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Shiro
Being so far from Earth for so long was exhausting. He had to keep his spirits up, lest the others notice, but he missed home. Earth. Adam. He missed being able to wake up and the only problem of his day would be if he got a promotion, or what to have for breakfast.
It was easier being with the team, they made it worth it. Together, so far from all they knew, he watched a group of teenagers become adults. He watched celebrations, mourned losses, and laughed with them.
Shiro’s respect for the team only grew. He was glad not to pilot anymore, watching Keith bloom in all the best ways. He grew into his own skin, taking charge of Voltron like he was born for it. They all flourished with Keith, all became the paladins they could be.
One thing that was irking Shiro was Lance and Keith’s relationship. The two of them had been together now for years, couldn’t they work out how to get along? Red and Black, the leaders of Voltron, always arguing. It was insane. Shiro wanted to lock them in separate rooms sometimes when the fighting got so bad.
This was one of those instances.
Keith had chosen a movie for them all to watch, uncommon in and of itself, he wasn’t the one to pick. He preferred to hang back. Shiro was pleased to see him take initiative amongst the more social aspects of the team.
“We’ve already seen it,” Lance said, getting in Keith’s personal space. A flicker of something passed through his eyes, but it was gone before Shiro could analyse the sharpshooter.
“And you liked it, so what? We can’t watch a film more then once?” Keith’s voice was just as fierce, as strong. He met Lance blow for blow, as normal.
“There’s literally so many to try.”
“By all means, pick one, because your last choice was so good.”
Lance scowled, glaring venom at the black paladin. “It was fine.”
“You fell asleep! At least my film has adventure, or do you not enjoy that?”
Shiro saw both Hunk and Pidge decide this was one of those nights where no movie would be watched. They left. Shiro shook his head, deciding to follow suit. These two would be at it for hours.
He found himself pulling Allura from the room, instead telling her to call it a night. Coran, who’d entered once the others left, merely smiled as he watched the two bicker. He turned too, leaving for the night.
Shiro opened the door several hours later. They hadn’t gone to bed yet, and he needed to check on Keith. He walked into the quiet room, white noise from the television.
Shiro smiled. Keith’s movie had won.
Instead of watching, Lance and Keith were both sleeping soundly on the couch, at peace and comfortable. Limbs wrapped around each other, completely relaxed. Shiro smiled as he pulled the blanket over them.
At least they could get along in sleep.
The next morning, Shiro saw a bleary-eyed Lance drag in a yawning Keith.
“Sleep well?” Shiro asked, stopping the boys with a knowing smirk.
“Ah, yeah, sorry about that.” Keith said. “Thanks for the blanket.”
Lance dropped into his usual seat beside Keith, passing him a display of breakfasts. This was normal for them. They were the perfect team when they weren’t bickering like children.
“Did you get pictures?” Pidge asked, grinning. “Proof or it didn’t happen.”
Shiro shook his head and she frowned. “Sorry, next time.”
“Let’s hope there isn’t a next time, that couch isn’t comfortable,” Lance said. He yawned, stretching his back.
“Wuss,” Keith said.
Shiro groaned, bringing his drink to his lip. There they go again. Five minutes, was that too much to ask?
Hunk
“If you two aren’t going to be nice, can you go somewhere else?”
Lance looked utterly betrayed. He put a hand to his heart and gave Keith the most wounded expression. Hunk turned to put the batter in the oven, shaking his head.
“Sorry,” Keith said, meaning it. “I’m going to go train, I’ll see you later.”
Lance hummed, brushing Keith’s shoulder as they passed. Hunk watched, expecting their fearless leader to snap. He hated physical contact. But Keith did nothing, he just left the room, leaving Lance with a soft smile.
Hunk shook his head, moving to the bench for the next batch. Something wasn’t working here. The flavours were almost right, but the texture was all wrong. He’d already done three batches.
“I didn’t mean to offend him,” Hunk said finally. “I just, you two are so loud, and I’m trying to concentrate.”
“Nah,” Lance flashed a winning smile. “He was itching to train, I don’t think he slept very well last night.”
The battle had been hard on all of them, but Hunk knew how much Keith tended to blame their failures on himself. He didn’t want to share his burdens with the others, and that often led to issues.
“What are you making?” Lance asked, dipping his finger to the batter.
Hunk waved his hand away. “Trying to make cookies, you’re not helping.”
Lance shrugged. “Tastes good.”
“Until they’re cooked,” Hunk said, looking at the miserable collection of failures.
Lance didn’t seem bothered. “You should ask Keith for help, he’s seriously a good cook. Baker, I guess.” The off handed way he said it made Hunk do a double take.
“He is?” Hunk asked, tilting his head. “He never joins me in the kitchen.”
Lance nodded. “Nah, he knows it’s how you destress. He doesn’t want to take that from you.”
Hunk was so confused. He hadn’t thought Keith paid that much attention, to be honest. If he wasn’t training, he was strategizing with Allura and Lance, or bickering with him. Actually, he spent a lot of time with Lance.
“How’s he, anyway?”
Lance’s cheeks coloured with a predictable red, Hunk grinning over the batter. “Well, I think.”
Hunk grinned. “Could have fooled me.”
Lance frowned, looking more wounded than Hunk would’ve thought. “Oh, has he said something?”
Hunk tilted his head, confused by the way Lance was wringing his hands together. How awkward he became. Far as Hunk was concerned, the two were teammates. Lance had always had a soft spot for Keith though, he’d always spoken so highly of him. Hunk knew, despite whatever Lance would argue against, his little crush on him was not so little.
“No, he hasn’t,” Hunk finally said. “Should he have?”
“No,” Lance said, too quickly. “Hope not, anyway. He’s awesome. Did you know he blew up a microwave once?”
Hunk would believe that. “What was he doing?”
“He wanted to make a microwave muffin, but he put the metal mixing bowl in.”
Hunk laughed. “That would do it, yeah.” He paused, wondering how Lance had come to learn this story. The two only ever seemed to bicker, from what he saw. Bickered and trained. They did train an awful lot together, it’s what made them such a good team.
“I’m glad you two worked things out.”
Lance was practically glowing. “Me, too.”
The next morning, Hunk found a batch of perfect cookies waiting on the kitchen bench. Attached was the recipe in the messiest scrawl he’d ever seen. Hunk ate two cookies before he tried to figure out who’d written the note.
Shiro was with both Allura and Coran, who’d all had a cookie. They weren’t the cooks. Pidge grabbed a cookie, but she wasn’t their creator. She stuck to non-edible projects.
He moved to the training room to find Keith and Lance. They’d put the simulator up to a higher level then Hunk had been on, and they were flawless. It was like watching a dance. Lance had improved so much with his sword and gun, where Keith was able to better predict Lance’s movements and defend him.
They were seamless, barely out of breath as they finished and noticed Hunk. Lance’s eyes lit up at the sight of the cookies. He bounded over and stuffed one in his mouth, pocketing another.
Keith stood back, a small smile on his face. Hunk offered the cookie.
“He doesn’t like them,” Lance said, mouth full. “I’ll take his.”
“Save some for the others,” Hunk said, removing the tray from his reach.
“These are so good,” Lance said, finishing his first cookie. He spat crumbs everywhere and Keith glared at him. Predictable.
“I didn’t make them,” Hunk said.
Lance looked to Keith, a soft fondness spreading over his features. “You lied to me.”
Hunk, sensing an impending argument despite the soft tone, hurried to cut in, “I just wanted to know who made them.”
“I did,” Keith said, and Hunk almost feinted.
“Sneaky little liar,” Lance said.
“You wanted to sleep in,” Keith shrugged.
Hunk looked down at the cookies. Keith had done this? Keith? Black paladin, lived in a shack, that Keith? They were incredible. And now he had the recipe, he could recreate them.
“If you ever want to cook with me, I’d love that,” Hunk said.
Keith looked – delighted. Warmed. Hunk realised he’d never really spent time with Keith one on one, not like he did with Lance or Pidge. He would fix that.
“Leave the tray!” Lance called as Hunk turned to leave, taking the tray with him.
Pidge
“Have you seen Lance?” Keith’s voice startled her. She was midway through a new project, one she was very excited about. Green was going to be super charged.
“It’s quiet in here, so, no.”
Keith dropped onto the chair beside her, disappointment radiating from him. Pidge sighed, putting her tools down. So much for quiet.
“What?”
“I think he’s avoiding me,” Keith said.
Pidge would regret asking. The strained relationship between Voltron’s leader and right hand were none of her concern. They got along well enough in a fight. “Why?”
Keith looked at her project, silent a moment. She liked Keith’s company, he was useful, a second body who said nothing. She could work without worrying he was watching. Lance talked the whole time, and he was clueless. At least Keith didn’t pretend to know what she was doing.
“I think I did something on Altair, and he’s avoiding me.” Keith looked at his lap, looking totally lost. It was so unusual, Pidge didn’t recognise the expression at all.
She’d seen Keith on Altair, the planet they’d visited most recently, part of the coalition. The team had gone down to the markets and Pidge had found new tech parts for her current project.
Pidge vaguely recalled seeing Keith talking to an alien who was very fond of him. A little closer than Keith would normally stand. Lance had been behind Keith, and now that she thought about it, the red paladin had seemed concerned.
“He was probably jealous,” she said.
Keith’s eyes widened. “Really? I thought…”
Pidge saw the raw concern on his face. “Yeah, well. That’s Lance.”
“He should be secure, he’s – I need to find him.”
She rolled her eyes, gesturing to her work. “I haven’t seen him.”
Keith looked dejected. “Neither has Hunk, and I thought he’d be tinkering. He likes to create when he’s like this.”
“The only thing he creates is a mess.”
“Yeah,” Keith agreed with a fond smile on his lips. “I’ll go, thanks, Pidge.”
A small cube sat perfectly on her desk. She prodded it, and a kaleidoscope display of Earth’s constellations lit up the room. She found a note, a thank you.
She knew the handwriting, Lance was the only one in their whole class who’d taken the time to hand write his notes. She’d seen his handwriting so many times, the scrawl was perfectly identifiable. What’s more, it was perfectly legible.
He likes to tinker, Keith had said. Had he created this box? What else was he capable of?
She moved through the castle until she found the kitchens. She paused, seeing Keith making some form of bread, kneading on the bench. Lance was talking animatedly from a stool, a fond smile on Keith’s lips as he listened.
They both looked up at her arrival.
“Sorry about yesterday,” Keith said. “For interrupting.”
Pidge shook her head. “Glad to see you found him.” She pulled out the cube, putting it on the table and activating it. Keith’s kneading paused, looking around in wonder.
“Before you say anything,” Pidge saw Lance put his hands up, then saw Keith’s deadpan stare. “I did sleep."
"When did you make this?” Pidge asked, wanting to demand answers.
“I wanted to thank you,” Lance said. “Keith’s oblivious sometimes, but he knows what to say when he knows. And I made it this morning. Couldn’t sleep.”
She winced. They were all familiar with sleepless nights.
“Can you make other things?” Lance shrugged. “I mean, yeah. But I don’t want to upset your system, or your space.” That would explain why Lance wasn’t ever working beside her in the lab. He was the most anxious of all of them, really. The most self-conscious.
“You have my permission,” She said, rolling her eyes.
“Thanks, Pidge.” He grinned, practically glowing and Pidge couldn’t feel any regret. Lance was her family, on this ship and even after that. She needed to spend more time with Lance.
“What are you making?” she asked.
Keith opened his mouth, but Lance, of course, beat him to it. “Hunk wanted Keith to figure out sour dough, and I’m keeping him distracted.”
“Successfully,” Keith agreed.
Pidge looked from the dough to Keith. “Huh.”
Keith baked. Lance tinkered. What else were these two hiding?
She needed to pay them more attention.
Allura
She liked the paladins. They were good company, dedicated and they’d come together so well. She missed her home, but she had them now. She looked forwards to spending time with the team during down time. They were her friends, and whilst they could never replace what she’d lost, they were here and she was thrilled.
At the start, she’d thought she couldn’t possible warm up to Lance. He’d constantly been flirting with her. Argued with Keith. Never taken anything seriously. But, something had changed.
She liked Lance the most.
He was always doing girl nights with her, making her laugh. He wasn’t slacking, he was lightening the mood. He was what kept the team together.
Lance lay on the couch, Allura on the floor. They were having a chat, as they often did. Lance was a great listener. She would talk about the friends she’d had on Altea, the life she’d lived.
Once, Lance had created an object that had displayed an image of a park she’d mentioned. It was so different to the holo room. She’d known then that anyone who had the boy’s heart better deserve it. He was far too pure for this universe.
She also knew the person who held it, treasured it. She’d seen the way Keith looked at Lance. She’d seen the smiles he reserved just for him.
“Hunk mentioned the other day he didn’t think it was working out.”
Allura frowned, turning her head to Lance. “He said what?”
He closed his eyes and Allura’s heart clenched. “Yeah, I mean. I know we bicker a lot, but.”
“But that’s how you two are. Honestly, it’s when you’re not arguing that I worry.”
“We don’t argue that much, do we?”
Allura put a hand on Lance’s shoulder. “You do. Constantly. Shiro asked me if I thought it was a problem.”
“Oh.”
“It’s not a problem, that’s who you are.”
“I think he’s a bit concerned, actually. Keith, I mean. He takes these things to heart.”
“And you don’t?”
He paused. “I mean, I guess I do. I love him, ‘Lura.”
“I know, it’s gross,” but she was grinning, and that made him relax.
He laughed, shoving at her shoulder with his long arm. “When we find you a girlfriend, that will change. Trust.”
“Good luck with that.”
“I’m Loverboy, remember?”
She grinned.
They were in the lounge when Allura entered, exhausted. Lance was on Keith’s lap, playing with his hair as a film played. He looked up, startled by her appearance. He patted the space beside them without any hesitation, easily beckoning her forth.
“Long night?” Lance asked, because he always seemed to know. He was too observant for his own good at times.
“What are you two still doing up?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” Keith said. “Lance wouldn’t let me train.”
“Because you’d never get tired that way, it elevates your heartrate and makes your adrenaline spike so you can’t sleep.”
Keith rolled his eyes fondly, then turned to Allura. “Want to talk?”
“Not really,” she said, and she knew they wouldn’t push it.
“I just asked Keith before, if he could have a different eye colour, what would he choose?”
Allura smiled, relaxing onto the couch. She was so grateful to Lance, so grateful he had Keith, who knew exactly what he had. Lance’s heart was a valuable thing.
She remembered the day she’d told him she preferred females, and he’d told her he liked Keith. Since then, their friendship had been perfect. Lance had such a good heart. Keith needed to watch his back, he needed to keep this one close.
“I’ve started mission: get Allura a date.”
She groaned and Keith laughed.
“Run, Allura, this is your chance.”
“Too late.”
Coran
“I think I want to ask him.”
Coran watched Lance, who was busy cleaning one of the pods. He was scrubbing like his life depended on it. Coran had seen this before, back when Lance was working up the courage to tell Keith he liked him.
“He loves you.”
“I know,” and Coran’s heart about burst. At long last, after all this time, the boy was finally trusting that he was valuable. It was a beautiful thing to watch.
“If you don’t, he’ll do it first.”
“Can’t have that,” Lance agreed.
Coran worked with a smile on his face. Lance was a great addition to his family. He would never replace his son, but he could be a second. Lance, who was so good, who gave so much and asked for so little. He was finally getting what he deserved in this life.
Keith had summoned the group together, calling the meeting. Coran had a good feeling he already knew what was about to happen, but no one else seemed to. Not even Lance, who was bursting into the room in a hurry.
“Is everything ok?” Shiro asked, looking at his brother with so much concern. Keith deserved to have that too, Lance was his match and Shiro kept him grounded when Lance couldn’t. not that Coran had yet to see that happen.
They took seats and Lance, Coran could see, looked nervous. Concerned. He was twitching, fingers aching to reach forwards.
But Keith only smiled. “I just had something I wanted to ask Lance, and I wanted to do so with everyone important here.”
Coran beamed, glancing to Allura, who’d immediately caught on.
Lance had too, jumping up. “No, no, no. dude, no. how come you get to win?”
Keith, fortunately, didn’t look bothered. He looked amused. He smiled, but couldn’t speak as both Hunk and Pidge told Lance to relax. Coran wasn’t surprised by Lance’s outburst, and he knew Keith had to have been expecting it.
“Can’t you let Keith speak?” Shiro asked.
Lance did look offended then, and Coran frowned. He watched the paladin shrink back to his seat. This was supposed to be a happy moment, the happiest even.
“You won the last one,” Keith said, ignoring his brother. Coran let the relief into his being. This hadn’t been derailed.
“Fine, whatever, go on, then,” Lance said, but he was grinning madly. He looked like he’d won the lottery.
Coran knew it was Keith who felt that, because there was no one in the universe like Lance. No one who could match Keith’s energy, keep him focussed, help him, no one like Lance. These two belonged together. And Keith made Lance better too, made him calm, focussed, peaceful.
“I had a speech prepared.”
“No, you didn’t,” Lance said.
Keith shot him a glare. “Fine, I didn’t. damn it, Lance, shut up and marry me, will you?”
Lance grinned, popping up from the couch. He was practically glowing. “You are the worst, mullet. Of course I’ll marry you.” He sealed it with a firm kiss that made Coran look away.
“What the hell?”
A chorus rose from behind a startled Lance.
“Since when were you dating?” Pidge demanded.
Coran looked to Allura, a knowing smile on his lips.
Keith
The room was so full of bright colours, bright lights and bright people. Everywhere he looked, overwhelming colour. He stuck to the edges of the room with Shiro, watching the others.
Lance had found the food with Hunk, laughing at something he’d said. Pidge and Allura were talking to a group of aliens, and it was all a bit much. Keith was glad to see his team enjoying themselves though.
Someone approached Lance, someone tall and handsome. He glided to where the red paladin stood, Hunk having moved elsewhere.
Keith watched the alien talk to Lance, a small smile on his own face.
“Not jealous?” Shiro asked, also spotting the scene.
Keith shook his head, feeling only overwhelming love in his chest as he watched his fiancé. “Nope. Well, I feel a bit sorry for that guy, Lance is amazing.” And he was all his.
Shiro smiled, clapping a hand to his shoulder. “I’m proud of you, Keith. And so glad you two have each other.”
“Even if we argue a lot?”
“Even then.”
Lance’s eyes found Keith in the bright room and he excused himself. He wrapped an arm around Lance’s waist, pulling him in close. The alien watched, hope vanishing from his eyes.
“Have you met Keith, the black paladin?”
The alien looked uncomfortable, seeing how clearly Lance was claimed. Keith grinned. Yeah, this beautiful human was all his.
Lance
“Don’t you ever leave again,” a bone crushing hug encompassed him and he smiled, giving all he could. His mama pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes.
“I can’t promise that, mama. There’s a lot of work still to do.”
“Are you lonely up there?”
Lance’s heart soared, looking behind him. His husband stood with his own mother, waiting for Lance to introduce them. He looked awkward, and Lance just loved him so damn much.
“I’m never lonely, mama. Now, before you get mad, we can have another ceremony, I already spoke to Keith about that.”
“Ceremony? Married?”
He smiled despite how irked she clearly was. Yeah, married. And he would marry Keith on every planet they landed on because he was the luckiest man alive to have Keith as his own. Keith McClain, the black paladin and Lance’s husband. His past self would never believe he’d get this lucky, but there he was.
Married to his best friend. Paladin on a team of incredible people who all valued him, who were all so important. Maybe he did bicker with Keith too much, but he was married to a baker, and he could fix anything. They’d be alright.