Work Text:
"Team Klance"
Keith was heading back to the castle after another death defying mission with the Blade of Marmora. Sometimes Keith wondered why Kolivan sent him on so many deadly missions. Was he hoping to teach Keith the 'mission before the individual' mantra that was like the Blades' second motto (right behind 'Knowledge or Death')?
Keith dragged himself out of the pod he arrived in and into the castle corridors. He hadn't taken more than two steps when he heard it. It was two roars, not unfamiliar to him. His feet carried him to the lion hangars. Surprisingly, both Black and Red were together in the same hangar without their particle barriers up.
"Red? Black?"
The second he spoke the lions turned and knelt down, so their mouths were close to him. He heard rumbling like purrs coming from the big mechanical cats. He put a hand on each of the lions' mouths. He heard in his mind two different voices.
"Hello, cub."
"Welcome back, little one."
Keith smiled and relaxed against his two lions. Red scooped him up into her mouth and laid down next to Black, who curled around Red. Inside Keith's mind, he saw a fluffy Black Lioness and a smaller but no less fluffy Red Lioness. He approached them and was able to lay back against the black one while the red one was against Keith's side with her tail draped over his legs. He sighed in contentment, finally able to relax. His fingers lazily ran across Red's fur, randomly digging in or tracing patterns in her fur. She purred to him, and he responded in kind. Black's head shot up when she heard him, which startled him.
"What is it? What's wrong?"
"Settle back down, little one. Nothing is wrong. I just have never heard you purr before."
Keith blushed a little. "It's apparently a thing Galra do when they're really content...or sleeping."
"Must be a kit thing, since I have never heard Zarkon purr."
Thank goodness Keith hadn't been drinking, because he would have spit out his drink. He groaned. "Thanks for a mental image I didn't really need, Black." After not getting a response, he added, "That was sarcasm. I'm not mad or anything."
"I know. Shiro is quite versed in mental sarcasm."
"As is Lance."
"But he's more known for his verbal expressions. He's not one for keeping quiet," Keith said.
"You'd be surprised, cub. He's been pretty quiet and almost isolating himself since you left."
"Really? What's wrong? Did I upset him? Should I talk to him?"
"I can call him here into this space, if you'd like," Red offered.
"You can?"
"Yes, since you both have a pretty strong bond with me."
%%%
Lance was starting up the video game he and Pidge bought at the Space Mall all that time ago. It had taken her a decent amount of time to hook up something that would work. He was just about to push start when he heard a roar, very similar to when Red called for him the first time. He cocked his head when he felt her push against their bond. Curious, he followed her into the space where lion and Paladin could interact freely. He was surprised not only to see that he was not alone nor was Red the only lion there.
"Keith?"
Keith looked up from where he was resting against Black Lion. "Hi, Lance."
"What's going on?"
"Red said you were isolating yourself lately. Is there something you want to talk about?"
Lance fidgeted slightly before he threw caution to the wind and his arms around Keith. "I missed you, Mullet!"
Keith was shocked, which showed on his face until a smile overcame his features, and he closed his eyes. He wrapped his arms around him. "I missed you, too, Lance."
"I didn't want you to go," Lance murmured so quietly that Keith almost didn't hear him.
"It was the best option. There were two Paladins for the Black Lion. The solution was for the weakest one to leave. Shiro was always the better leader and Paladin overall."
Keith was not expecting two tails and a hand smacking him on his head.
"That is enough of that, cub!"
"You are not a weak leader, little one!"
"It wasn't the best option!"
"It was better than you leaving!" Keith defended himself.
Lance clutched Keith against him. "I want you back as a Paladin, Keith. Our team is incomplete without you."
"Our team?"
"Team Klance."
Keith blinked and then realized what Lance was saying. He smiled softly and relaxed against Lance. "I will see what I can do about coming back to you."
Lance laid his head against Keith's and was only slightly surprised at Keith purring.
Fin