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It was a couple months since their jump into space and yet, collectively they all havent explored the entire castle yet. Hall after hall, it seemed to extend endlessly. And endlessly did Pidge talk about exploring it. But with all their sudden missions and training, all Pidge seemed to do was talk about it which was starting to get to the rest of the team. In multiple ways.
Lance and Hunk started to get on board leaving Keith to listen to their slow discoveries.
He’d be a liar if he said it wasnt intriguing him. Apparently this place has some crazy things going on inside of it. Like an upside down pool, an automatic food dispenser, even some machines they haven’t figured out the use of yet. So when Keith was taking a break in the commons room, conveniently hearing Lance whining to Hunk and Pidge about going with him to explore, he hesitated before leaving.
“Come on guys,” Lance whined, leaning against a disgruntled Pidge who was tinkering around with whatever machine she got her hands on. “I can’t go alone.”
Hunk didn’t bother putting his book down as he spoke, “Sorry buddy, we haven’t had free time in ages, I wanna relax.”
“Remind us why you can’t go on your own?” Pidge chimed in, side eying Lance.
“Uh, scary potentially evil castle fiasco?” Lance retorted to which only got an eye roll in response.
“That was a one time thing, Allura fixed the problem.”
Lance pouted.
“Why not take Keith?”
The palidans all looked over to Shiro whose seemed to have just entered the room.
“Keith?!” Lance punctuates with a breathy laugh as he makes eye contact with the frowning man in question, “no no no, if this castle goes evil again I do not want a mullet as the last thing I see.”
A groan comes from Pidge, clearly annoyed at Lance’s overactive imagination. “If this castle goes evil again, I will literally eat my own face.”
“No one’s eating anyones face” Shiro sighs walking over and patting the red and blue palidans on the back, “It’ll be good team bonding, goodness knows you two need it.”
Lance looks to Shiro for a moment then to the ground, crossing his arms and sighing like this is the hardest decision of his life “Fine, but I want you all to remember this.”
“Do I not get a say in this?” Nonpulsed Keith asks watching Lance strut out the sliding door.
Shiro pats Keith on the head, ruffling his hair. “Keep him out of trouble.”
Keith gives the older a look of bemusement before taking off after Lance.
—
Half an hour later, the pair are searching an octagonal shaped room that sort of looks like an old laboratory, now only holds dust and out of date ailen machinery.
It’s been a pain trying to find one that works considering the two don’t even know whats supposed to happen when you turn it on. Or even where the on button is.
“You’re going to break it if you press so many buttons at once.” Lance whines as he hip chucks Keith over, trying to regain control.
“What do you mean, this whole thing is probably busted already.” Keith folds his arms, allowing Lance to take over the panel.
As if to prove him wrong, the panel begins to glow a turquoise hue, holograms of tabs appearing before them. And to shove salt in the wound, Lance punctuates it with an ‘i told you so’ look.
Scruntching his face up into a snarl, Keith turns and gracefully plops into a rather uncomfortable metal chair, hugging his arms across his torso.
Lance lets out a noise of frustration, “It’s all in Altean! Keith do you have your translator on you?”
Keith raises an eyebrow. “Does it look like I do?”
“A simple ‘no’ wouldve worked.” Lance turns to stare at the foreign letters again as if they’ll change for him like they do when they wear their paladin armor.
“Whatever, this is getting boring.” Keith pushes himself out of his seat. “Continue whatever you’re doing, or not-”
“Wait wait!” Lance perks up in anguish, “You can’t leave!”
“Yes I can,” He punctuates with a sarcastic wave before hes tugged back by Lance causing him to stumble into him.
They crash backwards onto the panel, a loud beep announces itself along with a robotic voice cuts in and out through the barely working speakers, speaking Altean.
“You idiot!” Keith pushes himself up, staggaring backwards.
Lance goes to follow, an insult on the tip of his tongue- but before he can, a beam of light shoots out just under Lance’s arm where it lays on the panel, making a smoke screen of light.
Keith shields his eyes from the assault only looking back after a few seconds, the light dissipated to find no lance in sight.
Dread filled Keith’s body, right from his feet to the tips of his fingers. Lance had disappeared. Lance had gotten obliterated.
Before reason could even kick in Keith hurries to find an undo, pressing random buttons until the whole machine overloads itself. Holograms minimize, the glow dissipates, its gone.
“I- I have to get Allura..” Realization dawns on him. He can’t. This is all too stressful, and that irritating voice that’s repeating his name is really getting on his nerves.
A voice? That’s not right.
Keith looks down to where the noise is coming from to see a tiny Lance cupping his hands to his mouth shouting Keith’s name.
“Lance?!” Keith falls to his knees in panic? relief? confusion? All emotions flood him like a broken dam.
“Jesus, finally.” Lance’s puts his hand on his hip.
Keith brings himself down to eye level with the now tiny Lance, confusion prevalent on his face. “What the fuck is this.”
Lance pushes Keiths face back, “Could ask you the same thing, Mullet.”
Keith stares at Lance for a moment, truly taking in the reality of the situation. Really, Keith has seen crazier things these past few months. What's really confusing is how flustered this is making Keith.
“We need Allura to fix this. Now.”
With that, Keith scoops Lance up in his hands, being careful enough not to squish him.
Lance lets out a sound of surprise. “Careful there, big guy!”
Keith doesn't even gratify Lance with a side-eye, just a touch of pink kissing his cheeks.
—
The walk back to the commons room was a long one dragged out by the silence between the two paladins. It wasn't awkward per-say, Keith just guessed Lance was accepting the fact he’s shorter than him now.
Keith stood as the sliding doors opened for him automatically revealing Allura and Shiro having a quiet conversation while Pidge works and Hunk reads his book. All four turn- minus Pidge who was too involved in her tinkering, or maybe she just doesn’t care- to look at Keith.
“That was fast,” Hunk greets. “Did you two already get into a fight?”
Keith’s brows lower, “No I just-“
“Where’s Lance then?” Shiro interjects a bit sternly. He was probably getting fed up with the twos fighting by now.
“Oh man, don’t tell me the castle ate him..” Hunk whines causing Pidge to look up.
Alluras face scrunches up in confusion. “Excuse me?”
“Long story, princess. Basically Lance was-“
“I’ve shrunken!” Lances tiny voice yells out making everyone pause. “Your crazy alien technology made me small!!” He directly points at Allura who has just now seen the tiny Lance being held in Keith’s cupped hands.
“oh my…” She mumbles coming up closer to Lance. Her face clearly confused, racking her brain for an awnser. “Were you two messing around in the laboratory?”
Keith avoids eye contact with Alluras pricing gaze. “uh, maybe?”
Her eyes narrow, “Paladins! I’ve spoken to you about how it’s dangerous to play in there!”
“I’m sorry!” Lance exasperates, “obviously i’ve learned my lesson! can you please fix this..”
Allura straightens her back, her eyes darting between the two. “yes, of course.” she sighs. “now show me what you were messing with.”