(8137 words)

Keith stepped into Blue's hanger reluctantly, scratching his arm in discomfort. He already started to regret coming here in the first place, feeling Blue's mechanical eyes on him. He approached the magical lion, swaying back and forth on his feet when nerves started to hit him.

But why is he nervous? He came here for a reason and planned everything out on the walk over here. He had a purpose that he quested himself. So why is he sweating and already planning a way out?

It's just a lion, it can't stop him from running away without saying a word. It can't chase after him like the guy does in the movies to get back his girl. But there is something that is stopping him from leaving. The gaze of the lion shooting through him like a lazar.

"Hi," he managed to get out awkwardly, looking anywhere but the lion.

Why is he doing this? This was all a mistake. Nothing can help him with his trouble. It's only a lion, not even his own, which means he'll get no response. The blue lion can't just open his mighty jaw and reassure Keith of his problems like a human being could. Maybe he can talk to Allura, or Shiro, maybe Hunk could help.

"This might sound weird, but can you help me?"

He waited for a moment, then realized that the lion can't respond.

"I'm going to take the silence as a yes."

When he was about to begin, everything he planned to say was vanished from his memory. Why was he doing this anyway? It's not his problem that Lance is acting strange these pass couple weeks. It's probably just the pressure of having to save the universe. He'll eventually let it pass and things will be normal again.

Yeah, that's it. Lance will figure things on his own, if not, then he's sure Hunk could help, or anyone for that matter. Anyone but him. Lance would never listen to him, that's why he came to Lance's lion instead. Well, that and he doesn't think he could handle having a conversation with Lance about feelings and such. One reason for that is because; Keith is terrible at commuting feelings and; Keith always loses his temper around him.

The only problem is that it has been four weeks of Lance's far off gazes and slips every time he has to do combat. Days pass and he gets worse as times goes by. His flirting exchanges with alien women has only happened maybe three or so times in those four weeks, but they all seemed forced. He also second guesses himself which got him almost killed several times. It's best that Keith takes care of it before Voltron can't be formed because of Lance's own conflict.

"I'm a bit...concerned about Lance. I know, I was surprised too," he said, trying to lighten the mood for himself.

He looked up to the unchangeable expression on the blue lion's face. Reassurance guided him, giving Keith a little more hope that he could actually do this.

"I don't know if you noticed or not, being Lance's lion and all, but he hasn't been acting...focused," he said, having trouble to find the right words. "It's like his mind is clouded with thoughts. Not like the thoughts he had before and most likely still has," he said, referring to the time he asked Keith if clapping is just hitting yourself because you like something.

"When did it even start in the first place?" he asked himself out loud.

If he thought hard enough, it was maybe a day or two after a big mission to fight the Galra. Lance and Keith were sent to collect data on an alien equivalent of a USB drive, while the others were on their own mission in the ship. Keith was collecting the data since he can use his Galra heritage in advantage. Lance was guarding the door, making sure Galra or druids don't spot them.

Before Keith could process what was going on, he heard many shouts and gun shots. Lance was knocked down by the time Keith turned around, already had put away the data filled USB. A big sword gash was made on Lance's stomach, blood slowly seeping through the black fabric.

Keith forgot almost everything that happened after that. What he does remember is disarming the two Galra soldiers, only to get shot in his left shoulder. Only an inch away from his heart. He woke up from a healing pod the next day.

Maybe that day scared him. Sure, the gash wasn't as big as we both though it was, meaning he didn't have to go in a healing pod for more than a day, unlike Keith. But it's always about the 'What if's'. Maybe he is beating himself about not giving the Galra a good fight before they slashed at him.

"But...I don't know. It could be insecure thoughts? But why would he be insecure?" he asked himself, not able to find a reasonable answer. "Didn't he mention homesickness? That can be a reason why. But he has always been like that. Sure it might have intensified, but not enough to make him distracted in battles. Right?"

He has so many conflicting emotions about this. Lance is a totally different person than Keith, so how could he compare his own emotions to Lance's? There has to be an underlying layer of Lance that he has never encountered before. The only real way to know what that layer or layers are is to ask Lance himself. But that's not why he came here for. His task was to warn Blue and hope that they can help Lance about it. He's not doing this to understand every crease and angle of Lance's feelings and emotions.

"Lance...he's just so hard to understand. I mean, one moment we are bonding and the next, he's accusing me of stealing you away from him. He tries too hard to keep our rivalry up, a rivalry that I never wanted in the first place. I don't even understand why he started it in the first place. He acts like I'm stealing everything away from him," Keith sighs in anguish.

He realizes that he went off track, steering away from what he was most concerned about. Not that he was still very confused about Lance's reactions resulting Keith. He has to keep head on straight, get to the point, and then he could finally leave.

"Um, I came here to tell you this, so you could maybe talk to him, or whatever, so he could go back to normal. Not about the rivalry. I can live without knowing the reason behind that. Wait, I told you everything already, right?," quiznack, Keith is a mess, forgetting all of his words. He started fidgeting with his gloves, nerves springing back up to the surface.

"Listen, Lance isn't acting like he normally is. Everything about him now seems so...uh, off. He can't focus in the team building exercises, fighting the Galra, and not even on when we practice flying. His mind becomes scattered like a...a, um, spider-web!" this was insane. What was he doing here?

He looked back up to the lion's eyes, and he could of sworn he saw movement from them.

"He's always been this cocky, egotistical person, trying to get attention from anyone who would listen. Even back at the Garrison, he would waltz into class late and think that it was okay since he was so- and I quote- 'talented'. When I saved Shiro, suddenly Lance, Pidge, and Hunk showed up, and Lance made it seem it was my fault that he became a fighter pilot, since I dropped out. Sure, yeah, it was partly my fault, but he made it seemed like being a fighter class pilot is a bad thing. He makes not sense!"

He was pacing now, racking his memory about other times Lance acted like he wasn't human. Not like he was one to talk. But still!

"And he flirts with every female alien that he thinks is worth his attention. Can't he just focus on the mission instead of throwing himself after these women!? I had to tie him from a tree once! The same day, he let you get taken away by the same girl!" Keith was steaming.

He wasn't sure why he mentioned Lance's flirting. Sure, he was always annoyed about it, since Lance won't focus on the mission. But he stopped now, so why continue complaining about it now?

"He has everything he could ever want; a family, close friends, he made it into the Garrison, a very hard place to get into, everyone he meets suddenly adores him because he's such a people pleaser, and he is in fracking space right now on a major adventure; and he's not too bad to look at," wait...what did he just say? "I- uh- I mean" Keith panicked, trying to make up an excuse. JK, LOL I can't believe you felt for it! When he couldn't think of anything, he simply growled. "Let us not speak of what I just said," he warned bluntly.

He imagined Blue nodding in agreement.

"Moving on, his life is almost about perfect, so why is he so...depressed? I need to know," he panicked at his other slip up. Geez, a guy can't catch a break, "I mean uh- you need to know. I don't care about that stuff," he laughed nervously.

He needs to rap this up before he says anything else he will regret. Keith realized just how fast his heart had sped up from the time he first walked into the hanger until now. He needs to leave. Right now. He began to wall backward, the door only a few feet away. Just a few more steps.

"Any who, I gotta go," he laughed like a robot, spaces in between each false laugh. "Make sure to ask Lance what's wrong, 'cause...um...yeah. See ya later, Blue!"

And he was gone, swiftly closing the hanger door behind him with a touch of a button, and heading toward the training deck to let off some steam.

What he didn't notice on his big escape, that Blue's mouth had opened, revealing a shocked Lance gaping at his wake.

=+=

The next day at breakfast, Lance was quiet the whole time, more quiet then before Keith talked to Blue. This made Keith disappointed, knowing that Blue hadn't talked to Lance yet. Hopefully, it'll be soon. Keith kept risking glances toward Lance, who had sat next to him. He didn't notice that Lance was doing the same.

"Lance?!"

The boy in question jumped in his chair, resulting in a high-pitched squeak.

"What's wrong with you?" Pidge asked with a raised eyebrow.

"W-what's wrong?" Lance repeated, body tense, "Nothing's wrong,"

Pidge leaned over the table on their elbow from across him, a frown on Pidge's face.

"You're a terrible liar," they said bluntly, "You haven't said one thing all morning. You didn't even laugh when Hunk spit out his food when he found one of the mice in his bowl of food goo,"

"Such a waste of perfectly good food," Hunk whispered, gaze on nothing particular.

"Oh," Lance said as he noticed that everyone else now had a sort of frown on their face. "Uh, sorry 'bout that. M'just tired,"

"That's alright Lance," Shiro reassured him, "You can relax for a bit before you have to do your daily training."

"Thanks Shiro, but I'm alright. I just gotta go to sleep early tonight. Besides, I gotta get ready to pulverize Pidge in a duel." Old Lance came back, a smirk plastered on his face, and all tension disappeared.

"Pulverize? With your lanky legs? No way," Pidge bated.

"Um, excuse! You're the one who's smaller than me," Lance threw his arms in the air in exaggeration.

Pidge smirked. "Exactly."

=+=

Keith couldn't believe his eyes.

Here was Lance dueling Pidge with such ease that he could be compared to butter that knew martial arts. He walked in on them fighting hand to weapon combat, Lance's bayard swept away on the other side of the room. They were throwing in some punches and blocking each other swiftly. For a few seconds, Keith was sure that Pidge would win. They had Lance in a headlock, bayard at his thoat.

Before Keith-and apparently Pidge- knew it, Lance held onto their wrist, turning around, kicking Pidge's back knees, making her fall. Falling with her, he quickly straddled her lower back, taking her free wrist and pulling it behind her back to meet her other wrist that he was still holding.

Pidge was struggling, trying to twist their way out of his hold, desperately kicking, but missing Lance every time. With an anguished grunt, they finally had stopped, giving up after a solid three minutes of resistance.

It took him nothing to defeat Pidge. Something that Keith hasn't seen him do in four weeks. How has it changed so much now? Had Blue talked to him between the time after breakfast and training? Could he start acting normal that fast after so long of being a mess.

"Ha!" Lance cheered in victorious, still not letting them go, "Who has lanky legs now?" he said slyly.

"Still you, Lance,"Pidge said, making Lance huff, "Now get off of me,"

"Not until you say that my legs aren't lanky," Lane declared with amusement, which earned a grumble from the green paladin.

"You're insufferable," Pidge sneered.

"I think you mean; lovable," Lance winked even though Pidge couldn't see it.

"Ha! You wish,"

"Pidge! The faster you agree that I do not have lanky legs, the faster you get out of my loving hold,"

"How is this anywhere near loving?" they turned their head as much as possible, trying to show how unimpressed they were.

"Do you want to leave or not?" he asked, nudging her in the side with his knee.

Pidge sighed. "Fine. But only if you don't brag to everyone that you've beaten me,"

"Ah, so you admitted that part,"

"Lance," Pidge warned.

"Fine, but I can at least brag about it to Hunk,"

"Sure, but only for a day,"

"A day and I can brag about it all I want to everyone in 10 years after the war and we are all old and stuff,"

"Deal,"

"Deal,"

"Lance," Pidge began in a jokingly serious tone, "I was wrong, you do not have lanky legs,"

"Thank you, Pidge," he smiled, a look of satisfaction on his face as he stood up and off of Pidge.

Pidge dusted their clothing with a few swipes of their hands.

"I'm done. I've had enough of this," they said, walking toward the door where Keith was now leaning next to.

"Aw, little Pidge is being salty about losing three times in a row?" Lance prided.

"Lance, I'm always salty. Right, Keith?"

Keith flinched at being spotted, (even though he's standing right next to the door where Pidge is headed) Keith mentally slapped himself.

"U-uh yeah, always," Keith agreed, "Saltier than a salt mine,"

Pidge gave Keith a high-five as she left.

Keith turned to look at Lance who has now getting his bayard back.

"Wanna do some sparring?" Keith suggested, not thinking Lance would agree.

"Hand to hand or bayards?" Lance responded.

"Um, both?"

Lance raised an eyebrow.

Keith unlatched his bayard from it's spot on his belt, then taking the belt off entirely and carefully dropped it at he door.

"You'll know when to switch," he said, walking to the middle of the training deck.

"Looking forward to it," Lance smirked.

Lance attacked first.

They went through several minutes shooting and swinging at each other. At some points, they were able to lock the other in a position, only to have it taken away from them with a swift movement.

Lance wasn't doing so well for someone who won three times over Pidge. Sure, Keith trained a lot more than both of them, especially Pidge, but Lance was being sloppy whenever they got close to each other. Keith knew that Lance was better a long distance, but he still was too sloppy and predictable to say that it wasn't his forte and let it pass.

Lance was way better when he was training with Pidge. So what had changed?

They were on opposite sides of the room when Keith decided it was time.

"Switch!" he then redrew his bayard and tossed it to the corner.

Lance blinked and he quickly understood what Keith meant. His gun turned into it's original form and he tossed it into a corner.

Keith attacked first.

Lance was even worse than before, always hesitating before throwing a punch or kicking a leg. It was like he was treating Keith like broken glass. Keith hated it.

When Keith had enough, he copied Lance's move that he used on Pidge. Now straddling Lance's back and holding his wrists like handcuffs.

"What's up with you lately?" Keith questioned, throwing 'I'm terrible at commuting feelings' out the window.

"Well, I'm not having too much fun in this position right now," Lance said.

"I'm not talking about right now. I'm talking about these last four weeks," Keith urged.

Keith could feel Lance tense beneath him.

"There is nothing to tell," Lance replied smoothly.

"Lance, please. You haven't been acting like yourself lately. What's wrong," he said the last part a little to angrily, making Lance to flinch.

"Fine, but you have to get off of me," Lance sighed.

Keith complied and they both sat cross-legged parallel from each other. Lance kept his gaze on his sleeve, which he fiddle with. They were sitting in silence for a few minutes, before Keith couldn't wait any longer.

"Is it because of our last mission inside the Galra ships?" he suggested.

Lance glanced up at Keith. "Partly,"

Partly. Wasn't the answer he was hoping for, but it was enough for now.

"And why did that day...make you become distant?" he insisted.

There was a moment of silence.

"You know what," Lance started, beginning to get up, "I just remembered I have a thing to do."

Before he could get a chance to start walking, Keith grabbed at his ankle. When Lance looked down at him in shock, Keith gave him his signature death stare.

"Lance. Sit down." he demanded.

Lance crossed his arms. "I'm not some kind of puppy. You can't order me what to do."

Keith sighed, hating that he is so bad at comforting people.

"Lance, I've been really worried about you. Please. Tell me what's wrong," Keith pleaded, trying to put as much emotion he can into his expression.

"You're worried about me?" Lance asked in almost disbelief.

Keith nodded and Lance sat back down.

"So, let's try this again," Keith started, "Does that night in the Galra ship have anything to do with your behavior for the past four weeks?"

There was a moment of silence before Lance sighed.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," he whispered to himself.

"Believe me, I'm not too happy about this either," Keith grumbled.

"Then why are you asking?" Lance inquired.

Keith looked away, but smirked.

"Can't have you messing up forming Voltron with your emoness," he replied simply.

Lance scoffed. "Me? Emo? Says you,"

"What can I say? The student became the teacher," he waved is hand dramatically and added a small bow to finish it off.

Lance started laughing, clutching his stomach as he leaned forward, his blue eyes squinting. His nose scrunched up and you can clearly see his dimples when his smile reached his ears. Keith found these attributes endearing, mentally taking a picture so he won't forget it.

Even though it was a hearty laughing spree, it didn't last long. Soon, Lance ended with a sigh of content, leaning back on both hands.

"Sorry, it wasn't even that funny, but," he chuckled a little more, "You don't make jokes often, so it's surprising,"

Keith frowned. Did he not think his jokes are funny? Does he think their stupid? He should just stop if this makes Lance mock him.

Lance, noticing Keith's conflicted frown backtracked. Waving his arms around wildly.

"Not that they are bad. In fact, you are quite good for someone who doesn't joke around often." then Lance smiled, "We should have a joke contest!" he gasped.

"A what?" Keith said, suddenly realizing there were going off track.

"A joke contest!" Lance repeated, "When we aren't doing paladin stuff, we can go in pairs and do a contest on which group has the better jokes!" Lance was practically beaming at his sudden 'brilliant' idea.

"That's the stupidest idea I've ever heard," Keith said bluntly.

"That's where you are wrong Keithy boy," he poked Keith's chest with a finger, "You and I will be a team, since we even out each other's humour. Pidge and Hunk with be a team since they have the same dry humour. Then Shiro and Allura will be together since they have their parent jokes. Then Coran and the mice with be the judges, since Coran has terrible jokes, and I have proof of that," Lance shivered at the memories of Coran attempting joked, but grinned soon afterwards, pleased with himself.

"Wow, you have it all planned out for yourself, huh?" Keith shook his head in awe at how extravagant Lance's imagination can be.

"Wrote it in a mental notebook and even took pictures," Lance confirmed.

"Took pictures? You know what? I don't wanna know," Keith said, giving up completely, "Can we continue our earliest conversation, please?"

Lance tilted his head. "Depends. Will you help me convince the others to do 'The Joke-a-thon' and be partners with me?"

Keith rolled his eyes. "Joke-a-thon. Really? How original can you get?" he said sarcastically.

"Do you want me to speak or not, Keith!" Lance rumbled.

"Actually, that doesn't sound too bad," Keith amused.

"Keith!" lance whined.

Keith chuckled. "Fine. I agree to help and be your partner,"

"Pinky swear?" Lance held out his pinky finger, which reminded Keith of English people holding their tea cups.

Keith rolled his eyes once again, but regardless, he held up his pinky finger, intertwining it with Lance's. In the two seconds their fingers were touching, Keith noted how soft and warm Lance's skin was. The touch sent a shiver down his spine like lightning. After they parted, Keith immediately crossed his arms over his chest, like armor.

"So," Lance started, now very nervous, fiddling with his fingers.

Keith had realized over the months that Lance is a very antsy person, constantly moving any part of his body that he can. It intensifies when Lance is nervous or scared. He just has to be moving 24/7 or else who know what'll happen? Keith realized that he didn't want to know.

"I guess I've been a little...paranoid since our last big fight with Zarkon in his ship. The Galra, they just...," he paused, closing into himself like a little kid who tripped over his own feet and now had a small scrape on his knee. "They came out of no where and before I knew it, I was hit in the head with a blaster and cut by a dagger," he watched his own fiddling fingers.

"I should've been able to hear them approach, but my mind started to wonder off someplace else," he shook his head in dismay.

"Because of me and my stupid ADHD, you were shot. Not even shot in the leg, but in...in the shoulder. The stupid left one at that!" Lance was shaking. Something that Keith had never seen before. Lance was truly suffering about the past, the same past the Keith doesn't think twice about.

"Hey, hey," Keith whispered, trying (Key word "trying") to calm Lance down. He reached for the boy's shoulders, rubbing up and down his arms soothingly. "Calm down. I'm fine. You're fine. It wasn't your fault. The Galra made that happen, not you. Don't blame yourself for something that doesn't matter anymore," quiznack, Keith is bad at this.

"Breathe," Keith tempted. "Inhale through your nose for four seconds," Lance followed, "Hold for seven," Lance shut his eyes, "Out for eight seconds through your mouth," Keith had Lance do this two more times, the last one Keith did it himself as well.

After a few seconds of silence, Keith spoke.

"Better?" he asked, letting go of Lance's shoulders.

Lance nodded, opening his eyes. "How do you know that breathing thing?"

Keith nervously rubbed the back of his neck, tempted to ignore the question.

"Shiro taught me that for whenever I have anxiety attacks. I thought it was stupid at first, but it works," Keith simply shrugged, but inside he desperately needed a change of subject. When he looked to see Lance's expression, he was shocked to find it quite lacking accept for furrowed brows.

"Lance," Keith started, "Is that one thing the only reason you've been acting strange?"

Lance opened his mouth, then soon closed it. "No," he muttered quietly.

Keith waited for a response patiently, even though he wanted to sass Lance for not responding quick.

'Patience yields focus.' he reminded himself in his head over and over like a mantra.

"Seeing you in that healing pod scared me," Lance finally started and sighed, "To be honest. I didn't think you would make it," he started laughing. A maniacal laugh that someone does when trapping themselves in unwanted emotions. "It made me think of the possibilities that you don't make it. What would your family do when or if we tell them. Them I remembered you are an orphan. And that bugged me?"

Keith blinked helplessly. "You're driving yourself crazy because I'm an orphan? Something I've come to terms to years ago?"

"Yes! You are so okay with not having any family and it makes me insane. I just don't get it," he said the last part in a whispered, pure confusion on his face.

Keith shook his head with slight amused laughter. Seeing this, Lance tilted his head with even more confusion, sitting up straight.

"There's not much to it," Keith said, smiling, "Nothing to analyze and solve. I can tell you now that, yes, it was a tough journey to accept that I had no mom to pack me lunches for school. I lost my dad who taught me how to restore a motorbike at the age of nine. No siblings, grandparents, notta. It was the hardest quiznacking thing I've ever experienced," Keith smiled even more, which left Lance to stare at him wide eyed.

"I gotta say that Voltron is a saint. Without Voltron I wouldn't be here with you, and the rest of team Voltron. And guess what?" he asked, leaning forward with a smirk when Lance flinched. "I made friends. Friends who over time became family. So you are wrong. Yes, I do have family. Not just two of 'em, but fracking seven, including Kaltenecker,"

Lance snorted, a smile grazed on his face.

"Kaltenecker is pretty awesome," Lance agreed.

"I honestly think he's my favourite,"

Lance shoved Keith's shoulder, but held no anger to it. they both laughed a bit, happy that the mood became light again.

"Aren't you lactose intolerant?" Lance asked.

"First of all," Keith poked Lance's chest, "Kaltenecker is a male. Male's don't produce milk, Lance. And second, I would never let my disorder ruin the undying love Kaltenecker and I have for each other,"

By this point Lance was rolling on the floor with laughter, and Keith couldn't help but do the same. Lance's laugh his so affectious , causing a chain of laughter to anyone who is around him. What can Keith say? Lance is a people person. Keith has always appreciated him for that, he's even a bit jealous of Lance when he can easily talk to a stranger and claim that they are both friends within' a second of conversation.

The laughter eventually died down and before they stay off track, again, he opened his mouth.

"But seriously, why is it bothering for so long? Four weeks of distractions,"

Lance sat up, "If you really want to know, I've become a little...worried about for the first week after you came out of the pod, thinking one day you'll collapse or something," Keith tilted his head as he listened, "So I would become more focus on you not getting hurt again, then myself getting hurt,"

"But you only said it lasted a week?" Keith said as more of a question.

Lance started to fiddle with the hem of his shirt. A nervous tick.

"Um...well I started questioning things, and only recently did I realize something and...yeah," Lance said, avoiding Keith's gaze.

Keith blinked. "And what did you exactly realize?"

"Lance. You know you can trust me," Keith said despite not trusting himself with this feeling thing. But he's gone this far okay, so what'll change now?

"Really?" Lance asked in a uncertain high-pitched voice.

"Lance," Keith warned, "I'll back down on our promise. No joke-a-thon for you," Keith threatened.

Lance gasped dramatically. "You wouldn't!"

Keith smirked, knowing that he won. "You know I would,"

Another exaggerated sigh, body inflating completely.

"Not like this," Lance said.

"What do you mean? Lance, please," Keith pleaded not so nicely. This has gone on far too long and Keith has become annoyed.

Lance visibly cringed and stood up, out stretching a hand toward Keith, face filled with so many emotions that Keith couldn't read any of it. Keith stared up at Lance, the same Lance who he grew to worry heavily about the past four weeks. The same Lance that missed his family with all his heart, but powers through life with a positive attitude and an imaginative mind.

His blue eyes sparkled, contrasting brightly on his sun-kissed skin, and chocolate brown hair that stood up neatly in different directions. Keith looked back at the out-stretched hand, the same hand that he interlocked pinky fingers with.

He took Lance's hand.

Wordlessly, Lance led Keith out of the training deck hand and hand. Keith wasn't too sure where he was leading him, but he was too busy watching Lance lead ahead of him, determination on his face with a small smile.

Before he knew it, they were walking into the kitchen. But why would Lance bring him here? This makes no sense.

"I'm hungry. You?" Lance asked, heading for the plates.

Keith realized that it was lunch time, upon remembering that, he could feel his stomach grumble.

"Uh, yeah," Lance handed him a plate with a smile and walked to the dispensers. Keith followed him.

They both filled up there plates and headed to the dining hall. Luckily, no one was there, due to them both being late because of their talk. They both sat in their regular spots, sitting right next to each other. There was only a few minutes of silence as they were eating, before Lance decided to start up a conversation.

"What's your favourite colour?" Lance randomly asked. "What I am I even saying? It's red, obviously," Lance smacked his own head like he was stupid for just asking.

"And yours is blue," Keith asked.

Lance nodded. "Yup. What is your...favourite food?"

Keith raised an eyebrow and looked at his goo filled spoon. "Not space goo, that's for sure. But I do like Korean barbeque. It was my dad's specialty,"

When Keith looked up to Lance, he was giving him a strange look that Keith couldn't pin-point a name for.

"Your dad?" Lance asked, hesitating. "You don't talk about him much,"

Keith shrugged. "There isn't much to talk about. I forgot a lot of things about my dad since I was so young when he passed away,"

It was true, he lost his father at ten years old and he can't remember much. Only distant memories that stayed with him over time. Keith learned how to deal with not knowing much, sticking to any piece of memory before he could forget.

"I bet your dad was really cool and nice. Especially since he fell in love with an alien. He must of been very open minded," Lance casually said.

"Yeah," Keith agreed, smiling, "he was,"

"My papa could be easily a child dressed as a middle aged man. One time he jumped off the roof of the house and into the pool, just to win the Who Can Make The Biggest Splash Contest."

Lance continued his story abut how his papa broke his leg, and when he finished, he would begin a new story about when he used to live in Cuba, before the Garrison. Keith always knew Lance was Latino, but didn't know he was born outside of U.S.A.. Knowing this, it made Lance even more interesting, especially as he began saying words in Spanish and easily translating it for Keith.

Keith would sometimes contribute his own stories about his own dad or embarrassing stories about Shiro when they were still at the Garrison.

"I swear, he was coughing out glitter for two months!" Keith exclaimed, enjoying watching Lance choke on his second plate of food goo.

They were probably there telling stories for an hour. Laughing at each other's silly stories like they weren't in the middle of a intergalactic war in the moment.

"Then Sofia ate the bottom of the muffin first, knowing that it is clearly a fact that you have to eat the top half first!" Lance yelled with disappointment.

Keith crossed his arms. "But that is how you eat a muffin. Sofia is right. You are the one at the wrong, Lance,"

Lance gasped dramatically. "Keith! I thought we were buddies. How dare you eat the bottom half first. Great, now you are going to tell me that you pour the milk before the cereal," Lance grumbled sarcastically.

Keith stared. He couldn't believe this was happening. "Of course I pour the milk before the cereal. It's common sense,"

Lance stared at him dumbly. "You what?! Why?!"

Keith rolled his eyes. "Duh, because you know how much milk you're putting in the bowl,"

Lance scoffed. "But if you pour the milk last like a normal human being, the milk will be evenly displayed of the top, so you wouldn't have to stir the cereal which makes it crunsh into pieces,"

They glared at each other for who knows how long? No one blinking, so they wouldn't lose.

"Do you eat the cream half of the Oreo last?" Lance asked quickly.

"Who doesn't?" Keith replied smoothly. "Do you dip your chocolate chip cookies in milk?"

"All the time," Lance smirked. "Do you like pineapple on your pizza?"

"Honestly? Yeah, I do," Lance nodded in agreement. "Do you put anchovies on your pizza?"

"Ew, no," Lance sneered.

"Good,"

"Do you put a dash of milk in your omelette and scrambled eggs?"

"Can't. I'm lactose intolerant,"

"Really? Try coconut milk instead,"

"Huh, that actually sounds good,"

"Wait, then how do you eat pizza?"

"I ask for no cheese or I buy a special kind at the grocery store. The cheese is made of non-dairy products," Keith shrugged.

"Then what is the fake cheese made out of?"

"No clue, all I care about is that it tastes like cheese,"

Lance snorted. "Yeah, sure,"

"What are we even doing?" Keith chuckled, asking more of himself than Lance.

"Learning more about each other, that's what. And it was all apart of my plan," Lance smirked cheekily.

Keith quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "Plan?"

"Yeah, I have too make sure that my hunch was correct,"

"Lance, what?"

"How about we continue this and you'll eventually understand,"

Keith wanted to resist, making Lance tell him his plan right away, but he realized that Lance doesn't work this way. He'll just have to play along and eventually he'll get the truth.

"Would you rather be trapped in a room for twenty-four hours with all girls? or all guys?" Lance asked.

"What type of question is that?"

"Just answer it!"

Keith sighed. "Um...guys, because I am one,"

"Would you rather have that room be dark and gloomy or covered in rainbows?"

"...Rainbows, because I'm done with this stupid evil crap,"

"Are you gay?"

"What the quiznack!!" Keith yelled, very surprised at the sudden question, "Why do you want to know that?!"

"I don't 'want', I need," Lance insisted.

"Fine. Why do you need to know my sexuality?" Keith huffed.

"Like I said-this is all apart of my plan to understand things better,"

"And knowing if I'm gay or not will help with this?" Keith asked bluntly.

"I'm not hearing a no," Lance sang cheerfully.

Keith started stuttering, unable to wrap his head around all this.

"I-I...u-uh,"

"Keith, if you don't tell me, I wont tell you why I've been acting weird around you lately,"

Wait...did he just say 'around him'? Him?

Keith took in a deep breath, dizzy from knowing that he is about to tell Lance something very personal.

"Yes, I'm gay," he quickly shut his eyes, waiting for a gasp and name calling, but there was nothing. Nothing, until Lance released a high screech that sounded like...happiness? He opened one eye hesitating, both eye lid flying up when he saw the big smile on Lance's face.

"YES!" Lance cheered, pumping a fist in the air.

"W-what?" Keith whispered, very confused.

"Keith?!" The boy in question flinched, "Do you like me?"

His heart beat was starting to increase rapidly. Pink flushing his cheeks.

"A-as in what way," Keith hesitatingly asked.

"As in you like liking me, if you know what I mean," Lance winked, practically shaking in excitement.

Did he like Lance that way? Keith has always noticed how good looking Lance was. He appreciated how Lance can make any stall moment into a brighter one. Keith noticed his love for his family and friends. There have been countless times where Lance would meet a new alien and immediately call them a friend.

Despite being on Keith's nerves for a lot of the time, he has also become accustomed to Lance's tactics and competitions. Keith has even come to enjoy competing with Lance from who can change into armor the fastest to who can destroy the most Galra ships in a mission.

Their fights became less heated and now just amusing, able to relate each other's strengths and weaknesses. They are a great contrast, really, Lance would be on higher ground to shoot as back up, while Keith gets in close with the enemies.

They were a great team. And Keith slowly, but surely started to not like Lance less. Now, they could be considered as friends. In fact, Lance called Keith his friend once, in a mission to ally with another alien species. Keith was very content when he heard this, so why is he now not satisfied with the title?

With more thought, Keith realizes why. That doesn't make him want to concur with this realization. Now everything makes sense on why Keith has been so worried about Lance these past four weeks. Huh, what a strange plot twist.

"Yeah, I do like like you," Keith stated carefully, but with a small upward tilt of his lips.

Lance couldn't seem he could smile bigger, but he proved Keith wrong.

"One more question," Lance squeaked out.

Keith groaned. "Seriously?"

"This is good I promise,"

"It better be," Keith grumbled, just realizing that Lance didn't tell Keith that he liked him back.

"Can I kiss you?" Lance asked quickly, ocean eyes sparkling with hope.

"No,"

"WHAT?!"

Keith rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. "Look, I just realized that I have a crush on you aaand that you like me back, enough that you want to kiss me-which I'm surprised by- so give me a breather. I'm not used to this type of thing, we haven't even gone on a date,"

"This could've been one," Lance tried.

"That doesn't count, Lance. Give me time to adjust before we move too forward too quickly,"

"Are we at least boyfriends?" Lance asked with pleading, puppy eyes.

"Maybe after the first date," Keith grinned as Lance sighed angrily.

"Fine. You and me tomorrow night. I'll pick you up at your room. Make sure to dress nicely," Lance grinned confidently.

"Lance, these are the only clothes that we own," Keith said bluntly.

"Then I'll ask Coran if there are any left over fancy clothes that we can wear," Lance replied as he sat up and began to retreat to the door, empty bowl in hand.

"Where are you going?" Keith asked, standing up.

"To get us date clothes, duh," Lance replied like it was obvious.

"I figured that, but you still haven't told me why you've been acting up," Keith furrowed his brows.

Lance turned fully around and blinked at Keith with a frown.

"Oh, I thought it was obvious, but I guess I should've known better. I always have to be forward with you. You know how many times I flirted with you in these past four week? Well, too many to count," Lance smirked, chuckling.

Keith's face turned red. "You were flirting with me this hole time?" He asked, unable to believe how stupid he was.

"Yup," Lance said proudly, "Even Pidge noticed it. Too bad you weren't able too," Lance shook his head, but still had a smile on his face. "Hopefully, now you'll recognize my flirts with you,"

"So... why were you-?"

"Keith, you are a distraction," Lance bluntly said, "Every time you were around with those eyes of yours, I completely fall apart. Every hand placed on your hip; every sweat beading down your face; every sway of your annoying hair drives me crazy, so much that I don't pay attention to what's around me."

"At first I disinclined the thought of having a crush on you. I mean, you? Keith Kogane? My arch rival from the Garrison? The perfect pilot and perfect paladin who is way better than me and deserves better. I thought it'll soon go away, but three weeks later and I was given hope from you to take a risk today. Oh, by the way, I was in Blue when you were saying your speech and what not,"

Keith was shocked to the core, unable to properly think. His whole face was burning with fire, something that oddly enough was created by the paladin of ice and water.

"You think you don't deserve me? Me; the temperamental, half Galran, moody, mullet headed guy, is too good for you? Yeah, okay," He said sarcastically. "You are the most friendly, funniest, imaginative person I know, and I really like that about you and more,"

Lance was staring at him, mouth agape, but his mouth turned into a wide smile.

"I guess we'll have to debate about this further at the date. See you later, babe," Lance winked, then turned away and out the room, leaving a speechless Keith at his wake.

=+=

Lance rapidly blinked as the sun shone through the blinds, trying to adjust his vision with the new found brightness. He groaned, not happy that the sun ruined his dream about Beyoncé riding on a unicorn to take him on a date to McDonalds. He tried to remember more details about the dream, but the dream decided to play with Lance's emotions and disappear in mockery.

He could feel a weight on his bare chest and looked down to find a mop of raven hair. Keith was fast asleep, drooling on Lance's skin and had his arm wrapped around his waist like a life line. Lance ran his fingers through Keith soft, but tangled mess of hair for a while until he heard him groan and shift on top on him.

"Good morning, my beloved fiancée." Lance sang sweetly.

Keith groaned. "Are you gonna say that every morning?" asked in a raspy morning voice which Lance can't get enough of.

Lance kept running his fingers through his hair as Keith turns to face him. "Yup," he said cheerfully, "An when we officially get married, the only difference is that I'll call you my husband. Got a problem with that?" Lance queered.

Keith pierced his lips together, and after a moment of silence, quietly, he said, "No."

"Then why do you ask?" Lance pushed away Keith's bangs to see his eyes more clearly.

"No reason," He murmured, hiding his face into Lance's chest.

Lance chuckled, rubbing his hand up and down Keith's spine.

"Let's go make some breakfast, hm? Pancakes or waffles?"

Keith lifted his head to face him with a straight face. "French toast, duh."

Before Lance could try to get up, a notification popped up on his phone with a bing. He took his phone and opened the notification. It was a reminder that past him made ten years ago. Lance gasped.

"What is it?" Keith asked, sitting up.

"The moment I've been waiting for in a long time." Lance smirked as if he was villain in a Disney film.

Keith quirked an eye bow in half confusion and half worry. "Whatever you say, Maleficent."

=+=

Right after breakfast, they got ready and drove to Shiro's house which was only a fifteen minute drive from their apartment. The post paladins all agreed to live close to each other once they got back on Earth. Hunk lives in an apartment building right next to them, only because there was only one flat open in each building, so better a minute away than ten. Pidge and Matt live together three minutes away from Shrio in an apartment building. It all surprisingly turned out well in the end.

Lance knocked to the wooden door to Shiro's house, stepping back to stand next to Keith. They could hear talking on the other side of the door and footsteps approaching. Eventually, the door opened to reveal Matt.

"Welcome to the Nightmare House Trade Mark!"

"Do you really have to say that every time you open the door?" Shiro asked from behind him.

"I believe that it is my duty to inform people of the dangers of entering this chaotic house," Matt told him.

"It is pretty scary." Keith agreed, which earned a glare from Shiro and a smirk from Matt.

When they walked in, it was truly a mess of people running all over the place. When Lance meant people, he meant Pidge. And Rover 2.0. Shiro got a dalmation a few years ago -- says that their hair match -- and Pidge named him after their Galra robot friend back in space. Shrio reluctantly agreed, but only if Pidge stopped calling him dad. After a week of freedom, the promise was soon broken unsurprisingly after Shiro made a dad joke.

Now Pidge was chasing Rover 2.0 in the open spaced living room, who seemed to have some sort of equipment in his mouth. After a good three minutes of Pidge chasing the dog and Lance rooting for him, Pidge was able to snatch the machine thingy out of Rover 2.0's mouth. Lance whined, really hoping that Rover 2.0 would drop it into a toilet, which earned a sneer from Pidge.

"Great, you're here." They said sarcastically.

Lance scoffed. "Already starting off grumpy? Well isn't the rest of the day going to be fun,"

Pidge crossed their arms. "What'd you mean, McClain?"

Before Lance could answer, a tray stacked with oatmeal cookies was shoved in his face.

"Cookie?" Hunk asked sweetly.

Lance smiled at Hunk and grabbed a cookie, than he hesitated and took one more just in case.

"Thanks buddy."

"No problem," he said as Keith a Pidge took their own helpings as well.

Shrio and Matt joined them from the kitchen and sat on one of the two couches. Everyone else followed suit instead of Lance who continued to stand.

"Ten years ago," Lance announced, "Pidge and I were dueling in the training deck. And I won three out of three fair and square,"

The audience all looked at each other, sharing amused glances.

"Having them locked on the ground, we made a deal that if I got off of them, I would having bragging rights only for that day to Hunk and in ten years, I can brag about my victory for the rest of my life."

Pidge groaned. "You seriously remember that?"

Lance faced her with a serious expression on his face, eye brows furrowed.

"I never forget about these things, Pidgeon."

"I hate you."

"Love you too," he winked and sat next to Keith, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "So this is how I defeated Pidge three times in a row..."

"Laaaaaaaance!!" Pidge screamed.

An hour and a half later, Lance finished boasting and they all settled into teams to start a game of Joke-a-thon. Keith with Lance, Pidge with Shiro, and Hunk with Matt.

Keith and Lance won.

=--=

This was supposed to be only about 2k words....quiznack.

I'd like to think that Keith would be a bit uncomfortable with the whole relationship thing at first, so he would want t take things slow. That's why ten years later after their confessions, they still aren't officially married. And Lance being the supportive boyfriend/fiancé is okay with that. And I couldn't help myself with the ending. I made Lance and Pidge make a deal, so I provided.

Hope you enjoyed :)

~VertigoReader101