Her Surrogate Family

While Hunk and Lance played a game of how long they could hold their breath while standing on one leg, Pidge was enveloped in translating a script of Galra text that could help her find her father and brother.

"How long do you think they're gonna go at it?" Keith asked Shiro with a chuckle, it was rare to see him laugh like this so it was a welcome change.

Shiro shrugged his shoulders, "Knowing them? Hours."

"Why're they holding their breath anyways?" Coran asked curiously. He looked at the two Paladins with practically red faces with concern.

Pidge glanced up from her screen and gave Coran a smile, "Don't worry they won't die, they're just playing a game of chicken."

"What's chicken?" The advisor asked with intrigue now, looking at his friends with his normal smile on his face.

Keith rubbed the back of his head, "A chicken is an animal found on Earth. Usually on farms and they're delicious to eat too. Chicken the game is where two people face off in a challenge until one of them backs off."

Hunk was waving his arms now and making funny faces to get Lance to break his concentration, but Lance was dead set on beating Hunk. He had to in order to regain his title as the Paladin with the longest breath.

Allura walked into the room and saw her Paladins with red faces, "Are they alright?"

"Don't worry about them Princess, if they were in any danger of dying we would've punched their stomachs to make them stop minutes ago." Keith said as Allura walked up and sat next to Pidge.

The Princess eyed the Green Paladin's screen with interest, "How's the progress on that Galra text Pidge?"

"It's going alright and it's making me regret starting it in the first place." Pidge sighed with aggravation, "There has been little to no process on this thing! It's like it's a completely different language all together."

Shiro walked up and gave Pidge a one armed hug, "I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough."

"Shiro's right. You need to lighten up and relax while you can." Coran agreed as he kept a eye on Pidge's stop watch that she gave him to time Hunk and Lance's contest.

Pidge shrugged her shoulders, "It's kinda hard for me to do that. Considering the situation we're in and how long we've been in Space. Practically fighting the Galra empire every day."

"We all get where you're coming from Pidge." Keith exclaimed as he knelt down to her level, "But you're making us more concerned about your health. You look a lot paler and you haven't been eating as much have you."

Pidge looked away from his intense stare. It was hard looking Keith straight in the eye, considering how assertive he was. She didn't know how everyone else could look at him so easily.

"We're not telling you to stop translating Galra texts every time we find them on our missions. In fact, we're happy that you're able to give us that information every time we're able to get it. But your health comes first Pidge." Shiro said as he gently raised her chin to look him in the eyes.

Shiro's eyes were warm and welcoming, like her father's and it made her feel safe. He had been there for her since the beginning and their relationship has only gotten stronger with time. Shiro was also the first one to realize her real identity: Katie Holt.

"I think Hunk is starting to break!" Coran exclaimed as he saw the big Paladin twist and turn to try to keep himself from expelling his breath. Lance on the other hand was gaining a big grin on his face.

The redder his face got, the more determined Lance was to win and by this point he looked like a tomato.

"BWAAAA" Hunk gasped as he opened his mouth and breathed heavily. The Yellow Paladin huffed and puffed to regain the breath that he lost in those minutes gone by and as he looked up: Lance was gazing down at him with a triumphant smile.

Coran had stopped the watch Pidge had given him, "According to your Earth time measurements, Lance was able to hold his breath for a consecutive nine minutes nonstop."

"And how long did I hold my breath?" Hunk asked with a flat tone of defeat.

Coran closed his eyes and did the math work in his head, "I believe you held your breath for about eight minutes and fifty two seconds."

"Good enough for me." Hunk replied, stretching his arms and cracking his neck.

Lance spun on his heel and walked up to Pidge with a smile, "I think you and I should have a breath holding competition Pidge. What do you say?"

"I think I rather like breathing normally Lance, you breathe like a fish in water." Pidge replied with a subtle eye roll.

Everyone laughed while Lance shrugged his shoulders, that just meant to him that he was the champion. Which of course made him very happy.

"But seriously Pidge, you should listen to Keith. For once mullet-boy has a point." Lance exclaimed while stretching his arms. Catching everyone else off guard, especially Keith.

Keith raised his eyebrow, "I think you lost a few more brain cells during your competition Lance if you're saying that."

"Ha ha, very funny. Did you think about that all day school dropout?" Lance retorted, sticking out his tongue at the Red Paladin.

Pidge looked at Lance with surprise, "I didn't think your brain had the multitasking capabilities to make you listen while holding your breath."

"OK, any more insults you guys want to throw at me? Because apparently it's the Lance roasting show." The Blue Paladin exclaimed as he raised opened his arms as if to say "FIGHT ME".

Allura chuckled, "Now now everyone, that's enough teasing for the moment. Lance is trying to convey his feelings towards Pidge and we should let him finish."

"Thank you Princess." Lance replied, giving their motherly leader a wink. "As I was saying Pidge, you should listen to Keith and start taking care of your health. We need you at full strength in order to fight Zarkon and his armies."

Pidge looked at everyone with wide eyes, she never really had a lot of friends that cared about her this much and it made her feel all warm inside like she never felt before.

"Pidge, you're the smartest girl I know and I think you could teach everyone back at the Garrison a thing or two when it comes to science and exploring. But you need to take a step back every once in a while and recharge." Hunk said, picking Pidge up like a doll and giving her a big hug.

Pidge wriggled but replied to his advance with her own hug. "Thanks Hunk".

"If you don't listen, I'll ground you." Shiro teased as he gave Pidge a head rub with his robotic hand.

Everyone laughed and Pidge felt whole. She felt like she had a family again and that was a feeling that nobody could replace. Not even Zarkon could take away this happy moment.