Chapter Text
There is something to be said about the feeling of having just barely survived. Keith's heart is a cold lump in his chest as it pounds against his ribs and throat. Allura had opened a portal just in time, and while he wasn't worried about himself making it, he found himself hating being the second to enter the wormhole. He couldn't see those behind him. Was the rest of his team okay?
Keith yanked up and turned the red lion around, to see Lance right behind him going full speed! They crashed into each other as the gravitational pull of their alien planet took hold.
"Lance, you idiot! Why are you going so fast!"
"Oh, I'm sorry! Can't take the heat?" The other pilot's voice made Keith's lip scrunch upward in a half hearted grimace. He wouldn't let Lance win. Thrusting the controls forward, they both sped up. Being smaller, the red lion was faster and caught less air across its feline exterior. But they were too close to the ground now. Too close! A comfortable smirk streaked Keith's face as he pulled up sharply, landing on the hind paws before the front hit the sandy ground in a cloud of dust. Forward again, the red lion carried it's momentum into a leap as Lance crashed behind him. He chuckled, forgetting Shiro could hear him.
"Keith, don't encourage him." He sounded tired, and he was still smiling but guilt panged through his chest.
"Sorry." His heart was still pumping excitedly as they gathered in the castle to rest, the cold fear of risk long since melted. Shiro was first. Allura was waiting for them, and the black paladin sat beside her. Keith sat on the opposite couch, on the near edge. He needed to calm down so he could sleep. Lance came waltzing in, then Hunk.
He was tired, and he was really ready to go to bed, but he scooted over a bit. In came Pidge, who had been hidden by Hunk. He passively wondered how the small pilot got his hair to fit in his helmet. It looked fluffy. Keith ran a hand through his own hair. It wasn't terribly soft, but it was thick. He liked not having to worry about going bald.
Pidge yawned and stretched, and kept on walking. Keith felt something rise and fall in his chest with the green paladin's movements. Huh. It must have been left over connection from forming Voltron?
"You going straight to bed, Pidge?" Shiro asked. He looked surprised that someone noticed him.
"Uh, yeah. I have some damage to fix on my radio. Someone," he glared at Lance, and then at Keith, "decided to cut me off - and crash right in front of me" Keith's chest thumped to life again, but not in fear. He pursed his lips and drew his head back, eyes wide. He felt his face heat up, and hoped it wasn't enough to turn his pale skin pink. The glare was surprising, and surprisingly... not so scary. Pidge's glare turned into a scowl. Keith must have accidentally smiled.
"Got a problem?" The small pilot leaned in abruptly and there was not enough space between their faces. His face was dangerously daring him to say something, but it was almost... cute?
"What? No! I don't have a problem! Do you? I'm going to bed, too! Goodnight!" He slid off the side of the couch to avoid getting any closer to the now slightly fuming Pidge, but he fell when he tried to stand. His knees and legs felt weak, and he wobbled as he stood and strode to his room. He quickly and clumsily opened the door, swiveled in, and shut it, locking it.
"What the hell was that?"