Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Time sure has flown by, huh?” Lance didn’t look directly at Keith when he spoke- his eyes were on the big blue planet in front of them. Pidge shuffled awkwardly next to Matt behind the two boys. Hunk was off calming himself in the kitchen.

Shiro was making plans with Coran and Allura in the control room.

“It’s been five years…” Pidge whispered. Matt patted his sister’s shoulder before wrapping her in a hug. There was a heavy air with that statement. They all knew there was a face missing in their group that Pidge had desperately searched for. “I’m scared to see her, Matt. I really am.” Matt looked down at his sister, not able to say anything. He just held her closer.

“We did what we could,” Lance whispered. “You did what YOU could.” His hands were shaking. Keith took one in his, hoping to ground the blue paladin somewhat.

The castleship shuddered, coming to a stop. For a moment, all you could hear was their soft breathes as they continued to stare out the glass window.

Shiro and Allura walked in, faces an odd mix of worry, sadness, and joy.

“Paladins- it’s time,” Allura said, cutting through the silence.

With a small tug on his hand, Keith managed to pry Lance away from the view, and they all began their walk to the hangars.

It wasn’t going to be permanent- they all knew. This was like a vacation. A bittersweet one. They were still defenders of the universe (a title that still made them shake and laugh at the same time), and they couldn’t just go back to normal life. The odd part was- none of them really wanted that. Fighting for years had ingrained it into their being. Allura had told them clearly that retirement would be difficult, and that even though they had defeated the galra, more threats could pop up. They’d have to find successors as well, when the time came. But as it were, they were all still in the prime of their youth, and they didn’t want this kind of burden to fall on anyone else quite yet.

With heavy hearts, they circled together in front of their lions. They had agreed to part ways for the homecoming. Shiro would be taking Allura to Japan (as she deserved a break), and would return her to the ship after a week so Coran could go with Hunk to see his culture (because, even in these moments, Hunk still wanted Coran to learn how to cook properly.) Pidge and Matt would go see their mom, and break the news to her about their dad.

And Lance would be taking Keith to Cuba.

“You two be safe, okay?” Shiro hugged the two boys briefly, a few scars had joined the one on his nose, seemingly adding a few years. But all of them were in similar states.

“Don’t worry about us, we’ll have two lions with us, after all,” Lance replied, slinging an arm over his boyfriend’s shoulders. Shiro raised an eyebrow,

“Red got huffy when I told her I was going with Lance, so I told her she could come along.” Keith flushed slightly, looking over at his lion with a roll of his eyes.

“Well, I think even the lions want a vacation.” Shiro chuckled airily, ruffling his brother’s hair one last time before walking back over to Allura.

“I’ll see you in one week, Coran. So pack your sunglasses.” Hunk shook the moustached man’s hand excitedly, tears streaming down his face. Coran could only nod- not in a much better state.

“Me and Allura will stop by to see your mom before I bring her back,” Shiro said, hugging Matt one more time. The other man smiled appreciatively at him. Pidge flung herself at the black paladin afterwards- making sure she hugged him as well.

There was much more hugging and crying before the paladins finally boarded their lions. Coran stood in the hangar, watching as the giant metallic beasts took to the sky.

And the castle of lions was silent for the first time in five years.

The blue paladin was shaking as he hit buttons on Blue’s control panel. He could see Cuba ahead of them as they flew across the ocean (and, oh, how he had missed it), and he thought about how his family would react to him. Surely, they thought him dead. Even if they didn’t, they wouldn’t be getting back the Lance they knew.

No, he didn’t think they’d ever get that Lance back.

This Lance was different, despite his best attempts to keep himself the way he was. But the scars on his skin was a testimony to that attempt. And his eyes that had learned to see everything and everyone under a lens that scorned him.

He wasn’t all skin and bones anymore. He was muscle and hard edges. He didn’t flirt and joke as much as he used to (though, he still did, that much remained the same.) He was alert and focused- he slept with one eye open (he joked Keith taught him how.)

He just. Wasn’t the same.

And approaching the beach he grew up playing on made his stomach twist. His eyes pricked with tears. Suddenly he wanted to turn and run- back to the castleship, back to the war that had kept his mind off things like this.

Then Keith’s voice broke through his comm. He wasn’t talking, though. It was a soft, familiar hum. Something Keith had learned a long time ago calmed Lance down like a switch.

Lance breathed.

The beach passed under them- the locals looked up in awe (and Lance swore he saw some of his old classmates). Then they were flying into the country- Red slightly behind Blue. Lance isn’t sure when, but his lion had taken over steering as he focused on his boyfriend’s humming, willing his heart to slow down as they approached the old corn fields and the pastures that stretched on for miles.

And the old farmhouse that was three stories high that had a rusting black fence around and had a paint job that would make a baby cry. He could see the chicken coup that his father had built with his older brother, Ramon, when his Momma complained about not having enough eggs to feed her five children. Out farther was the old barn that housed their one horse that was way too mean to ride, unless you were Lance’s sister, Sofia, because she had a way with animals like no other. He could see the clothes line that stretched from a second story window to the tall apple tree in the front yard- white sheets flapping casually in the wind.

Who would be home? Would Papa still be out in his beat up truck working the fields? Had Ramon finished college? What about Joseph and Marie? Sophia? Momma?

And suddenly, Lance realized that his family may not be getting their Lance they last saw, but he, also, would not be getting the family he left behind him.

Somehow, that made him feel a little better.

“Lance?” Keith sounded cautious- the I are you okay was barely held back.

“Yes, Mi Amor?” Lance knew his voice cracked, but neither of them said anything.

“Where should we, uh, park?”

The absurdity of the question made Lance laugh, and also realize they were awkwardly hovering in the air about a mile away from his childhood home.

“The east field, Pappa always leaves that one for last. It won’t be seeded yet.” The tears were there, but he didn’t wipe them away. The pair landed in silence, their lions giving a final purr before the two walked out. They landed far enough to not scare those living inside the house.

Keith took Lance’s hand.

“Are you ready?” The true answer to that question, for Lance, was a mixture of both yes and no . However, instead of speaking, he just squeezed the shorter man’s hand a little tighter.

Keith didn’t ask again.

Together, they made the walk to the old farm house. It was both incredibly long, and far too short. Halfway up the road, their fine tuned ears could hear the squeaking of door hinges followed by the laughter of a couple of kids- most likely teenagers.

Joseph and Marie?

They quickened their pace ever so slightly, but Lance’s eyes were trained on the ground. He didn’t want to see them just yet. He didn’t want to see how they’ve changed.

He didn’t want them to see how he’s changed.

But then they were in front of the three story farm house with the terrible fence and the terrible paint job. And the laughter had stopped and had been replaced with startled gasps and then frantic steps to the door.

Then a new set of footsteps exited the home. And a voice that had scolded him and sung to him since he was a child spoke up- and Lance nearly broke when he heard the words “Who are you? What are you doing here? I don’t take kindly to those who scare my children!”

Lance was trembling as he looked up, finally. His Mamma was just as menacing and soft as he remembered. Her dark curly locks had a few greys in them, but her blue eyes still shone the same. She had always been short, and if it hadn’t been for the situation, he would have laughed at the two teens hiding behind her that were just a bit taller than her. A trait from their father.

“Babe,” Keith whispered, unlinking their hands to put his on Lance’s shoulder. “You’re still wearing your helmet.”

The blue paladin chuckled once, and his momma stepped back. His chest felt icy- they were afraid. They didn’t know who he was.

With trembling fingers, he grabbed his helmet and lifted it off his head. His hair had gotten curlier over the years (something Keith wasn’t afraid to admit he adored ), and was just a bit longer (cutting your own hair was difficult).

Everything was silent. Lance looked up at his Momma like a child might look after presenting a bad report card. She looked blankly back at him with wide eyes- her lips drawn tight, Now that he was looking, he could see that Joseph looked a lot like him when he was that age, but more broad and tall. Marie had their father’s green eyes and lighter hair, but kept their mother’s curls.

Finally, his mother spoke.

“L-Lance? Is that you, Mi nino?”

“S-si, Momma,” Lance replied, his eyes watering again. “I- I know i’ve been gone a long time, and you must be furious with me, and I have a LOT of explaining to you, and- and-”

“Callante, nino tonto,” his Momma whispered, stepping forward and crushing him into one of her bear hugs he had missed so, so much. His arms felt like noodles as he recuperated and wept into her shoulder. He was aware his Momma was mumbling soothing words, but he couldn’t focus on them. He was just so, so happy and warm. The hug he had been waiting for for five years was happening. The sun- the sun he grew up with- was beating down on his back. He could smell the salty air of the sea and his Momma’s fruity shampoo. A crow cawed in the nearby apple tree, and the house slightly shifted against the wind.

He was home.

He was finally home.

Somehow Lance’s mom managed to release him, and the two paladins stepped into the old house. Lance’s younger siblings were quiet, unable to take their eyes off him as they stood in the living room. Their Momma excused herself to make a few calls.

Lance turned to Joseph and Marie.

“How… how old are you two now?”

The pair looked at each other before looking back up at their brother.

“I’m fifteen, and Marie is fourteen,” Josesph responded, shuffling his feet. “Ramon is twenty-five, and Sofia just turned twenty…”

Keith awkwardly sat next to Lance on the couch.

“Where are they?”

“Ramon graduated college this year- he got a, uh-”

“Masters,” Marie added softly, now looking at the floor.

“Yeah, a masters in engineering. He’s back home for the summer. Him and Papa are out in the field. And Sophia is in college now too. She’s getting a Veterinary license, but she’s on break and is out with some friends right now.” Joseph began to talk easier- his eyes were a little brighter.

Their mom stepped back in the room.

“I didn’t know how to tell your father over the phone, but I told him, Ramon, and Sophia to rush back home.” As she fidgeted with her apron, she took the seat on Lance’s other side. Marie came to stand beside her. “I have so many questions, but we need to wait till the others get here.” With a shaking hand, she grabbed Lance’s- that was covered in thick leather. “So, so many questions.”

For Lance’s Momma, the others didn’t get back quick enough. For Lance, the time flew by. Keith watched patiently as the three newcomers broke out into tears and held onto his boyfriend like a lifeline. His father was a tall man- not a huge surprise. His hair was a soft brown, and his green eyes were framed in sun-baked wrinkles. Lance’s brother and sister were tall like him, and had similar hair colors. However, like Lance, they had their mother’s eyes.

Keith lost track of what was said- a lot of it was in mumbled spanish and stuttered english.

But after that, they couldn’t ignore the elephant in the room.

The elephant was the armor, the scar beneath their son’s left eye, and the odd asian boy in the room. The elephant was their son’s constant twitching- the way he kept looking behind himself, the way he looked out the windows and the way he seemed to shift anytime a foot came down.

“Lance, sweetheart, I think there are things you need to tell us,” his mom said, taking his hands in her’s. Exhaling, Lance nodded.

“Si, Momma. But we should move to the kitchen. Serious talks should be had at a table.” The others in the room looked a bit confused. Keith smiled. Shiro had liked having most serious talks at the dining table (not battle plans, but issues within the group.) It had carried over to all of them (in fact, Keith had confessed to Lance at a table.)

However, none of them fought this declaration. They simply migrated to the kitchen table. Keith sat on Lance’s left, while his mom took the right and the rest filed in. Ramon had to stay standing, as all the chairs were taken. Off in the distance, a dog barked. The old grandfather clock in the dining room ticked on, just like it did when Lance was a kid.

“I… I don’t know where to start,” Lance spoke, trying to concentrate on controlling his breathing.

“Where you’ve been might be good,” Ramon answered, and one might have been able to pick up an angered tone. Lance shrunk in his seat and cast a look at Keith- who took his hand, once again, under the table.

“I’m not sure you’d believe me.” His eyes remained on Keith, but he was clearly talking to everyone. “Sometimes I didn’t even believe it.”

“Sweetheart, just tell us,” his mother pleaded. Her small hand touched his shoulder and he flinched from the sudden contact. Her eyes bulged. “What happened?”

With a final breath, Lance finally answered, “Space, Mamma.” Silence answered him, along with confused faces. “I’ve been in space for five years, two months, and eleven days. I had my eighteenth birthday in space, and my twenty-first. I’ve seen things you’d never believe. And now I’m back from space.”

His family was quiet. Marie and Joseph were looking at everyone except Lance- who was heaving as if he had just ran a marathon. Keith held his hand a little tighter.

“Mi nino, my precious boy,” his mom finally let out, her hand reaching up to wipe away a stray piece of hair. When she did, it uncovered the other scar Lance had sustained on his face, while the others were littered across the rest of his body (not that she could see them.) She froze and touched it with a cool finger, drawing everyone's attention to it. “What were you doing up there?” The words were stuck in his throat for a moment.

“Momma, you know when you and Papa used to tell me be more careful so I wouldn’t fall and scrape myself because it’d make scars?” His momma nodded, tears already pouring down her face once again. “Well, I’ve fallen quite a lot over the past few years.” Everyone at the table let out a shaky laugh- everyone had started crying.

“Your perfect skin,” Sophia half-joked, reaching out to take Lance’s hand that wasn’t under the table.

“I’m so sorry.” The blue paladin’s voice was cracking again. “I’m so, so sorry.”

“When you said you wanted to go to space, nino, I thought you meant to the moon,” his Papa said, his hat discarded onto the table. His green eyes shined with tears, “But you went farther than the moon, didn’t you?” His son nodded.

“Papa- I know you wanted me to stay on the ground. You told me that a lot. And sometimes, while I was up there, I even wished I had listened to you.” The tension couldn’t be sliced with a knife. This Lance was so, so different. “But, I’ve helped so many. I’ve met so many people, seen so many places, even if it earned me a few scars. I’m bent in more ways than one- I’m not a deep sleeper anymore, that’s for sure. Everyday I wake up, and have to stay alert, but that’s become a part of me. I’m happy. Happier than I was when I was a stupid kid who decided to sneak onto a military base.”

“You what now?” Sophia bursted out, and Lance couldn’t help but let out a hearty laugh as he wiped away his tears.

“Si, Sophia. But that wasn’t the most dangerous thing I’ve done.”

“Then what is?” Her tone sounded accusing- like when she caught him sneaking into her room to steal candy or read her diary. The Blue paladin looked at his sister with seasoned eyes- eyes that looked too old for such a young body, and her stomach dropped.

“I’m guessing the whole blue armor didn’t give it away?” Raising a gloved fist, Lance hit his chest plate. The thudding noise seemed amplified somehow. “I haven’t just been sight seeing. That was actually a very small percentage of it.” He began to jostle his leg, looking anywhere but at the eyes of his family. “I’ve been fighting a war. We’ve been fighting a war.” For the first time since they got there, Lance gestured to his boyfriend- who awkwardly fidgeted in his chair when everyone finally looked at him.

“Lance, who is this?” His mother looked at the two of them, back and forth, before resting her eyes back on her son.

“This is, uh, Keith, Momma.” After a soft look passed between them, Lance raised their intertwined hands from under the table. “He’s my boyfriend.”

A beat of silence before Sophia and Ramon started cackling.

“Hey!” Lance squeaked, face heating up.

“I’m sorry, Lance, but c’mon! You disappear for five years, lay a bunch of heavy shit on us, then announce you’re dating a dude! Trust me- I’m not laughing at you. I love you no matter what, and this will never change that. But I’m laughing at- at the absurdity of it all!” Sofia got to her feet and bent across the table to look her older brother in the eyes. “We thought you were dead! We had a funeral after two years of looking for you.” Her voice was still hysterical, but it had taken on a different tone. “Lance, your headstone is in the garden!

“SOPHIA,” their Momma yelled, her chair falling to the floor at how fast she stood up. Her daughter blinked at her, her red face filled with anger and sadness. “This is not the time,”

“Oh yeah? Well, where’s the proof, Momma?” Her words stung Lance- the hole in his heart tore open a little more. His sister had done a one eighty, but he couldn’t quite blame her. “How do we know he’s not telling lies? How do we know he didn’t just go off to join the circus? How do we know he didn’t just leave us?”

“Why would you think I’d leave you?” Lance was standing now, his hand slipping from Keith’s. The red paladin tried to speak, but Lance kept going. “I didn’t ask to leave for five years- I was told I had to. I was flown light years away from home, and I couldn’t just come back.” Keith’s blood turned to ice seeing Lance so angered. He only saw him like this when fighting, and he was suddenly very grateful he suggested leaving their bayards in the lions. Not that he thought Lance would hurt his family- but he might scare them to death. “But you want proof? Oh, I have proof, Sophia. And she’s actually been dying to meet you ever since I first told her about you!”

“Lance, babe, are you sure about this? It might be-”  Lance quickly cut his boyfriend off.

“Yes. I’m sure Red wants to move a bit too. That field is a bit cramped after all.”

Keith shared a heated gaze with her boyfriend a beat longer before nodding solemnly. “Okay. Whatever you think is best.”

“Thank you,” Lance whispered, taking the other boy’s hand once again as he led his family outside. They were too frightened and shocked to speak. “They’ll be here soon.”

As if on cue, the two lions came flying across the horizon. There was almost eagerness to the way they zipped towards their paladins- Lance and Keith could feel it in the buzz in their hearts. They heard Joseph and Marie gasp, while his momma let out a stifled shout. Blue landed first, right in front of her pilot, and crouched down without any prompting. Her yellow eyes flicked across each of the people in front of her, and they all heard a soft purr echo in their minds.

“Lance, what is this?” his momma asked, taking a step forward without realizing it. Red followed in her friend’s footsteps, almost laying on her side so she wasn’t towering over them too bad. Keith placed a hand on her muzzle.

“This is Blue, momma.” Lance stepped closer to his lion, locking eyes with her. Their connection had grown over the years- to the point that they were a part of each other. He could feel her curling around his very being. However, this could be said for all the paladins, and they all were extremely grateful for it. “She’s been my best friend for five years, and is the reason I made it home.”

Not another word had to be spoken. All at once, Lance’s family moved forward and wrapped their arms around the Blue lion. Keith could feel her purring- could feel her soothing all of them. And somehow, like a whisper in his ear, he heard He did good. Be proud.

He could only agree.

The two boys retrieved their travel packs from their lions after the hugging was once again over (Red demanded some as well, much to Keith’s embarrassment.) Lance’s family had already moved back inside when they exited the lions, and they both stopped before opening the door.

“Is it how you imagined?” Keith asked, dropping his bag for a moment to wrap his boyfriend in a hug. Lance chuckled softly, recuperating the embrace.

“Is it bad I couldn’t bring myself to imagine when we were up there?” The Red paladin felt his heart constrict.

“No. I don’t think any of us could.” With his hands still around his counterpart, he leaned back enough to look at him with a soft smile. “I know that may not mean much coming from me, since I don’t really have anything to come back for.” He paused a moment, before going red. “Except you.” Lance smiled, pecking his boyfriend quickly.

“Yeah. Don’t think you won’t officially be adopted by the end of this visit.” Laughing at Keith’s red face, the blue paladin picked up both of their bags with ease and opened the door. “C’mon, Mullet. Let's get changed and comfortable.”

Lance was surprised to find out his room had been left untouched. His family hadn’t been able to move anything after his disappearance, and keeping it like it was left them with a string of hope.

So, there the two boys stood. In the middle of teenage Lance’s bedroom- his momma leaning against the doorframe anxiously. Heavenly smells were drifting up from the kitchen as the blue paladin felt the covers of his bed- they had been cleaned fairly recently. They were patterned like a galaxy. Keith couldn’t help but laugh.

Other than the bed, Lance’s room wasn’t as colorful as the other expected. He had a mahogany dresser, and a bookshelf that was filled to the brim. Something that would have surprised a younger Keith, but after dating the blue paladin for three years he had seen and realized the other’s love of books. Actually, he knew a lot of Lance’s pastimes at this point, and smiled at the small, dingy acoustic guitar in the corner in the room. One of the strings had broken. His bed was full-sized (which was good, because Keith was a kicker, and the more room the better), and he had a brown rug in the center of the room.

“I was usually out in the field, working with my papa, so my room typically remained stagnant,” Lance said, setting his bag on the bed and opening it. Keith followed suit. “Hey, Momma?”

“Yes?” his momma quickly replied, jolting a little.

“Would- would you mind leaving for a moment? We need to change.” After turning red, his momma nodded and all but slammed the door. After a moment, the two of them heard footsteps scuttle down the stairs.

The two boys laughed before pulling out their clothes. Their armor probably wasn’t something they should keep on.

Lance cursed softly, looking down at his arms. His boyfriend sat on the edge of the bed, pulling his hair back into a ponytail. Now that they had taken off the very concealing armor, that meant more of their scars were exposed. And while Lance didn’t have nearly as many as Keith did when it came to the arm region, he was still scared for his family to see. But he hadn’t been thinking about that when he was packing.

“This is why you shouldn’t steal my clothes,” Keith murmured, looking at the roof.

“Yeah, well, this is the first time I’ve heard you complain about it,” Lance shot back, smirking. His boyfriend just huffed. “You know what? It’s fine. I’ve survived a war and Allura’s death stare. I think I can handle this.” The red paladin smiled, glad to see Lance feeling more confident.

Two minutes later, the two emerged downstairs clad in their casual clothes. His family (except for his momma and Joseph) were in the living room, thinking in unison. After taking a deep breath, Lance jumped on the couch next to his Papa, making everyone in the room jump. Keith leaned on the couch behind the lanky boy.

“So, I’ve talked about where I’ve been. Now, I wanna know what’s been going on here.” Despite feeling eyes on his scars, Lance smiled through it. Finally, his papa spoke up, laughing dryly.

“I don’t think our news would ever live up to your’s.”

“Try me.” His family looked at him in surprise. “I’m serious- I’ve missed so much. Yeah, being in space and fighting a-a war is intense. But, trust me when I say I live off of normal life. So, yes, I want to hear if Marie got a great report card, or if Ramon got a dog. I wanna know how the ranch is doing. I wanna know if momma found a new recipe.” While he talked, Lance had moved to the edge of the couch, his eyes expectant.

“Please, give him something domestic,” Keith said, moving to sit on the arm of the couch, which prompted Lance to sling an arm around his waist. “If he doesn’t get something he’s going to actually adopt a dog and bring it with us.”

“Excuse me, but I believe I said I wanted to adopt a space dog. Emphasis on space, babe.”

“We’re not adopting a Yupper, Lance.”

“Well, you say that now , but I’ll get you to crack.”

“That didn’t work with the egg.”

“Hey, you know we would’ve been awesome parents to whatever would’ve hatched from that egg.”

“Lance, it was purple, and the Princess was fairly certain it was poisonous.”

“But it was purple ! It was meant to be!”

“We are not having this conversation again. Besides, you have Kaltenecker still.”

“Is this how you guys act all the time?” Marie asked, smiling at the two of them.

“You mean him acting like a fool and me being the voice of the reason? Yes,” Keith replied, crossing his arms as he grinned back.

“Sure you wanna open that can of worms, buddy? May I remind you that you tried to fight an actual tree, because you thought it had a face and was growling at you. And the growling was actually Hunk’s stomach,”

“Okay! You know what- I’m dying to hear about this ranch.” Lance chuckled, but didn’t fight the change in subject. His papa didn’t either, most likely confused at their talk.

“Well, if you really wanna know, our head of cattle and acreage has grown. The old mare we had died a year ago from a coyote attack. Your mom talked me into getting two horses this go around, a mule, and a new cattle dog.”

“What’s wrong with Shock?” The blue paladin could still remember what the dog looked like. A red border collie with big, brown eyes and dirty green collar.

“Nothing! Don’t worry. But with the added cattle, it was easily running her down. So Sophia went to a neighbor’s place and brought back Spade. She’s a good dog- a natural. You can meet her in the morning. I think dinner is almost done, and you two look like you could use a good night’s rest.”

Neither of the paladins voiced that they always looked like that.

Luckily, Joseph came in just as the man finished talking. He was wearing an old stained apron- the same one Lance wore when he helped in the kitchen. The teenager was smiling, and Keith was reminded of a young Lance.

“Dinner is done!” he happily announced, and his brother’s heart throbbed,

I’m home. I’m really here.

Morning came like a fog. Keith and Lance woke up the latest they ever had, and they remained in bed until their backs began to ache. The covers were warm, they were warm. The sun leaked in from the curtain, making the shorter of the two tug a pillow over his eyes. The blue paladin chuckled, slipping out of bed.

“Morning, babe.”

Keith only groaned in response.

An hour later, the two were walking with Lance’s father to the old stable. When they neared it, a loud bark caught their attention, and suddenly Lance had a lap full of border collie.

“Shock!” he cried, hugging the animal tight. Shock whined, licking his face and wagging her tail vigorously. Another border collie, a black one, came running around the corner as well. She sniffed the two newcomers curiously. “You must be Spade.” Lance stroked the other dog on the head, earning him another lick to the face.

“Alright you two, go on now! I got to catch my son up!” With that, Lance’s father shooed the two dogs off. “So, we got two stallions in the stable. You think you two can manage to share one so we can get out to the field?”

Lance made a face that mingled between contempt and fear. “Horses have never liked me. And I don’t like them.”

“Nino, you told me, not twelve hours ago, that you’ve been fighting a space war. And you can’t handle one horse?”

“Nope. This is where my life ends.”

“Wow, Lance. Wow,” Keith said, rolling his eyes.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mr. I Rode Horses When I Was Three.”

“Okay. First of all- rude. Second, horse riding didn’t stop happening when my dad disappeared. Most of my foster families were still into horse related sports.”

“You ride?” Lance’s papa asked, actually looking rather surprised.

“Yeah. I was raised in Texas, and typically was placed in more rural areas.”

“Ah, so you can teach my son a thing or two hopefully.” Grinning, the two of them took the lead and opened the stable doors as Lance dragged his feet.

On one side of the stable, there was a brown quarter horse. Its black mane was trimmed and placed to one side. On the other side was a larger, black one. Lance’s father identified it as a tennessee walking.

“The quarter’s name is Fernaldo, and the tennessee is Korn. You’ll be taking Korn, since he has more room. Hope you can handle him. You know how to saddle up?”

“I think I can remember,” Keith replied, picking up the saddle next to the stall door. Meanwhile Lance stepped over to Korn, looking at him pointedley. The black horse stared back a moment, before blowing a raspberry- covering the blue paladin in horse spit.

Some things never changed.

Horses were not Lance’s thing. That had been covered. And, yeah, Keith surpassed him like crazy in that department (seriously, how was he still able to ride a horse this well?) He was able to direct Korn and control him so easily Lance was almost sure he had fallen asleep. Or put the horse under some sort of mind control spell. He didn’t bother trying to hide his pout.

But, he was able to hug Keith for a prolonged period of time, so he didn’t complain too much.

They went through the usual rounds. They were shown just how many cattle they had accumulated while Lance had been gone, and they got to see the fields they still used to make corn and assorted vegetables. While their ranch wasn’t huge, it still provided quite a bit to do. The blue paladin remembered when he was younger, not quite old enough to help, he’d run through the fields looking for flowers for his momma or find a cow that was willing to put up with him for a time. There had been a bull back then that was surprisingly tame for Lance, and when the boy had gotten bigger, he had managed to teach the bull to allow him to ride him. He had done it in secret, and when his papa had told him to get on the mean mare’s back one fateful day he had raced off, only to come back riding that bull bareback and with the proudest smile on his face. He had named him Clark, despite papa telling him not to. That he’d eventually go off to market.

His papa never did sell that bull.

And just like that, like smoke clearing, a patch of cows moved and there he was.

“Papa,” Lance whispered, looking at his father- only to see him smiling softly.

“Never could find the heart to get rid of him,” his papa grunted, rearing up on the reins a little, “He only shoots blanks now, but he’s still gentle. I know he meant a lot to you. He’s about eighteen now, but he keeps moving.” His father looked over at him and a confused Keith. “Well, what are you waiting for?”

Like a bullet, Lance shot off the saddle. Cows sprinted off, but that old bull stayed put. The trio almost thought he was going to charge at the smiling man, but he didn’t. Instead, he trotted happily to meet the blue paladin halfway.

He was an old brahman- wrinkly and grey. His legs wobbled when he moved- most likely arthritis making its way to his bones. Nonetheless, that old bull flicked his tail in greeting and nuzzled the hand Lance offered.

“My son used to act very pompous,” Lance’s father began, looking at Keith as they watched the boy hug the old creature. “I can still see it, don’t get me wrong, but he’s changed a lot. I’m proud of him. He’s grown up. A lot. And, if I’m being honest, I’m scared.”

“Why?” Keith couldn’t help asking, stroking Korn’s mane.

“When I look into his eyes, I see a man that has seen things. I see a wisdom I feel surpasses mine. And I’m scared because a boy his age, your age, because I see it in both of your eyes, shouldn’t look like that. I’m scared because I want to know everything, hear everything, but those may be tales I can’t even bear to hear.” Keith didn’t respond. His eyes were turned to the ground. “And I’m scared because you can’t tell me I’m wrong.”

When the red paladin finally looked into the other man’s eyes, he was terrified to find eyes younger than Shiro’s on a face so much older.

“She wasn’t kidding.”

“I didn’t think she was.”

The day had sunk behind the horizon once more. Ending their first day back. The night sky offered quite a bit of light, and Lance had suggested a walk through his mother’s garden.

It was beautiful. She had planted roses, petunias, lilies, sunflowers, and a bunch of others they couldn’t name, They were arranged in such a way that they carded paths that created a small, intricate maze. They had bindings of stone and wood. A few statues of angels and cats were scattered throughout, as well as the old rock him, Ramon, and Sophia had found and put their handprints on with their favorite colors to give to their mother.

Then they reached the center of the garden, and Lance’s heart dropped.

It was a tombstone with his name on it, as well as his birth year and the year he left earth. There appeared to have been an attempt to write something else, but they had given up. His family had made it themselves.

“I think there’s some truth to it,” Lance whispered, wiping a few dead leaves off the top. Keith looked at him, waiting for him to continue. “That old me died. I mean, it’s still a part of me, but in a way a dead relative is still a part of you. Like how recipes or knick knacks are passed down.” He stood up, taking Keith’s hand without a thought, “He didn’t see it coming.”

“What?”

“ He didn’t see it coming. That’s what it should say right there.”\

After a beat, his boyfriend began to hum.

Breakfast was met with more questions. Some were easier to swallow, while others were only met with silence.

“How did you two get together?” Sophia had prodded, smirking as Keith sputtered.

“Yeah, Keith. How did we get together?” Lance stroked his chin in thought. “I do believe it was after you had thoroughly beat my ass during a sparring match, and then practically shouted that I was gonna have lunch with you.”

“Lance, please!” Keith begged, covering his face with his hands. In the corner you could see Joseph asking Sparring match? to Marie, who only shrugged in reply.

“And, oh boy, was that ever awkward. I mean, the meal was the usual goo, of course. But you were angrily glaring down at your bowl with a red face. I thought you were trying to blow it up with your mind!” Leaning back in his chair, Lance took in his family’s entertained expressions. “And I’m sitting here thinking that he was actually planning on killing me. ‘Cause this kid had some anger issues back then (still does). Like wow,” Keith punched his boyfriend in the shoulder, but that only made the other laugh more. “Anyways, I was just about to run out of the room- maybe to go hide behind Shiro or Allura- when he practically screeches ‘DATE ME’.” Keith groaned, curling in on himself. Everyone was laughing, “I looked at him, kinda amazed that such a loud noise came out of him, before I registered what he had actually said. And I replied with-”

“‘Okay’. You said ‘okay’,” Keith finished, suddenly smirking. “Then burst into tears.”

“Yes, yes I did.”

“Why?” Marie asked, finally speaking to her brother for the first time. Lance flashed her a smile.

“Well, first I thought he was gonna kill me, so I was already kinda scared. Then he asked me out, and it was an odd mix of relief and oh my god he likes me back. So I started crying ‘cause I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Yeah, and I didn’t know what to do!” The red paladin huffed at his boyfriend, pouting.

“Okay, but you still got a boyfriend out of it.”

“That’s true.” They smiled at each other, prompting Lance’s siblings to make gagging noises.

“I can’t believe my idiot brother got a boyfriend before me,” Sophia muttered, stabbing her egg and glaring at Lance playfully.

“Well, I’m just glad you found yourself someone who makes you happy,” their Momma said, patting Lance’s cheek as she took her seat. “And you know, the carnival is in town this week. That may be a nice thing to show Keith- you used to love the carnival as a kid.”

“Only if they take us with them!” Joseph shrieked, using Marie’s shoulders to jump higher. Their momma was about to scold them when Lance cut her off.

“We’d love to take them,” he said, and Keith nodded in agreement,

“Okay, if you really don’t mind. You can use my car.”

“Hey, if those two brats get to go, me and Ramon are going too,” Sophia declared.

“That’s cool,” Lance replied, looking a bit sheepish, “Because I don’t think I can remember how to drive a car.”

Piling into their momma’s car brought back memories. Of course, back then they were all significantly smaller.

Ramon sat in the driver’s seat, with Lance and Keith in the front next to him, while the other three filed into the back. They drove past the field their lions were parked at and they all waved. All the windows were rolled down. The air conditioner had gone out a long time ago, and no one had bothered to fix it.

They rolled down the old dirt roads and into a crowd. A wave of nostalgia hit Lance as he caught the smell of the usual carnival foods. Groups of people walked along on stilts, dressed in traditional colorful garments. Children laughed as they dashed around, some clinging to stuffed animals they had won at some of the games.

After finally finding a parking space, they all exited the car. Music was flying through the air as they walked closer to where the carnival was. They could see the ferris wheel towering over everything, and then finally booths upon booths. Typical games were set up, and cotton candy could be seen everywhere in the crowd, which made Keith take in a deep breath.

“Your galra nose picking up all the food?” Lance joked, bumping his boyfriend’s hip with his.

“That’s an understatement,” Keith responded, but he didn’t seem annoyed.

“Galra nose?” Joseph questioned, and the two men jumped. The boy had been walking close behind them.

“Don’t do that!” Lance scolded, clutching his heart. Joseph just kept waiting for an answer. “Well…”

“I’m part alien,” Keith answered, quickly paying for some cotton candy and biting into it.

“Woah! Really?” Joseph then proceeded to get very close to the dark haired man, as if studying him.

“Yes, yes, you beast,” Lance said, grabbing his little brother and hoisting him up with one arm, making the child squeak. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to get up in peoples faces? Hm?” Ramon and Sophia laughed, while Marie just stared in amazement.

“So, you’re really part alien?” Ramon asked, falling into step with his brother’s boyfriend. Sophia ruffled Joseph’s hair as Lance trapped him under his arm and kept walking.

“Yeah. I found out pretty early on when we went to space.”

“Yeah, and Princess Allura turned into Princess Salt for a while,” the blue paladin said, smirking as his brother attempted to escape his grasp.

“Okay, who the hell is this Princess you guys keep talking about?” Sophia finally asked, looking bewildered.

“We’ll explain when we go back home. I’m sure Momma and Papa would like to know too.” Lance finally released Joseph, who blew a raspberry at him, reminding him of Korn. He returned the gesture.

“Oh my god, is that Lance?” they heard a voice shout, making them all turn to the source. None of them saw any familiar faces, until that face was right in front of them. It was a woman with dark skin, and pale green eyes. Her black hair was constructed into a tight braid down her back, which swished back and forth as she moved. Her smile was blinding as she closed in on them.

“Marcia!” Sophia shouted in greeting to her friend. Marcia hugged her quickly before turning to Lance.

“Don’t tell me I’m losing my mind,” she said, touching the man’s arm.

“No, you’re not, Marcia. Lance is back.” Sophia hung one tan arm around her friend’s neck before whispering, “And he brought a boyfriend.”

Their laughter was contagious. Marcia shook Keith’s hand after getting the basics of what had happened. Something, Lance felt, that would have to be explained a lot that day.

And he was right. They ran into countless classmates he had when he was going through high school. Many of them teared up at seeing him, some gave him nasty looks (hey, he wasn’t everybody’s friend!), and a couple nearly fainted. He was reunited with his old doctor at a fried plantain stand, and the man shook his hand so hard he felt his teeth buzz. He saw his history teacher, an old woman that was half Lance’s height, who didn’t hesitate to crush him in a hug. Keith watched with awe as his boyfriend greeted each and everyone of these people with a smile, even the ones who seemed less than thrilled he was alive. For hours, it seemed like the heat of the sun was only in the background, that the sweat on their backs wasn’t real. The shorter paladin shook so many unknown hands, and hugged some very excited people, that time was lost. They were laughing and joking with everyone. They recounted their tale (at least, the bare minimum of it) so many times, that it was almost the first thing out of their mouths when they ran into someone new.

Somehow, in the middle of it all, they managed to squeeze in a ferris wheel ride. It stopped just as Lance and Keith reached the top, their hands already having found each other some time ago.

“You doing okay?” Lance asked, looking at his companion. The red paladin let out a soft chuckle and put his head on his shoulder.

“Yeah. I’m doing great actually.”

“Really? ‘Cause I know people aren’t really your thing, and I don’t want-”

“Babe, really. I’m fine. I’m actually really happy right now.” Lance let out a big breathe.

“Good. I’m glad.”

The ferris wheel started up again, the bright sun already having begun to dim some.

“Show me what you got, little brother,” Ramon teased, popping his third balloon. “Three out of five. Beat that.” Lance laughed, picking up his darts.

“You sure about this, Lance? You always sucked at this game. Compared to Ramon, at least,” Sophia said, flicking her eyes between her two older brothers. The group had finally went onto playing games, and Joseph had managed to already get a small stuffed whale from a rubber ducky game that no one was quite sure how to play.

“Yeah. Besides, if I win, he has to get me and Keith rum cake. If there's a chance I don’t have to spend money, then I’m taking it.” The blue paladin held one dart in his right hand.

“How romantic,” Keith said, rolling his eyes jokingly.

“Shoosh, babe, I’m trying to focus.”

“Like you even need-”

“You always sucked at bets. I’m sure that hasn’t changed,” Ramon chided, grinning like a kid in a candy store, “I’m the one who's getting that rum cake.”

Keith didn’t bother finishing his sentence. Especially because within ten seconds, a total of seven balloons had been popped using only five darts.

“I’ll take that tiger,” Lance declared, pointing happily to the large stuffed animal. The man working the stand just smiled and got it down. “Here ya go, babe.” He handed the stuffed creature to Keith, who turned a vivid red. “And now I’d like our rum cake.” The man whirled to his older brother, who had gone pale and was attempting to speak, but couldn’t.

Sophia and Marie snorted, patting their brother on the back.

The carnival lights had come on a few hours before they finally decided to head home. Keith had a total of five stuffed animals, two of which he had won for himself. Lance had three- the ones he wouldn’t dare part with. They were a giant banana, an apple, and a thing of grapes.

Sometimes, Keith really couldn’t understand his boyfriend.

They pulled away from the carnival, lights reflecting off the windshield and with fresh tans (unless you were Keith, who had to cover himself in sunscreen so he wouldn’t burn), and headed for home. Joseph and Marie were already asleep when they pulled into the driveway, so Ramon and Lance picked them up and carried them, while Keith and Sophia grabbed their prizes. Their Momma and Papa were sitting on the front porch, sipping a beer together.

“After you two put them to bed, come join us,” their Papa said, smiling at his youngest children as they slept in his sons’ arms.

“Of course, Papa,” Lance replied.

After Joseph and Marie were safely tucked in, the four of them ventured back outside, where their Papa had dragged them out a few chairs. They took their seats, silencing a cricket under the porch.

“Here,” Papa said, holding a beer out to his second oldest. Lance’s eyes bulged, but took it just the same. Keith was handed one as well. “When Ramon turned twenty-one, I shared a beer with him. I was hoping to do the same with you, as I plan on doing it with Sophia and the other two, but I fear I’m a year too late.” His papa’s green eyes turned to the red paladin briefly. “And as far as I’m concerned, you’re my son now too. So, drink up.”

Ramon opened the bottles with a bottle opener that was on the arm of his chair. They drank in silence for a while.

“When do you have to go back?” Momma asked suddenly, handing the bottle she was sharing with her husband back to him. Lance looked up at her, smile faltering. Keith tensed. Ramon and Sophia jolted in their seats, looking at their brother.

“Go back? Of course he’s not going back.” Ramon said, sounding like his temper was already rising,

“After these two weeks are over,” Lance answered, ignoring his brother. Ramon looked shocked, then crestfallen. “We- We’ve sorta become diplomats, Momma.”

“But I thought the war was over!” Sophia roared, tears already rolling down her face. Lance wouldn’t look at her, He knew this conversation was coming, but didn’t think it’d be so soon. “Lance, please. You just got back.” His little sister sounded like she did when she was fifteen and he had told her he was leaving for the Garrison. “I don’t wanna lose my big brother again.”

“Sophia,” their momma whispered, her eyes almost a grey in the lighting. “I think he feels bad already- do not guilt him.”

“Don’t guilt him? He’s been gone for five years, momma! And now he says he’s leaving again!”

“Just because the war is over doesn’t mean our duties are over. We have meetings to attend to- things the Princess can’t do alone.” The blue paladin looked around at his family.

“Who is this Princess, Lance?” Sophia asked again, tears still falling, and her brother sighed.

He began by telling them about when they first arrived at the castleship. He told them of the frozen Alteans who had been asleep for ten thousand years, and who had had their planet destroyed. He told them how Allura had directed them for the past five years- when they had lost Shiro for a spell, and when they needed a good kick in the shin (his Momma smiled at that.) He told them about how he flirted with her endlessly, but in the end it was all for fun and they ended up being good friends, He told them of how her advisor was one of his best friends, and a figure he learned to look up to, even if he was a bit odd. And he told them of how they had all suffered together, and how they were going to finish everything together.

They were a part of his team. And he wasn’t going to leave them. Not after everything they’d been through together.

“So, that’s it, huh? Nothing we can do to change your mind?” Ramon spoke up now, his beer forgotten.

“I’m afraid not.”

“But-” Sophia began, but her father swiftly cut her off.

“You two should be proud of your brother! You don’t think this isn’t hurting him? Sitting here with his family after five years, knowing he’s going to have to leave? He didn’t have to come back. He could’ve stayed where he was, and not less us know of these amazing things he’s done. Would you have preferred thinking he was dead, despite what our guts were telling us? So, you leave him be. Do not yell, do not blame, and do not be angered with him.”

His words were like an echo- they kept travelling even after he had gone silent.

Then Sophia and Ramon were up and hugging Lance again.

“We were not angered.” Ramon said, squeezing his brother’s shoulder.

“We’re just sad,” Sophia finished.

Under the porch, the cricket began to sing once again.

The week that came after that night felt like a dream. Most of it was Lance catching up with his family. He found out Sophia was actually going to go to a university in England once summer was over, while Ramon had a job lined up with the local agriculture center. Jospeh was about to go into high school as a freshman, while Marie was going into the eighth grade.

When he wasn’t catching up with his family, him and Keith were usually out in the fields, lying under one of the trees with Clark. The blue paladin would talk for hours, pointing to where some of his most famous stories took place.

“That’s where I fell and broke my leg!”

“What were you doing up there?”

“I thought I heard a cat.”

“So?”

“I thought it was stuck!”

They climbed the old apple tree, hiding in its foliage, sometimes hanging from its limbs as Momma put the clothes out to dry. She’d laugh when her son would make a silly face or manage to turn Keith red with a sly comment. Together, they taught the red paladin how to cook (because, no Keith, it’s not acceptable that you lived off ramen in the desert.)

The two paladins would recount some of their more fun adventures at the dinner table.

“So, you rode a cow out of a mall?”

“Yes. And we still have the cow,”

“That’s my boy.”

When Joseph and Marie would go off to bed, Sophia and Ramon would ask more serious questions while their parents listened.

“What is the most dangerous thing Lance has done?” Sophia asked Keith their fifth night there, because she didn’t think Lance would tell the truth.

“Honestly? Hard to say. Maybe using himself as a human shield to protect Coran from a bomb,” Keith replied, as honest as he could. Lance squeezed his hand.

“Says the guy who literally tried to fight Zarkon on his own.”

“I was young and stupid.”

“So was I.” They laughed together, while the others only blinked in amazement.

Some mornings Lance would collect eggs from the coop as Keith played with Shock and Spade. Sometimes they’d catch the other staring, only to smile and blush at each other. Each time, a rise of happiness would crash over them.

Home they’d both think, laying under the covers as the moon became full in the sky.

The second week of their stay, Marie and Joseph managed to talk the two paladins into taking them on a ride in their lions. Ramon and Sophia thought it was a good idea too, and suddenly the entire family wanted in on it.

“We’re gonna have to use both lions for this,” Lance mused, sitting on the couch with Keith’s head on his shoulder. His family was sitting around them, excitedly talking to one another.

“Oh yeah. Red would have thrown a fit anyway if we had left her out.”

“That’s true.” Lance cleared his throat. “Alright let's split you guys up so we aren’t all crammed into the same lion.”

Red and Blue landed in front of the old farmhouse some time later, jaws already opened. Ramon, Momma, and Marie were going with Lance, while the other three followed Keith. The two creatures purred as their pilots took their seats, powering up their controls. Then they were up, up in the air, flying across the sky and over the ocean. The two pilots refrained from doing any risky tricks- scared that Lance’s parents might have heart attacks,

“You do this everyday?” Marie asked in amazement, holding onto her brother. Lance smiled.

“Not everyday, but often.” He lowered Blue enough so that her claws grazed the water, and she purred louder. “Not today, Blue. I’ll take you under the sea some other time.” He could tell his lion was pouting, but paid no mind to it. “Where do you guys wanna go?”

His family was quiet for a moment, even on Keith’s end, before Marie spoke up.

“Space,” she said, with not even a quiver in her voice. No one said anything against her suggestion, so Lance and Keith turned their lions’ noses to the sky.

They broke through the atmosphere like a hot knife through butter. One moment they were on earth, and the next they were looking at it from a satellite's view. Lance’s parents were not able to look for long- eventually shielding their eyes. But his siblings looked in fascination.

Especially Marie.

She touched the screen that showed their view gently. Her green eyes were wide, and her mouth agape.

Lance smiled softly at her, knowing that look. He saw the stars reflecting in her eyes, and his chest grew tight.

“It’s amazing,” she whispered, unable to look away. Lance turned back to the screen, watching the blue and green orb.

“Yeah,” he replied, just as his Momma was able to unshield her eyes, “it is.”

The house was quiet when Keith woke up. Lance was already dressed, holding a few familiar devices in his hand as he sat on the edge of the bed. The red paladin stretched forward, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend in a comforting gesture.

“Allura already sent out the reminder that it’s the last day,” Lance said, not looking up.

“Sounds like her.”

“She’s probably lonely, up in the ship by herself.” An image of the Princess having dinner with the mice passed through both of their heads.

“We should go downstairs.”

“Yeah.”

The kitchen held everyone in it that morning, but nobody spoke, Lance held the devices with trembling fingers as he sat down. His Momma put a plate in front of him, but he wasn’t hungry.

Sophia cleared her throat. “What’s that, Lance?” Her eyes were glazed in tears, but she was fighting them. He met her eyes, and they took a deep breathe together. He placed one of the flat devices on the table. It looked like a large, transparent Ipad to them, and that was sort of what it was.

“It- Its so we can stay in touch. It’s like a videochat. It can do loads more, but not stuff you guys need to worry about. You just need to press the green button when I call. Of course, when I have time, I- we’re still going to come down to visit, but I still have so much more to tell you.” Lance was crying again. His Momma quickly walked over to him, wiping away the tears as she soothed him.

“No more crying,” she choked out, stepping back. She took the device Lance handed her, kissing his forehead as she did, His body shuttered, his face red from the tears.

“And I have one for each of you- since you both won’t always be home.” Sophia and Ramon were handed the last two devices. “If you guys want to call me, hit the blue button in the corner. Keith is the red one if I don’t pick up.”

“Sometimes he gets caught up talking to Hunk or Pidge in the hangars and leaves his phone in the commons,” Keith added, rubbing circles into the blue paladin’s back. “I’ll chase him down for you.”

“This is wonderful,” Sophia remarked, looking at the device with a much happier tune.

“If it’s all the same to you guys, I’d like to stay inside today,” Lance said, rubbing his nose. “With all of you.”

“We can have a family game day,” Ramon suggested, smiling at his little brother.

“That’s a great idea!” Momma shouted, shooting over to the closet. “We still have all of your old favorites. Uno, Connect Four, Battleship.” She turned to Lance, her apron looking ruffled from all the movement.

“That’d be great,” he said. He looked at Keith. “I’m gonna kick your ass, though.”

“You’re on, Sharpshooter.”

When the scores came back from Marie (who only wanted to keep score, scared of her family’s enthusiasm), Keith took home the win. Lance and Ramon groaned, while Sophia subtly threatened her brother’s boyfriend. Though, there was no blood shed, so it was one of their better family game days.

But the clock was ticking, and the time to leave came all too quickly.

Blue and Red were sitting outside, once again, when the family exited the house. The sun was just barely setting. Shock and Spade were sitting on the porch, whimpering softly as Lance and Keith gave them a final pat. Together, they put their bags into the lions, who kept their mouths open so they could give their final goodbyes.

“You boys be safe, okay?” Papa said, hugging Lance then Keith, taking the shorter man by surprise. Momma gave them hugs next, too emotional to say anything just yet. She stroked both of their cheeks with shaking hands.

“Don’t be strangers,” Ramon muttered as Lance crushed him in a hug.

“Yeah,” Sophia added, joining in.

“Next time, you need to teach me how to aim like that!” Joseph ordered, trying to hide the sadness on his face, but was failing.

“We’ll see,” Lance replied, before turning to Marie. The young girl looked up at him with those wide green eyes and smiled. She wrapped her arms around his middle- something she hadn’t done at all since he got back- and cried.

“Can you take me to space again when you come back?” she whispered, so only he could hear. He smoothed her hair down.

“I’d be honored,” he whispered back, smiling when she looked up at him. Keith walked over to him, maybe to say something, but no one could be sure because Marie let go of Lance and wrapped herself around him.

“Take care of my brother, please.” Her face was buried in his chest, so he couldn’t see her face. The red paladin hugged back.

“I always will.”

Marie finally stepped back, wiped her face, and then went to join Joseph on the porch.

“Lance,” Momma called, getting her son’s attention. He walked over to her, and she grabbed his hands in hers, placing a small box in them before he could register it. “I expect that young man over there to be more than a boyfriend the next time you come around here.” When he looked down, he opened the box and found the ring he had always seen his grandfather wear. A simple gold band. He pushed back his tears again.

“Si, Momma. I’ll see to it.”

“That’s my boy.”

“Hey, little brother, looks like someone else is here to see you off,” Ramon said, looking towards the fence. When Lance looked, he found Clark nosing at the gate.

Laughing, Joseph ran over and opened it, letting the old bull out. However, instead of going straight to Lance, Clark trotted right into Blue and laid down next to pilot’s chair. Keith sighed.

“What is it with you and cows, Lance?” Instead of a proper response, Lance just shrugged, still grinning like the sun.

“Well, bulls are stubborn. So, if he wants to go with ya’, I’m not stopping him, son,” Papa said, chuckling as Clark let out a drawn out moo.

“Yeah, me neither,” Lance agreed.

“Never thought I’d see one of our cows willingly going into space, though,” Sophia added.

“At least it’s not a horse.”

“Well,” Keith began, moving closer to his boyfriend with a sly grin, “if you get two cows, then I get to get a horse. Or space horse. Whichever.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“We’ll continue this discussion later.”

“Oh, we certainly will.”

Finally, the two paladins said their final goodbyes and boarded their lions. They raced across the ocean before tipping upwards like they did when they first arrived, disappearing into the sky. They slowed their lions as they entered space, not quite in a hurry to get back to the ship yet.

“You know, I realized something,” Lance said, leaning back in his chair and petting Clark, who had laid his big head on his lap.

“What’s that?”

“I have more than one home.” The castleship was coming into their view- he could see the Green lion already next to it. “One with Momma and Papa and my siblings.” Blue moved closer to Red. “One with everyone in the castle.” Keith smiled. “And one with you. Just you. But that one is a little different from the rest.” The red paladin felt himself grinning at his boyfriend’s words. That was something he could get used to hearing.

Lance felt the small box in his pocket, feeling giddy.

“I like that,” Keith whispered, right before Shiro’s voice rang through their comms.

“Hey, guys! How did it go?”

“Great,” the two men replied in unison, and Clark mooed at the same time.

“Was… was that another cow?”

“Whaaaaaaat,” Lance responded.

“No, Shiro. That was Clark, Get it right,” Keith answered with the straightest face he could muster.

“Yeah, Shiro. How dare you call our child a cow,” Lance added, pretending to be angry. Keith barely managed to hold back a laugh.

“Yeah, Shiro. How dare you.”

“Welp. I’m ending this call. I can’t wait to meet your… child. And hear your story.” The comm clicked, putting an end to that conversation.

The red and blue paladins bursted out laughing, and when they landed and watched Shiro’s face morph into a familiar expression that screamed I’m so done with you two , they both couldn’t help but think-

Home.