Written in response to the Hunk's Corner (thenewhrh dot weebly dotcom) drabble challenge "home"
takes place immediately before the events in 'Home is Where...'
"...one last run, but everything looks clear." Keith's voice floated through castle control.
"Very good, Captain. We'll see you when you return home," Coran responded. Keith's face faded from the view screen as the connection was severed.
Coran pressed a series of buttons on the console before settling back in his seat and watching various scenes of Arus cycle across the monitor.
"I thought I heard Keith's voice," Allura said, disappointment coloring her tone as she entered the room and found Coran alone.
"You did. The captain just called in his final patrol report. He should be back shortly. I can reestablish the connection to the Black Lion if you wish to speak with him before he returns."
"No, that's alright, Coran. It's nothing important." She turned, quietly leaving the advisor to his scans.
"Lance, his patrol ended almost an hour ago. You don't think something happened to him do you?" Allura asked the Red Lion pilot, her eyes huge and damp.
"I'm sure he's fine, Princess. His last check in was an all-clear, wasn't it? If something big enough to cause him trouble had popped up since then, we'd know about it," he assured her softly, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "Why are you so worried anyway?"
"It's... it's just not like him, or any of you, not to come right back after a patrol. That's all," she pointed out, her words coming in a rush as she refused to meet Lance's eyes with her own.
"Really? Because we've all gotten sidetracked after a patrol at some point or another and I don't remember you turning the castle upside down over it before. As a matter of fact, I seem to recall spending a couple of hours... Well, what I was doing isn't important. But I remember coming back more than two hours after my patrol ended and you hadn't even realized I was gone in the first place," he teased, amusement sparkling in his eyes. "Y'know," he continued, enjoying her discomfiture, "come to think of it, I'm pretty sure the only one you keep track of is Keith." He took a step back, cocking his head to one side, narrowing his eyes, and studying her. When he spoke again, his tone was serious, all hints of teasing gone. "Have you told him how you feel about him?"
"I don't kno-"
"Don't say you don't know what I'm talking about, Princess," he interrupted gently. "I can see it in your eyes. The question is, does he know?"
She shook her head slowly, her gaze riveted to the floor beneath her feet. "No, I haven't said anything to him," she whispered breathily. "Besides, he doesn't feel the same way about me."
Allura fled the room before he could react. "Just how blind can the two of them be?" Lance muttered quietly through a sigh. "Looks like I have work to do," he said as he made his way to castle control to begin his hunt for Keith.