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Keith drifted into consciousness, surrounded by warmth. A smile tugged at his lips as he heard Kolivan purr in his sleep. Keith rolled over and attempted to sneak out of the nest, but was quickly stopped as Thace pulled him to his side and nuzzled his hair.
"Where do you think you are going, Kit?"
"Just training, Thace."
"You need to rest," Thace chastised softly, causing Keith to open his mouth to protest, "Even Kolivan is still sleeping, and we both know how much of a workaholic he is."
Keith grumbled a bit and settled back into his spot in the nest. Once he was asleep once more, Kolivan opened his eyes, amusement glittering in them. They both began snickering lightly, only to be silenced by two rebuking growls.
Kolivan hunched a bit and turned to look at Antok as she whispered, "Shh, your laughing is going to wake him."
"Also, it was rude of you to trick Keith into going back to sleep," Ulaz added, "We are trying to get him to accept his needs and instincts, not trick him."
Kolivan and Thace nodded with appropriate faces of embarrassment and shame. Ulaz and Antok gently moved them, so they could check on Keith and see how he was doing. He was deep asleep, content to be surrounded by his pack, gentle purrs escaping him. They all smiled, and Ulaz extracted herself from the nest to start her shift in the medbay. The others settled back into slumber until a varga later when the alarm to tell them they needed to head for the morning meal went off. Keith opened his eyes, sleep still attempting to drag him back under. He had never felt this content in his life. It was like a jagged piece of him had been misplaced until now. He yawned and smiled at the three pack members around him.
“Hello, Kit. How was your rest?” Antok inquired with a small rumble.
Keith gave a happy chirp, “Would it be weird if I said that was the best night’s sleep that I have had since I can remember?”
Kolivan chuckled, “Of course not. It is normal for kits, and even full grown adults, to sleep better with their packs.”
Keith sat up and had the strange urge to climb on Kolivan’s back as if he was getting a piggy-back-ride. He shook his head to remove the thought and stood to head to breakfast. They all walked silently, and Keith saw the mask of indifference, that Kolivan always wore in public, slide on. He let out a noise of distress and quickly covered his mouth with wide eyes.
Why did I do that? I stopped these years ago! It became a habit to repress them! I need to get this under control again! He thought in a panic, forgetting that they were natural instincts that he had. Kolivan, sensing Keith’s inner spiral, crouched down in front of him and let concern show.
“Kit? What was it that distressed you?”
“Nothing! It was nothing! Let’s get to breakfast.”
Keith tried to hurry ahead, but Kolivan quickly picked him up under his armpits, “Now, I know you aren’t in the habit of giving into your instincts, but you instinctively informed us of your distress. Please, tell me what it was that distressed you.”
Other blades were stopping in their tracks, stunned at the sight of their stoic leader holding one of their most skilled blades under the armpits and giving him a concerned look. Keith weakly struggled to get out of the grip before letting out a distressed whine that only kits gave. There was a collective gasp of shock that ran through those that were around the group.
Thace leaned over to Kolivan, “I think he currently wants you to set him down, so we stop drawing so much attention.”
Keith was quickly set down, and Antok’s tail wrapped around his waist as both a comfort and a restraint. Kolivan looked around, expression turning stern, “Alright, that’s enough staring! Get to the dining hall and eat then get to work!” He waited a moment before he let irritation bleed into his voice, “Now!”
Everyone scattered, and Kolivan returned his attention to Keith, “I am sorry that I caused you such distress, Kit.”
Keith shook his head and looked down at his feet, “It’s fine. Can we go to the dining hall now?”
Kolivan paused before he nodded and placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder, “Okay, Kit. Let’s go to the dining hall.”
They entered the dining hall, and Keith was almost tackled by Regris. He was chattering on so fast that he wasn’t understandable. Keith only stared at him blankly. He was numb. He didn’t even feel his embarrassment anymore. It was something that always happened when he was overwhelmed.
“Regris, I think Keith may be a bit overwhelmed,” Thace urged.
Shaking out of his numbness, Keith glanced at Thace, “How were you able to tell?”
Antok gave a soothing purr, “You had a blank expression on your face. We call it Sine sensu-adfectus. Literal translation is numb emotions. All kits get it when they either have a sensory overload, or they are overwhelmed emotionally."
Kolivan raised an eyebrow at his mate, "Why do I have the feeling you and Ulaz have been going over kit behavior and illnesses?"
"Because we have been," Antok stated matter of factly.
Keith smiled, and Regris looked at Kolivan, "I'm stealing Keith for a little bit."
They all nodded and the kits ran off, leaving the rest of Keith's pack to plot on how to get him to accept his instincts. They especially wanted him to accept that he needed more rest. Unfortunately, the opportunity was given to them by the next quintant.
○○○○
Keith stumbled off of the ship. He had gotten a face full of an unknown gas and was feeling funny. He started toward the medbay but passed out before he arrived. Blackness was his only companion until a fellow blade stumbled upon him in the hall. They rushed him to the medbay where, after a series of tests were performed, they discovered that the gas transferred a virus to Keith.
Ulaz had just called the rest of the pack to the medbay when Keith woke up, groaning, "W'at happened?"
Ulaz jerked forward to Keith's bedside, "Thank goodness you are awake, Kit. You collapsed in the hallway and another blade had to bring you here."
"Oh… I had been on my way here if that means anything," Keith said sheepishly.
Ulaz smiled, "That is good, but what caused it?"
"When I went on the mission, there had been a druid aboard the ship. It discovered me, and, in the fight, a canister was knocked over and punctured, releasing a gas."
"That must have been what gave you this virus. Luckily, it seems that they were testing the gas with a virus we already know. I have administered the vaccine, but will take a little while."
"What are the symptoms?"
"Exhaustion, nausea, lightheadedness, stomach pain, and in the case of kits, small green spots on the skin."
Keith furrowed his brows in confusion, “That doesn't explain my urge to get to the pack. The main reason I was headed for the medbay was because you were the closest pack member to me.”
“That was your instincts, Kit,” Ulaz said, setting a hand lightly on top of Keith’s head, “All Galra have them. That particular instinct is stronger in kits, but it does remain in adults. When you are distressed, injured, or sick you will feel a desire to find your pack or the closest pack member. That also reminds me. Galra have different needs, depending on their age. Kits require about four times the amount of sleep of an adult.”
“Is this your way of telling me I need to sleep more?” Keith asked.
“Yes, it is. Your productivity will improve more than it is now,” Ulaz replied fondly. “Do you think you can sleep more? Also I would appreciate it if you accepted your instincts more.”
Keith looked down at his hands, “It is just habit to ignore them.”
Ulaz stated, “I know. All I ask is that you try.”
Keith nodded, and the rest of the pack burst into the room in varying degrees of panic. They were quickly assured that Keith was fine. They all cuddled closer to their kit, and smiled as he felt into a deep, content sleep. They were happy that he was finally going to accept his needs and instincts. He deserved to be taken care of and loved by family.