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The flash lit up the sky, dark and booming before the pitch black lifted for but a moment, returning promptly with the sound of thunder heeding its steps.
The rain wasn’t letting on, drops pouring and thudding to the ground with a beckoning force, wrecking havoc across the street and onto the few unlucky passer-bys to have been caught in this fury.
Yet he smiled.
He stretched his arms wide, tilting his head to the sky and letting out a laugh, one he could admit, from the bottom of his heart, was sincere.
Rain.
It was rain, pure water from dark clouds.
He was here.
He was back.
There was a new pinch behind his eyelids, now unable to discern tears from rain-the salty taste did nothing to aid in the distinction.
He was back.
Footsteps echoed down the empty street, stopping right behind him.
He didn’t need to turn around to know who it was.
“Ready?”
His voice was the only thing not drowned out by the thunder, the soothing gentleness lacing it a constant, a sound that’d kept him grounded for so long.
He turned and smiled at Keith, finding a small tug of lips that rivalled his own.
Keith outstretched a hand to him and he took it, gripping tight before bringing it to his lips, kissing the battered knuckles he’d come to love.
“As much as I’ll ever be. Are you?”
He felt Keith’s fingers come to the back of his neck, tugging their foreheads together.
Their clothes were drenched, hair matted to their foreheads. Keith’s ponytail had come loose, lips tinted from the cold.
“I’m with you”, he breathed, “I’d travel to the ends of the universe with you.”
“You already have.” he teased, if only to catch a glimpse of the fond roll of Keith’s eyes.
Another flash of lightning hit, brightening the road and catching sight of the two men, of the indigo in Keith’s eyes and the purple patches of his skin, of Lance’s scar just under his eye, of his older, wiser gaze.
“Let’s go then” Lance nodded and Keith agreed, bringing a hand to grasp Lance’s and letting the taller man lead the way.
It took years. It took fight after fight and one hardship after another. Scars forming onto their skin and into their chests, it took tears, pain, love and loss.
They found each other down the way, seeking the comfort of a tender touch at first, of hushed words of reassurance, until that feeling turned to something deeper, a need to just be with one another settling into their bones. It turned into love before either of them realized.
And now here they were. Hands grasped tight, a quickened pulse of their blood, beating and thumping and proving they’re here, they’re alive.
They look to one another and drink in the silent words, now standing in front of a house with walls tatttered and darkened in the night, yet welcoming and warm all the while.
We made it. Together.
They didn’t have to say it to know, aware of what was going on in each other’s mind.
Lance hitched a breath and Keith squeezed his hand tighter, guiding him back, grounding him.
“They’re gonna ask you about the purply ears.”
Lance’s voice trembled.
“I’d be more surprised if they didn’t.”
“My little sisters might try and poke at them.”
Keith laughed at that.
“So long as they don’t start braiding my hair.”
“Oh they’ll definitely braid your hair. You’re not an official part of the Lopez household until you get a hair makeover by Sophia and Elena.”
Keith remained silent by Lance’s side, eyes fixed to the house in front of them.
The rain started to finally ease to a still, few droplets falling gently down to the earth.
Lance tilted his head to Keith, question evident in his eyes.
“Lance I-are you sure about this? Are you sure you want me to be part of...this?” he nodded to the house, worry lacing his voice.
“Keith. Right before we had that last fight, the one that put an end to the Garla reign, what did I tell you?”
“Lance-”
“No, tell me. What was it?”
Keith shuffled his legs and sighed.
“You said you’d...you’d take me back to Earth.”
“And?” Lance prodded.
“And..that you’d take me to meet your family. To make this” he nodded to their intertwined hands, “make it official.”
“Exactly.” Lance beamed, turning to fully face Keith, a hand coming up to cup his cheek.
“Keith. Look at me.”
He did, reluctantly so.
“You’re part of this family. We have Voltron-we always will, we’re all a family now, but you have this too. This is your family too if...if you still want it to be.”
If you still want me, was the phrase left unsaid.
Keith shook his head. Even after so many years, Lance’s insecurities had yet to completely leave him, despite his slow steps at gaining more confidence with himself.
Keith reached up and placed a soft kiss to his lips, fast and chaste but enough to get his point across.
“Always” he breathed and Lance smiled at the word, nuzzling Keith’s nose with his own.
“Then it’s settled!” Lance beamed and broke away from Keith to turn back to the house, the fainlt light of dawn slowly coming through between thick clouds and shining a small path for the boys to follow.
“Welcome home, Keith.” he said once they stood in front of the house’s door, waiting for a response to their knocks.
Keith smiled, hearning the commotion unfolding on the other side of the door, imagining the expressions of Lance’s parents, seeing their son alive and well, of his baby sisters he spoke of with such fondness. Of their expressions when Lance announced Keith as ‘the love of his life’, or so he’d dramatically proclaimed.
He looked to Lance, blue eyes locking onto him with a look Keith would never get enough of seeing, not in this lifetime or the next.
It was a gaze that held more meaning than a house made of walls and a roof ever would.
It was what made Keith feel his bones settle and his chest to settle.
“Welcome home Lance.” he said, and the words never felt more comfortable rolling off his lips than in that moment, with the door ahead of them opening and Lance’s mouth splitting into a bright, genuine grin.
This is home Keith thought, savoring the feelings pooling in his heart.
This is home.
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