, trying to calm his stutter. "Sorry for not using the tr-training deck. Someone else c-can use it.""Don't worry about that, Keith. What's wrong?""Something's not right in my head.""Not right...oh, Keith. That's okay. You can have an off day. Everyone has them. What do you need?""Food and drink, but I don't feel up to leaving my nest.""That's okay, Keith. I can go get you stuff if you'd like. I can also tell everyone to leave you alone.""Just the food and drink for now. I think if you tell anyone where I am, they'll make it a point to bother me.""I doubt it, but okay." Shiro stood and left the room, heading for the kitchen. He gathered water bottles, cucumber slices, and food goo and put it in a basket. He didn't know what Keith had eaten today, but it wasn't much if anything at all. He carried it back to Keith's room, glad to not encounter any of the Paladins or either of the Alteans. He opened the door and entered Keith's room, closing the door behind him. "Hey, Keith. I brought you stuff."Keith peeked out and whimpered.Shiro knelt down outside Keith's nest. "Where do you want me to put it?""In here." Keith patted his nest, where Shiro placed the basket. "Thanks.""You're welcome, Keith. Unless the alarm goes off, go ahead and stay here. I'll make sure no one goes looking for you otherwise. If you need anything, let me know via data pad.""Will do." Keith pulled out a bottle of water and a bowl of cucumber slices.Shiro smiled as he saw Keith eating, safely ensconced in his nest with his blanket around his shoulders. He exited Keith's room, intent on keeping the Garrison Trio's and the Alteans' attention away from the fact that Keith wasn't leaving his room. He had seen this behavior before from Keith back at the Garrison. He had been able to hide it from the higher ups on Earth and was confident that he could do the same here.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Enceinte"Lance splashed water on his face, rinsing off the residue of his face mask. He was just finishing his night time routine, when his door slid open. Lance's breath got knocked out of him when someone ran into him. Once Lance got his breath back, he looked into the mirror, but he already knew who was plastered to his back. The fluffy ears brushing his neck and the tail wrapped around his left leg was a dead giveaway. His posture was worrisome though. "Babe, what happened?"Keith didn't say anything; he simply whimpered. Lance wriggled around and turned around, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend. "Hey, hey. Whatever happened, it's okay. I've got you."Lance repositioned his arms and scooped up Keith in his arms. Keith's tail unwrapped itself from Lance's leg and wrapped itself around Lance's waist. The Blue Paladin carried his boyfriend to their bed and sat down with Keith in his arms. Keith nuzzled Lance's neck. He had just come from the infirmary. He had been feeling ill for about a week and got checked out at Lance's behest. The results had shocked him to his core, and he immediately went to find Lance. He had to tell Lance what he learned and hope that Lance wasn't mad or disgusted by him."Lance.""There's my kitten."Keith blushed at the nickname. "I got checked out like you said and..."Lance stayed quiet to let Keith tell him on his own but stroked his hair."I'm pregnant. Apparently, male Galra can carry kits."One of Lance's hands drifted down to Keith's still flat abdomen. "Really? You've got a kit in here? A kit that's yours and mine?""Yes."Lance smiled. "That's amazing! I'm so happy, kitten!"Keith looked at Lance's face and relaxed when he saw the genuine happiness on Lance's face. He nuzzled Lance's neck and purred. Now that Lance knew that he was pregnant, Keith knew he would have the support he needed on the castle ship.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Differences""So, you said there was someone like me there?""Sort of. He wasn't part Altean though-""Lucky," Akira muttered."Not quite. In the reality they're from, the Galra are evil, not the Alteans. The other you, his name is Keith, is part Galra.""Part Galra? Did he have the furry ears or fur?""Actually, no. He looked completely human.""Then, how did you know?""His comrades told me.""What were they like?""Well, their Hiroshi is called Pidge, and she's a girl but still a tech genius.""A girl?""Yah. Their Tsuyoshi is called Hunk and would rather not get in a fight.""Tsuyoshi not want to fight?" Akira put a hand to his head. This was getting to be too much."Aki, are you okay?" Sven reached out and cupped his right cheek."This alternate reality sounds opposite of our reality."Sven chuckled. "Not completely. Their Isamu, named Lance, still irritates Keith, but Keith and Lance have a strong bond and have known each other for awhile.""Do you think Keith and Lance are best friends?""Hmm, no, but they have a bond that reminds me of ours."Akira looked Sven in the eyes. "They're in love?""They just haven't admitted it yet," Sven confirmed and put his forehead gently against Akira's. "Not like us."Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Bad Timing"Keith and Regris trudged back into headquarters. It was unusual for the two of them to be sent on a mission together and even more unusual for them to be without an adult on said mission. Fortunately, the mission required speed and stealth. The two kits didn't need to engage any enemies. Keith was simply supposed to watch his brother's back while Regris downloaded intel. Luckily, no harm came to either kit, but they were both tired. Neither had gotten a chance to nap during the mission but were looking forward to spending the rest of the quintant with their pack.They stumbled into their nest room and whined in unison. The nest was empty! Regris stepped forward and sniffed. Their pack's scents were stale like they hadn't been there all quintant, which was strange since their sister should have been there with at least one adult. Where was everyone?Keith had pulled out his data pad and pulled up a map of headquarters. He tapped the locate function and waited the grueling doboshes the program took to locate the seven other signatures. Each kit had this program on their data pad, which was used to locate the other seven members of their pack. Keith whined when the only signature that showed up was Regris's. Where did they go?%%%Turan was passing by his leader's quarters when he heard the whining. Everyone knew the leader's pack had three kits, and the entirety of the base watched over the kits, especially if the rest of the pack were unavailable, which was the case at that moment. Two of the kits had returned from their mission, but the rest of their pack were still on their missions.Krolia, Ulaz, and the other kit, Acxa, were on one mission, while Kolivan, Antok, and Thace were on another. The three adults were on a mission to take out another fleet of ships, while the other members of the pack were doing a short, infiltration mission. Both teams hadn't intended on going on missions when they had sent Keith and Regris on one, but they needed handled immediately.Turan knocked on the door leading to the nest room and was treated to the sight of both kits being close to tears. Strike that, Keith had tears sliding down his cheek stripes. "Kits?"Keith turned to the Blade standing in the doorway and whimpered. He didn't know the Blade very well. Regris, however, went over to Turan and
tucked himself under his chin. He held
his hand out for his brother to come over. Keith hesitantly walked over, and Regris tugged him closer. Turan held the kits, rumbling to them.%%%Krolia, Ulaz, and Acxa were hurrying back to headquarters after their infiltration mission. It had been a close call, but the trio managed to get out without detection, but it had taken longer than the original estimation of time. Now, Krolia was faced with the very real concern that her eldest and youngest kits were already back at the base and alone in the nest. She held her daughter close, while Ulaz navigated the route to the base. She just hoped someone was there to comfort her kits.%%%Thace fought the urge to growl as he rigged the main ship to explode. Keith and Regris would be back from their mission by now, and there was no one there to greet them. The two kits would undoubtedly be tired and want to curl up with one of the adults in the pack, all of whom were gone and had been for most of the quintant. He didn't like the fact that the kits were alone.%%%Turan eased both of the kits into his nest. He could tell both were tired and needed sleep. The eldest kit he had interacted with before, but the youngest kit he hadn't. However, he looked familiar. As the kits napped, he observed them. He could tell they weren't sleeping peacefully as they weren't purring. It was heartbreaking for kits not to have someone they trust after a rough quintant, and there was no rougher quintant than after a mission. It baffled his mind that these kits were sent on a mission at all. He had battled both of these kits during the trials. Kolivan trusted him to be the first Blade in the trials. He remembered the youngest kit's trial and regretted injuring him. He hadn't meant to. The majority of the recruits that faced him had dodged or blocked his attack. He had been surprised that not only had he landed a blow but that the kit kept fighting. He hadn't known he was a kit though. At the time, he was just another being that wanted to take the trials. He was told about Keith being a young kit by Kolivan a movement later. He sat down above the kits and ran his claws through their headfur, hoping to at least provide some comfort.%%%Krolia, Ulaz, and Acxa rushed back to their nest, certain the other two kits were there. They were surprised to see an empty nest. Acxa let out a questioning noise before she pulled out her data pad and activated her locator. They watched as four signals total appeared, her mom and Ulaz with her and her brothers' a few doors down!Acxa looked up at her mom, who nodded. She left the nest room and walked a few doors down. She knocked on the door, and Turan answered it. He smiled when he saw who it was. "Welcome back, Krolia. Your kits are napping but not deeply."Krolia knelt outside his nest and rumbled. Regris's and Keith's heads shot up at the familiar sound. Their eyes locked onto Krolia kneeling there, and they reached out for her, Keith crying again. She gently scooped her kits out of the nest and pulled them onto her lap. She let them nose her hair and breathe in her scent. She rumbled to them, which was heard in her voice. "It's all right, kits. I'm back now. I'm sorry you were alone.""We weren't completely alone, Mom," Regris said. "Turan was here."Krolia looked up at the Blade whose room they were still in. "Thank you, Turan.""No thanks are required. It was my pleasure to watch the kits." He knelt down and stroked Keith's hair. "Kit, I apologize for my actions during your trial. I never got to tell you that.""During my trial?""I was the first Blade you faced."Keith whimpered and clutched Krolia a little tighter. Krolia looked at her youngest kit, who was a little frightened. "Keith?""He was the one who did this." Keith yanked on the neckline of his shirt, revealing the scar on his right shoulder."I regret doing that, especially after Kolivan told me you were actually a kit. A kit should never have through the trials. To have one go through and
get injured hurts everyone." Turan looked to the side. "I almost resigned my blade for that action. It was only Antok that prevented that. He told me that if I did then he and Kolivan should resign their blades too for their actions; Kolivan for allowing the trials and Antok for his rough treatment of the kit."Krolia stroked Keith's hair but spoke to Turan. "Thank you for your apology. It just came at a rough time. Keith will forgive you after he recovers from the mission he and Regris just came back from. He already forgave Kolivan and Antok for their actions, so he won't hold your actions against you." Krolia stood up, holding Keith in her arms. "Thank you again for watching my kits. We need to get back to the nest."Regris lightly leapt onto Krolia's back, clinging to he was prone to do, and Krolia carried both kits back to her familial nest. By the time they returned, everyone was back and in the nest. Antok gently pried Regris from Krolia's back so she could settle into the nest easier.Regris
stayed put on Antok's lap, much to the larger
Blade's surprise. Apparently, the kit missed everyone, not just Krolia. Keith would stick with his mom until he felt better, then he would stay with the other members of his pack. It was how Keith was. Currently, he had his face buried in his mom's headfur with his twin tucked against his side. Both Krolia and Acxa were purring to him. Antok was next to Krolia with Regris on his lap, next to Acxa, so that the female kit was sandwiched between her brothers. Thace and Ulaz were in front of the kits, rubbing their backs or nuzzling their necks. Kolivan was sitting on Krolia's other side nearest Keith, whose hand was wrapped around his braid. Kolivan knew it was a comfort thing for Keith, a way to ensure that Kolivan wasn't going anywhere without him. Kolivan nuzzled Keith's hair before starting to groom it. His pack was whole once more, and he was going to make sure they stayed that way.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Grandkit"Kolivan was nervous as he watched Keith ready himself for his trials. He knew he wouldn't be able to prepare himself for the unknown. The reason Kolivan was nervous was because he recognized the knife Keith held. It was Krolia's knife. Kolivan recognized it the tick Antok had relieved the boy of it. There was no way Kolivan wouldn't
have known whose blade that was. Krolia was his daughter after all. If Keith had her knife while Krolia was still alive, that meant that Krolia gave it to Keith, and the only reason she would do that would be that Keith was her son, which would make him his grandfather. He hoped the kit would awaken the blade.%%%Keith was nervous as he entered the room, armed only with his knife. A singular Blade rose from the floor with his mask covering his face."Surrender the blade." The Blade drew his sword and brandished it. "You cannot win." He twirled it around until it was downward facing.Keith drew his knife and held it in his right hand, forward facing. He charged first, and his attempts to hit his opponent with his knife were blocked twice in a row. He kicked and then slashed at him before flipping the knife around, it now rear facing. Keith tried two punching slashes (which were blocked by the Blade's sword) before the Blade grabbed his wrist and elbowed Keith in the face and shoved him away by pushing on his chest. Keith stumbled and fell but rolled back up onto feet. The Blade rushed at him and attacked him six times in quick succession with Keith blocking each of the attacks. The Blade feigned a slash before he
kicked at Keith and landed a blow with his sword on his right shoulder (between shoulder blade and neck), causing him to cry out. A kick sent him tumbling end over end before Keith stood up and stabbed forward, and the Blade grabbed his arm and twisted him around until he was bent forward with the Blade's sword at the side of his neck. "Surrender the blade and the pain will cease.""I won't quit.""Then the pain continues." He released Keith, who fell to his knees. He stood up and turned to face the Blade. "You are not meant to go through that door." He was clearly gesturing at the door in the rear of the room. With a wary glare at the Blade, Keith dashed past him and into the next room. He stood with the knife held out in front of him, ready to defend himself against whoever showed up next.%%%Kolivan resisted the urge to growl when Keith received the blow to his shoulder. The trials weren't supposed to leave lasting marks! He was going to have a serious talk with that Blade. He watched as Keith went through room after room and fought against an increasing number of Blades. He barely paid any mind to the Black Paladin standing next to him, only giving him the vaguest of answers as he was more focused on making sure he knew what the kit's injuries were going to be, so he could get them healed up.%%%Kolivan allowed himself a little growl as he jogged after his Blades who were chasing the Black Paladin. Maybe it was a mistake letting him stay in the base while Keith went through the trials. Regardless, he needed to make sure he still had a headquarters after all of this.%%%"The only way this possible is if Galra blood runs through your veins," Kolivan stated. He held his hand out to Keith. "Come with me and we'll get your injuries taken care of."Keith took one step forward before his eyes rolled back and he started falling. Kolivan darted forward with startling speed and caught the kit before he collapsed. The sword Keith fought to unlock slipped from his grasp, transforming back into a knife. Kolivan grabbed it before lifting the kit into his arms. "Antok, take the Black Paladin to the communications room and let him contact his ship. The k-Keith needs medical attention."Antok grabbed Shiro's shoulder and none too gently guided him out of the room. Kolivan carried Keith to the med bay, where he cleaned Keith's wounds and then set him in a healing pod. He stood by the pod containing his grandkit and stared at his daughter's blade, which was currently in its knife form. Why did Krolia hide Keith's existence from him? Why did she leave him? She should have brought him with her when she returned home. If he knew she had had a kit, he would have told her to bring the kit with her, and he would have grown up knowing her and his heritage. It was obvious that he grew up not knowing. Kolivan didn't know what kind of upbringing the kit had, but he was going to make up for it. This kit may be a Paladin of Voltron, but he was also a member of Kolivan's pack, and Kolivan would always watch out for his pack.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Admission"Krolia walked into the training hall, intending on working on her form. She stopped short when she saw Antok in the hall. She stared at who was essentially like an uncle to her as he worked on his form. The longer she stared, the more intense her desire to play fight with him got. Even though kits were the ones who got to play fight whenever they wanted, she always loved doing so with her pack. Usually, though, it was with her pack brothers, Thace and Ulaz. Very rarely did she get to fight with Antok or Kolivan, so when the opportunity presented itself, she couldn't resist. Krolia chirped before she pounced on Antok.%%%Antok knew someone had entered the training hall, but he didn't concern himself with who it was until he heard a chirp a tick before he was pounced upon. He managed to look at who instigated the play fight, and to his surprise, it was Krolia! Antok grinned. Krolia always loved to play fight. He had lost count how many times he had walked into one of the training halls to find her play fighting with Thace.Krolia flung herself at the large Blade's chest, jumping at the last tick, which effectively catapulted her over Antok's shoulders. Readjusting her body's position midair, Krolia grabbed ahold of Antok's shoulders and tried to bring him down, using gravity to her advantage. It didn't work, but it did get Antok off balance. Krolia landed behind the largest Blade and aimed a kick at his knees, which would have connected if Antok's tail hadn't tripped her, forcing her to land of her back. Krolia backward rolled away from the tail's reach and popped to her feet again. The grin on her face was even bigger.Antok turned around to face her again, his tail twitching in excitement. He was enjoying this play fight more than he was prepared to admit. He flexed his claws in her direction, growling playfully.Krolia ran at Antok again but was snagged by his tail and ended up on her back again. However, Krolia was fast enough to escape the tail pinning her. Krolia growled and managed to jump up onto Antok's shoulders. She hooked a leg around the large Galra's neck and dropped her entire weight down, effectively knocking Antok off balance. Krolia swept Antok's legs out from underneath him. She jumped onto Antok and pinned his legs and arms, his tail already pinned behind his back.Krolia rubbed her head against Antok's. "Thank you.""For what?""Indulging me."Knowing she meant play fighting, he rumbled to her. "As long as we are not in a meeting or on a mission, I do not have any problem play fighting with you, and I know Kolivan thinks the same way.""Of course I do."Antok and Krolia looked up to see Kolivan stepping onto the main floor of the training hall. Krolia released her hold on Antok and helped him up. Kolivan drew Krolia close and nosed her headfur. "In fact, do you want to play fight me, 'Lia?"Krolia blushed a light purple. She hadn't heard that nickname in many deca-phoebes. "Sure."Krolia and Kolivan bowed to each other as a sign of respect. They circled each other before Krolia lunged at Kolivan, who grabbed Krolia's arm and flipped her over his shoulder. Krolia turned herself around and slowed her descent by grabbing Kolivan's braid, which brought the Blade to one knee. She then hooked a leg around Kolivan's neck, releasing the braid in the process. Her plan of bringing Kolivan down spectacularly failed when Kolivan stood up and grabbed Krolia's free leg, yanking her forward. Kolivan grinned as he held Krolia upside down at arm's length by her ankle. Krolia struggled to get down, pulling at Kolivan's fingers. Krolia finally managed to free her leg after about a dobosh, but instead of falling, she executed a graceful backflip off of Kolivan's hand. Landing in a crouch, Krolia paused, trying to gauge what Kolivan was about to do.Antok watched Kolivan and Krolia play fight. A grin crossed his face, and he tackled Kolivan. Krolia grinned, stood up, and growled before she joined in, tackling the pair. It was now a free for all as they playfully growled and snarled, claws and fangs flashing. Before Krolia knew it, she had landed on her stomach and slid a bit away from the other two as Antok pinned Kolivan. Kolivan nuzzled Antok, causing Krolia to grin."About time!" Krolia called out. Antok sprang back off Kolivan and extended a hand to help him up. Krolia stood up as Kolivan was hauled to his feet. "I always thought you two would be good mates for each other.""Then, it's a good thing I was going to confess," Kolivan purred as he tugged Antok close. "Antok, would you be my mate?""I never thought you'd ask, 'Van. I would be honored." Antok gently grasped Kolivan's chin and kissed him on the lips, to which Kolivan responded to by wrapping his arms around Antok and pulling his body flush against his. Krolia took this opportunity to flee the training hall and put a note on the door to not enter the hall until further notice.Fin
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"Curled Up"Thace dragged himself towards his nest after a long day in the communications room. He didn't want to be in the communications room and away from the nest he shared with his mate and the kit they adopted. Ulaz had been injured on a mission he had recently gone on, which got him confined to their nest.Their little kit was beside himself with excitement over having his Papa home all day. He was used to going with his Daddy (which was boring to the kit) or spending time with Antok, which was more fun since Antok also play fought with the kit and tired him out. However, Keith's favorite thing was spending time with either Daddy or Papa in the nest. He got to play until he got tired and then fall asleep on top of whichever parent he was with. He adored sleeping on one of his Dads, though Antok was a close second. He loved laying against Antok's back and being held in place by his tail.Thace opened the door and suppressed the urge to coo. Keith was curled up on top of Ulaz who was laying on his back, his arm protecting the wound on his left side. Both Keith and Ulaz were asleep and purring. Thace gently eased himself into the nest and curled around his mate and their kit, joining them in dreamland.Ulaz knew his mate had joined him and Keith in their nest by scent alone. Thace had a unique scent; fir trees and lavender. Fir trees was all Thace and the lavender was Ulaz. When they had mated, their scents combined. It was an evolutionary quirk that showed whose mates were whose. Ulaz was comforted by their combined scent, so much so that he fell into a deeper sleep with his mate curled around him and his kit curled up on top of him.Fin