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It’s a slow cloudy morning.
Keith loves it.
He takes a deep breath, welcoming the fresh air that comes with fall season as he walks down the campus lake, heading towards his first class of the day.
It’s still too early for the campus to be crowded, which is exactly one of the reasons he decided to take the eight in the morning class on mondays, no matter how much his boyfriend called him a madman because of it.
Keith walks next to the lake, feet keeping up with his rhythm. He enjoys the faint crunch of the leaves on his feet and he hums under his breath as he walks, hands buried deep in his hoodie after pulling his beanie down on his head.
Crunch, crunch -
Quack .
Keith pauses and slows down his steps, nose scrunching in confusion. He looks around him and at seeing nothing out of the ordinary, he starts walking again.
Crunch, crunch, crunch -
Quack .
“That was not in my head,” Keith declares before he jumps on the spot when the sound comes back. He twirls to looking behind him and his eyes widen when he catches the small yellow dot near his feet.
“Oh my god, what are you doing there!” Keith hisses, taking a step back automatically, uncomfortable that the duckling had been so near his foot that could have been easily step on it by accident, “Dude, do you have a death wish? Geez!”
He takes another steps back but his eyes widen in surprise when the duckling only follows him, another small quack leaving its beak. Keith blinks and takes another step back, groaning when the duckling follows right after.
He does the next logical thing to do.
Keith runs.
“Oh, come on!” Keith groans as the duckling’s sounds become more desperate and sad behind him, “No, no, no, don’t make that sound, dude, that’s not fair.”
Keith slows down, the small quacks from the duckling still tugging his heart. He huffs, hands on either side of his hips as he leans down to glare at the duck.
“Look, dude, I’m making you a favor,” Keith confesses, staring down the duckling and trying not to coo when it looks up at him and quacks, “Last week I accidentally killed Lance’s bamboo plant; you don’t want to be with me, okay?”
The duck quacks and Keith feels silly for just a split of a second when he actually listens to it as if he could understand.
“I need my coffee,” he grumbles before turning around and starting to walk away, frowning when he feels the familiar quacking behind him.
“No,” he says with a tight smile as he points to the ground, “Stay. You. Here. Bye.”
He goes his own way, the crunching of the leaves returning quickly and as he pick up a sudden call from his phone, he forgets all about any duckling.
“Yo, Kogane!”
Keith rolls his eyes, wondering if today was going to be one of those days where he will waste his coffee on Rolo.
“Yes, Rolo, hi, good morning, stop talking now,” Keith says shortly as he steps through the classroom’s door, taking a quick sip of his coffee to enjoy the last taste of it in case Rolo indeed ended up doing something stupid as usual.
“I got something to say.”
“Oh, Lord.”
“There’s something behind you, smartass.”
Keith blinks, confused by the statement before he looks behind him and his lips twitch when he hears the familiar quack.
“You little shit.” Keith sighs before he kneels, picking the small duckling in his hands, “You are not good at following orders, are you?”
The duckling quacks at him, looking quite pleased with himself as he makes itself comfortable in Keith’s hand.
“Aw, who is this small creature?” Plaxum asks, cooing at the duckling in Keith’s hand and smiling warmly when it quacks at her.
Keith shrugs, walking towards his seat. “He’s my son, I guess.”
“Does he call you mama?” Rolo teases, wiggling his eyebrows and Keith shots him an unamused glare.
“You’re lucky I’m holding a baby duck.”
“Oh, boy, don’t I know it.”
“How old is he?”
“Was he abandoned?”
“Did he imprinted to you? My cousin had one that -”
“Did you save him?”
“Does it have a name?”
“Are you like the hero of the ugly duckling?”
Keith taps his fingers against his desk, questions already too familiar with him as they are the common ones being asked in every class he’s been through today.
He feels low-key offended, though, when someone calls his duckling ‘ugly’ but he bites his tongue, not wanting to waste another coffee after he dumped his previous one on Sendak from his second period class for almost injuring his duck when he had shoved Keith roughly just because of the likes of it.
It had helped, though, that his recently adopted son had been just as angry as Keith had felt because the duckling had actually tried to bite Sendak off, beak not even big enough to cover one of the teen’s big fingers but he definitely having the spirit for it.
Keith named him Blade after that.
Because of his teeth.
And because he like blades.
Keith unconsciously tightened his grip on his beanie where Blade is currently sleeping on, happy to see that the duckling was no longer shaking from the cold. Maybe Keith was able to be a good dad.
“Alright, alright, if I could get all of your attention, please,” their Professor calls, walking towards the small group that surrounded Keith’s seat, “I know we’re all quite excited to see such a small adorable fellow in our class but I do need to remind you that today’s assignment is half of your grade.”
The group of students whine almost simultaneously, heads dropping in disappointment at the news and it makes Professor Coran to purse his lips.
The man is about to open his open his mouth but a soft delicate quack cuts him off before he has a chance to speak.
Professor Coran looks down, eyes widening in surprise when he sees two small black eyes staring at him and then Blade quacks again.
Professor Coran never stood a chance.
“Your son rocks, Keith.” Matt declares behind him half an hour later, nudging him playfully on the ribs and Keith grins, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches his duck nuzzling against their professor’s cheek, completely making him forget about class and future assignments for now.
“Hell yeah, that’s my son.”
“Hey, babe?”
Keith hums, eyes never leaving his phone as he leans forward for his greeting kiss, something Lance provides without hesitation.
“Are you aware there’s a baby duck on your head?” Lance asks as he pulls away from his boyfriend’s cheek to stare at the small duckling on Keith’s hair, snuggled up and quacking softly.
Keith nods carefully, finally raising his eyes to meet Lance’s and offering a smile as he leans forward and drops his own kiss against his boyfriend’s cheek.
“Yeah, turns out I have a son now.”
Lance hums pleased, taking a second to rub his nose against Keith’s cold cheek before he speaks. “Cool. Does he have a name?”
“Blade.”
“I don’t even know why I ask.”
“No.”
“But Shiro -!”
“Nop.”
“You would turn your back against your own nephew?” Keith asks bewildered, hands cupping small Blade and bringing him close to his chest, “What kind of brother?”
“That’s cold, Shiro.” Allura clicks her tongue from the other side of the room, changing the page of her book, “Plain cold.”
Shiro rolls his eyes before focusing on his brother. “Keith, no, you know the dorms don’t allow pets; this is exactly why Lance had a bamboo plant -”
“May Kevin The Bamboo rest in peace.” Allura cuts in and Shiro ignores her.
“ - You can not keep this duckling, especially because it’s not healthy for him.”
“Why not!” Keith all but whines, his ‘definitely-not-a-pout’ in place as he glares up at his brother.
Shiro doesn't look impressed. “Because he belongs with his own kind; he needs to learn how to feed himself and live by himself in his natural habitat, not being all cuddled up in an human dorm.”
“Psh, Lance managed just fine.” Keith shots back.
Lance looks up at the sound of his name, frowning in mock outrage and forgetting the small ‘duckling-size’ sweater he had been knitting on his lap. “Hey! What gives?”
“Sorry, babe.” Keith shrugs, offering a small smile.
“Keith,” Shiro sighs, rubbing his face with his flesh hand, “No, just no.”
Keith huffs. “Fine, fine, I will look tips online on how to help him get back out there but can you please babysit him tonight?”
“Fine,” Shiro groans, taking the small duckling in his hands, breathing out a soft laugh when its small webbed feet tickle his palm, “But I won’t like it.”
“Seven bucks he gets attached,” Allura whispers near Lance’s ear as the pair watch the brothers argue.
“Eight and a muffin from Balmera’s Bakery,” Lance whispers back.
“Deal.”
Five hours later, it’s a little difficult to make Shiro to let go of Blade.
“So, maybe if we hide him and take turns -”
“Shiro, no.”
“According to the DucksOnly blog,” Pidge starts, pushing her glasses up and letting them rest on top of her head as she turns around to meet Keith’s eyes, “It says that you should schedule duck playdates.”
“Duck playdates.” Keith deadpans and Pidge shrugs.
“I’m paraphrasing but yeah; basically Blade has to acknowledge that there are other ducks like him and he needs to slowly become more aware that he’s part of them,” Pidge looks to the side, a small smile in her lips as she watches Hunk and Lance taking turns in feeding the duckling on the floor, “Soon he will be able to copy their habits and lifestyle and he will be comfortable enough to leave your side once he feels capable enough.”
“Sucks,” Keith mumbles before he sighs, throwing his head back against the couch.
“There, there, you know it’s for the best,” Pidge says nonchalantly, patting him on the shoulder. “Also, the website also recommends that you should be present, in case the other ducks reject him and kill him.”
“ What !”
“Keith, if you keep glaring, you might roast the poor ducks,” Lance says, a amused smile in his lips as he pushes his boyfriend back, making stay on his spot away from the lake, “Easy, no need for a duck dinner tonight.”
“Lance! What did we said about talking of such things? Not in front of Blade.” Keith scoffs, using his free hand to cover Blade’s entire head as if to cover his ears.
Lance waves him off. “Keith, just let him go play already, Pidge said a few minutes every day should be enough; he will be fine.”
Keith grumbles, hesitating a few seconds before he nods and kneels on the ground, a few feet away from the ducklings and full grown ducks hanging at the edge of the lake.
“Alright, buddy, you got this,” Keith whispers, giving Blade a small bounce on his hand before he gentle drops him on the ground, “Go on and show them who is a strong independent young duckling.”
Blade quacks in response before he gets louder as soon as he notices Keith’s stepping back, getting desperate for the lack of his caretaker's presence.
“It’s okay, it’s okay!” Keith reassurance, the small sad quacks piercing his heart, “It’s alright buddy, I will be right here.”
Blade still looks distressed about the sudden events but then there are a few ducks surrounding him. Blade quacks, maybe out of surprise or fear, Keith’s not sure, but he still waits, watching carefully every move the ducks make around his son.
When one of them pokes Blade on the head with their beak, Keith’s suddenly on his feet.
“Hey, you! Stop bullying my son!” He shouts, glaring at the duck that dared to molest his duckling, “You want a piece of this? I got a chef for a friend, buddy, don’t try me!”
“Keith!” Lance shouts exasperated but a small chuckle leaving his lips, “You’re unbelievable.”
“They poked him! Poke him back, Blade! You show that son of a bitch who is the boss!”
“Keith!”
It took a few weeks and a little more days to actually convince Keith that Blade was ready to leave his side and be part of the small group of ducks that lived on the campus lake.
It has been a slow process, full of rejection and neglect, but Blade had found a small warm group of ducks that had accepted him eventually, allowing him to join their afternoon activities and even eat with them.
Keith knew this day was ought to arrive at some point but it didn’t mean it was any less easy.
“Okay, so, this is it buddy,” Keith sighs, eyes meeting Blade’s as the not-small-anymore duckling sits on his beanie that had become his bed for the last few weeks since he adopted him, “You have grown quite a lot and it’s time for you to fly.”
“His kind don’t fly, though.” Pidge mumble behind and yelps when Hunk nudges her on the ribs.
“You are the best nephew I could have asked for,” Shiro steps in, voice dangerously wet, “And no matter how many kids Klance decide to adopt later, you will always be my fave.”
“Dude.” Lance deadpans with a flat look and Shiro shrugs.
“Remember your diet, mister! I know fishes and rocks may look pretty cool but try to have a balance, alright? We don’t want you sinking on that lake,” Hunk says, offering Blade one last snack before stepping back, rejoining the group.
Keith laughs softly, shaking his head in amusement before nodding. “Okay, alright, so, it’s been real and fun. I know you have found where you belong but...but remember that, well, that you will always have a place in our small family, my family, alright?”
“Babe,” Lance mumbles quietly, fond and affection dripping from his voice as he kneels next to Keith and Keith’s smiles wavers.
“And - and even if we are away just know that,” Keith sniffles, tears still lingering at the edge of his eyes as he raises a finger and pokes Blade on the head gently, “Know that we’ll still have each other.”
Blade quacks softly, seeming to enjoy Keith pressure as he nuzzles closer to the touch. It makes Keith laugh wetly.
“There, there,” Lance mumbles gently next to him, rubbing small soothing circles in his boyfriend’s back, “We will visit him often, it’s okay.”
Keith nods aimlessly, bringing his hand up to sniff against his sleeve as he watches Blade wobble towards the small group that appeared to be waiting for him before they start entering the lake, padding effortlessly on the water.
Blade follows them easily and Keith feels his chest being filled with pride.
Look at his son go.