Chapter Text
"I wonder how many Christmases we've missed."
Four young paladins are sprawled in the lounge. They have just finished a mission; just another day in the life of a Defender of the Universe. Once the lions were back in the bay, the paladins all slugged their tired bodies back to the common area, discarding their armor in silence, before plopping down in the soft seats. It's unclear when this became a habit of theirs. At one point, it seemed they all collectively shared a thought about not wanting to be alone right after a battle. They had never talked about it. They just sort of gravitated towards each other, decompressing and returning to normalcy in the presence of each other. Nobody seemed to care about the dirt, grime and sweat covering their bodies; not even Lance. For a while, they would all just hang around in their flight suits, talking about anything and nothing.
It's nice. Really nice. Keith never imagined how desperately he needed this type of comradery. And maybe it had been through these casual interactions that he and Lance had grown closer, at some point crossing the threshold to friends. To something more than friends, even. Keith isn't really sure what to call them; they haven't put a label on it. They just kept seeking the other out and somewhere along the way, the hand on the shoulder moved to the small of their back and then later to the waist. Their gestures became increasingly more intimate, until Keith recognized the feelings he had for Lance were something different. So when Lance had told him he like liked him, Keith had said it back. Because he does truly like Lance. He loves him.
He has yet to tell that to Lance, though. Those are big words and Keith is rather one for showing his affection than proclaiming it out loud. He hopes Lance gets the idea though, thinks he does, if the way he's currently running his fingers through Keith's hair is any indication to go by. Keith is curled up on the couch next to Lance, his head resting in Lance's lap. It's a comfortable position, even if he feels slightly vulnerable like this.
Keith is quietly listening to Pidge and Lance discuss what year Killbot Phantasm I came out; which is the official release date, the local Japanese one or the international?
"No," Lance repeats for the 17th time. "Every kid had that game on their wish list for Christmas in 98, including me—"
Pidge cuts him off. "And the year before all the children in Japan had it on their wish list! Are you seriously suggesting that doesn't count?! Just because the game wasn't localized in English yet, doesn't mean it wasn't officially out!"
"I'm with Pidge on this one," Hunk adds, not even looking up from cleaning his chest plate.
"Ugh!" Lance groans, curling his hand into a fist, accidentally pulling on Keith's hair and making him wince. "Sorry," he mumbles quickly, smoothing his hair back down gently when Keith gives him a narrowed side eye. Lance is not done arguing though. "Whatever. To me, it came out in 98 and opening that present on Christmas day… it was the best Christmas I've ever had."
"What is this Christmas thing you keep talking about?" Allura steps into the room, followed by Shiro and Coran. They must have finished their mission debrief on the bridge. Shiro is still in his full paladin armor and while he hides it well, Keith recognizes the small signs of weariness on his face. This mission had been long and grueling. At least it was over for now.
Lance gasps dramatically and almost jolts in his seat. "You don't know what Christmas is." It's not a question, more of a dumbfounded realization.
"Well, duh," Pidge snorts. "They're aliens, why would they believe in something as preposterous as a fat dude breaking into people's houses to leave shitty presents."
A roar of voices erupt all at once.
"You take that back, nobody speaks of Santa like that—" "Fat dude?" "Pidge…" "Hold it, stop, no, that's not it, Christmas is about—" "Ah, sounds like the story of Krimpulus, every Altean knows—"
Keith wants to laugh, but holds his tongue in favor of watching the madness unfold. Pidge's mischievous grin reads mission accomplished and when Keith catches their eyes, he smiles approvingly.
What unfolds is a thorough explanation of what Christmas actually is, with all the paladins pitching in to share their stories. And while they each have some fond memories to share, Lance by far has to most. He seems particularly fond of the holiday, which makes it all the more heartbreaking when he says, tone wistful and longing;
"I wonder how many Christmases we've missed."
Silence falls upon the room and Keith feels a tightness in his chest. Christmas was never his favorite holiday, it often just reminded him of the family he didn't have. But hearing how much Lance loves it, how he misses it now, and between the lines; how much he misses his family. It makes Keith's heart ache.
Judging by the look on everyone's faces, the reminder of Christmas evokes a painful homesickness in all of them.
How many seasons had come and gone back on Earth, while they've been traveling through space? Their concept of time is completely warped, not bound by the same logic as on Earth where you'd consider the rotations a measurement of a time. Without the Sun to orbit, how will they know when a year has passed?
Pidge had tried to keep track, but at one point stopped sharing reports. To Keith, this meant it had been longer than they would have liked.
"We'll be back someday," Shiro says, trying for positivity. "We have so many more Christmases ahead of us, don't you worry. Now, to update you on the mission debrief—"
And that's just how it is. Mission comes first.
Keith sits up to listen more attentively, but he keeps glancing at Lance out of the corner of his eye. Despite his best efforts to hide it, Keith can tell he's upset in that subdued kind of way of his whenever he gets homesick. Keith wants to fix it. He hates seeing Lance like this, but he also knows addressing it doesn't work; Lance will just brush him off with an easy (fake) smile.
Probably doesn't help that Keith isn't great with communicative support in general. But maybe he can do something to cheer him up.
As Shiro continues to talk, Keith's mind starts to drift, plotting and planning ways to make Lance feel better. To maybe give him a tiny bit of that Christmas spirit here, aboard the Castleship, despite being light years away from home, away from his family…
It's a tall order, but Keith is willing to try.