Archive of Our Own

Heyo, Keith

Sup, Mullet-Man

Oh beloved Kei

Dear Keith,

I'm writing to you for a number of reasons.

Reason one: You're the only one who won't care have a total break down when they find out I'm gone. Shiro will feel like he's failed me; Hunk will miss me, and probably cry; Pidge will just do their weird little sniffly "I'm not crying, you're crying" thing; Allura will cry and freak out about my lion being paladinless (tell her she should pilot Blue. I think they'd be a good team); and Coran - I don't know how he'll react, losing another person. Losing all of Altea was bad enough, for him and for Allura.

You? I mean, you'll probably just be super pissed. But it had to be done, man! I'll explain later.

Reason two: I have to tell you this without a middle man. I mean, technically this Altean techy notepad thing is a middleman, but. Whatever.

Ok, I just asked Blue. She says it's probably fine.

Yeah, you probably won't care anyways. Uh, I'll get to reason two... later.

Now! All right, explaining why I'm... writing this. Well, funny story! Kind of. See, that alien race those annoying little shits cute little aliens we went on a diplomatic visit to a while ago? They took a bit of a liking to me. I totally called it, told you guys they were all a bunch of tiny, traitorous demons. Anyways, they thought I was "nice." And then they, like, hacked into my comm I guess? And they told me that they'd spare me because I'm so attractive because I "partook in their kindness ritual." But they then told me that you guys would be seriously screwed, 'cause they put this tracker thing on my helmet and apparently it's now hidden in the castle somewhere and its battery life is tethered to my life source, and, I don't know, it sound complicated? Maybe ask Pidge, they can help make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

Uh, anyways. I guess I'll be going back to that planet? With Blue. I'm so sorry, but I want to be able to hold off the Galra ships until the battery in that tracker thing dies.

I don't really see how handing me over to the Galra is "sparing me." But I also don't understand how I got caught up in their "kindness ritual," so, whatever.

Okay. I'm still not ready to get to reason two yet. Blue says I should hurry up.

So! Messages. Have fun passing these on, mullet man.

To Hunk: Bro. I am so, so sorry. And I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye properly, but, heh, we all know that wouldn't have ended well. We'd have probably ended up in a huge explosion. But, just so you know: You were my best friend, man. You stayed my friend when no one else did and I trust you with my life, which is why I eat your goo food even when it smells really bad. For the record, it actually tastes pretty decent.

To Pidge: Hey. Don't be offended by what I said to Hunk; you're totally my second best friend. Actually, you're kind of like my little sibling? I really felt like your big brother whenever we hung out, and I like that, and it helped with my homesickness and… Look, I hope you find Matt and your dad.

To Shiro: Shiroooo! I have looked up to you since Day One, man, just saying. And! No matter what Keith says, please keep in mind that I helped save you from the Garrison, too. Therefore, I deserve a decently-decorated funeral. Okay, but, for real. You're a great leader, Shiro. A great dad, too, so… thanks for being one when I couldn't reach mine.

To Allura: I bet you think you missed out on ever going on a date with me, the Blue Paladin, most awesome and courageous paladin of all. Well, worry not, fair princess! I have written out a sample date so that you can at least say you had a taste of all this.

Me: Girl, you're a nine, and I'm the one you ne-

Allura: I am a tEN

Uh, and that's as far as I could get while still being realistic. :/ Blue is laughing at me.

To Coran: Man, that goo stuff. Not good. Not a good experience. That was bad. But you're a good guy, and… and you really saved our butts a lot of times, you know? And I bet you'll keep doing that for the team. You're the best royal adviser guy that anyone has ever had, Coran, I can tell you that. And you totally earned the coranic mechanic nickname thing.

To Keith.

Phew. Here we go.

First of all, our friendly competition accidental brushing of shoulders full out mildly violent rivalry was entirely the result of me being a middle school boy.

I've sort of kind of majorly had a crush on you since, like, before you left the Garrison. It was a hard time for me, all right? I was all like "holy girls," and then you came along and I was like "holy him." It was a really hard time for me.

Okay, but that was just a crush (in all its hormonal glory).

Then this whole Voltron thing started, and I got to actually know you, and be your - dare I say it!? - friend! This was an even worse time for me, because I realized I was slowly falling in love with your rare smile, and your proud smirk, and your dark eyes and your bright eyes and your angry growl and your 'I secretly care about you' growl and your fricking mullet. The mullet, man! Somehow, your refusal to care about what's in an out has become a large reason for why I have fallen in love with you.

And there are a lot more things to tell you, too, but- well, Blue says I really need to hurry up.

So I guess that's all.

I just - try not to hate my ghost, okay? I… I fell in love, you know? These things happen.

Yeah, I get it - you probably don't know. That's okay. I'll pretend I don't care. I've only got a bit of pretending left anyways.

So! I guess that's the end of me that. I wish you all well! And I hope it's not too hard to retrieve the Blue Lion. Sorry again about that.

With love,

Lance.

Lance takes a deep breath and puts his hands on the controls. He's been sitting in his lion for a minute or two now, just trying to come up with a plan.

"Hey, moron," says a voice, and Lance groans at the realization that his inner monologue has Keith's voice.

"Don't groan at me," Keith sasses, and Lance snaps to attention.

"Y-You- Heyyyyy, Keith!" Lance says suspiciously, leaning against the dashboard.

"I read your letter," Keith says cryptically.

"Oh," Lance chuckles nervously. "Did you? I thought you were asleep."

"I wasn't. About the letter... The scratched out parts weren't very scratched out, you know."

"Uh, sorry. I was… in a hurry."

Keith rolls his eyes. "I noticed. So…" Keith takes a step closer, and Lance hopes he won't have to fight Keith in order to sacrifice himself. That would just be the icing on the cliché cake. "Gimme a minute to get settled in Red?"

"No, you can't stop me- Wait, what?"

Keith laughs at Lance's wide eyes. "I'm going with you, idiot. I obviously can't let you go alone. What kind of boyfriend would I be?"

Lance chokes on his own spit.

Somehow, Keith retains his pride. "I mean, I assumed, because of the letter. But I can ask officially, if you want..?"

Lance is still relearning the English language.

"Be my boyfriend?" Keith asks.

Lance nods mutely.

"Cool. I'll be ready with Red in less than a minute," Keith says, jogging out of the Blue Lion.

Lance decides the Galra do not have a chance.