"Alright, so we've got time before Sendak counterattacks. Get some rest, everyone. We're going to need it."
Keith didn't think he was the best public speaker. He was fine with singing with an acoustic guitar as accompaniment to a small audience. But speaking to his teammates didn't count. He was used to it, and getting better at it. They respected him as a leader now, after they chased him away the first time. And he was confident that he'd given them the confidence to push on. And now that he was done talking, their planning session, which had simply been a glorified pep rally, as Hunk and Lance put it. It didn't matter, because that's what they needed. Even if they were still exhausted from the long journey back to earth. Exhausted himself, Keith sat down and buried his face in his hands.
A lot was happening. So much had happened in such a short time, and a lot more was bound to happen. They would need to stop Haggar, too. It was almost laughable that they would have time for distractions.
And yet, Keith's eyes continually drifted to Allura during the speech. No one noticed because his glances lasted less than a tick, but the glances were notable to Allura. Of course, she was watching him as an active member of the audience. Watching him was basically a requirement. But none of the other Paladins were aware of why Keith's eyes kept drifting to Allura, and why Allura's stare wasn't just that of a captive audience member.
While the Paladins had travelled together most of the time, every now and then they were able to get some time alone. No one bothered to notice the princess and Keith sometimes ducking out into hallways or separate rooms. These rendezvous often happened when everyone was asleep, and only lasted a couple dobashes or more. Then, they would slip back in, unnoticed and the whole cycle would continue. Quick glances, little finger twining, and held stares never drew anyone's attention. But anyone who noticed would conclude that something was going on between the two.
Allura stood up and walked out of the room. Keith looked up, saw Allura leave, stood up and followed her into the hallway. Nobody noticed. When she took his hand, he let her lead him away. The question of where she was taking him that was on the tip of his tongue faded. He realized he didn't want to know right now, because it would spoil the surprise. However, the sight of her long hair, which had finally been let down after so long, fluttering as she ran made his heart flutter as well. She was an awe-inspiring sight to say the least.
"Keith! Come on!" she enthusiastically called.
It occurred to him that she wasn't trying to show him anything, but she wanted to see something instead. What it was, he didn't know, but he vaguely recalled Pidge and Lance discussing sunsets—ah.
She wanted to see the sunset.
To him, the sight of the sun shining in her face was dimmer that her face itself; it was pure sunshine. She looked at him, absolutely beaming, pointing out the sunset and turned back. His heart melted. With a tug, she pulled him to the balcony railing. An awestruck gasp and sigh escaped her throat. It soon became apparent that she underestimated how bright the sun was, though, and she turned away, shutting her eyes.
Indeed, she did underestimate how bright the sun was. Her eyes hurt just from glancing directly at it for a tick. She kept her eyes closed, and then felt a gentle hand against her shoulder. She looked up, seeing Keith smiling at her. It was a soft, gentle smile, but she swore that it was brighter than what she'd just seen, but she could stare at it for a long time.
As tempting as it was for them to ignore the feelings they had for each other and focus solely on the mission, they were glad they were together now. As messy and chaotic as war could get, little things like watching a sunset and necessary diversions like taking five dobashes to kiss and comfort each other made it all worthwhile. Most importantly, they found that it didn't detract from the bonds they'd already made with the other Paladins. In fact, it just made them stronger than ever before. So they enjoyed these small moments and necessary distractions.
"I've wanted to see an earth sunset for so long," she said, leaning against the railing.
He put his right arm around her waist and brought her against him. She snuggled up against him, laying her head against his shoulder. They stayed that way for several minutes, watching earth's sun set over the Grand Canyon until it dipped below the horizon, leaving an orange glow against the purple backdrop.
When she caught a glimpse of his scar, she reached her hand up to touch it. It had started getting a little angrier and redder as of late, but it wasn't infected. She'd originally offered to heal it completely, but he declined, telling her that he was going to use it as a reminder of why he fought with Voltron. She did, however, reach up to stroke it.
He winced and hissed as soon as he touched the scar. She jerked her hand back, hesitated and touched it again. His visible pain momentarily lingered, but his face relaxed. Then he opened his eyes. She could see the deep trust he had for her in his eyes, all feelings that she returned to him. Smiling, she took her hand off his cheek and wrapped both her arms around his neck, allowing him to pull her against him, and envelope her in a tight, snug embrace.
Keith was a little relieved at her act, but not because he didn't want her touching the scar. He actually appreciated it. Looking at the softness in her eyes, and her reactions to his wincing—it felt like a bee sting at times—he could see how much it hurt her to see him hurting like that. But the scar had to remain, albeit get treated if it ever went bad. But the feeling of her overall softness against his person eased his thoughts and emotions, and he remembered how relieved he was to see her—just not in the midst of confronting Lotor. He probably missed her the most after Shiro, a feeling his mother suggested was the classic phrase "absence makes the heart grow fonder".
Keith's self-imposed debt to Shiro had been paid, and he'd felt the weight lifted off his shoulders, knowing that his mentor was going to be okay. It's why he was now able to begin something new, and deeper with Allura. It was reinforced when he sensed her mood changing, making him hug her tighter. She shuddered against him, stiffened, and then relaxed again. She must've been thinking of Lotor and what he did to her.
"Allura," he said softly, "It's okay. I'm here."
At first, he wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing, confessing her feelings for him so soon after learning about the truth of Lotor's plans. But he changed his mind when she told him that she already had feelings for him that were rekindled after he returned.
In turn, she remembered that moment she realized she had feelings for him. It was his act of letting her see him in a vulnerable state, begging his mentor to return to the living, that made her realize how much he trusted her.
"Thank you for being there with me," she said softly. "I never thought how beautiful the sunset could be on earth."
"A billion sunsets just happen every day," Keith said, echoing Pidge's summation, "But I'm happy to see you so thrilled."
"Thank you," she said.
"And… they're not as beautiful as you."
Allura blushed, burying her face in Keith's chest, giggling like a schoolgirl. Keith himself blushed, wondering how the hell he came up with such a sappy line.
Then he briefly thought about Sendak's inevitable counterattack, and his mood changed. He tensed up, but only for a second. Allura seemed to sense his sudden change in mood, and her expression darkened, as well. Was it right to have this respite to themselves while Sendak and Haggar were preparing to counterattack? Allura backed away from Keith but remained in his arms. They shared a concerned look. Then, Keith gave her a reassuring smile, making her smile back. They'd come to a silent agreement; Defending the universe took priority, but that didn't mean that they couldn't have moments like this. In fact, it just made such moments all the more special.
"Keith," she whispered, "I don't want to die before telling you this, but… I love you."
"I love you, too," he answered.
He held her closely against him, content to hold her like this. But he didn't see that she was still a little troubled. But once he felt her take a deep breath and sigh, he loosened his grip around her. She gently slid her arms around his neck and brought his head closer to hers until they touched. Then, she spoke again. "I want to show you some things," he said, "My old shack, my dad's grave—"
"Keith, there's… something more I want to do," she said. "I-i-it's really…" Her eyes darted about her sockets. Keith's heart began to race. What was she trying to say? She tightened her hug until her lips were less than an inch from his left ear. Her next works were spoken so softly that he almost didn't hear them. Well he did, and it had a profound effect on him.
"I want to make love. With you."
Keith blushed a deep red and held her tighter. Her breathless grunt made him ease up. But he backed away and looked into her eyes, seeing that she was still smiling.
She was doing her best to keep a brave face, despite her racing heartbeat. Because Alteans didn't have very many children thanks to long lifespans, sex had taken on a different, far more powerfully romantic connotation. While she knew that sex and love also came hand in hand on earth, she also saw that one could have sex without love. But she knew that she loved Keith enough to make such a bold request, and even though it was harder for her to say, she knew that he was just as nervous about it as she was. She watched him swallow, hard, and gather himself up. Then he pressed his forehead against hers.
"Okay," he said. "I know where my shack is. It's still up. We can do it there." He first kissed her forehead, then gently kissed her lips. Kissing back, Allura upped the ante, making her desire all the more obvious. This passionate kiss lasted for a few minutes before they ended it. Then Keith put his arm around her and led her to the Black Lion.
A few minutes later, the Black Lion took off on its short trip to the small shack Keith had lived in for a year. It didn't return until the next morning. None of the other Paladins were able to figure out why Keith and Allura were suddenly so close. Lance was suspicious, despite knowing full well that he never had a shot with Allura. Hunk tried to make an explanation that didn't make sense and Pidge scoffed at all of them. The only ones who seemed to figure out that something different was going on were Coran, Krolia and Shiro. And all three agreed not to say anything about the lovey-dovey Paladins.
It was a necessary distraction.