Author's Note: This is the first writing I've ever shared on any sort of online platform, so I hope you like it!
Everyone was sitting in the lounge when Keith walked in. No one flinched at the sound of the door opening, as they were all invested in their conversation. Lance and Pidge were introducing the Alteans to the 'Earth custom' of rock, paper, scissors while Shiro and Hunk watched a timer, holding back laughter. Lance and Pidge were throwing tie after tie after tie, and the unbroken streak was definitely impressive. Hunk was whispering to Shiro, the faint words barely making it to Keith. "They've officially broken their record from back at the Garrison... now!"
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything…" Keith said, smiling. Both players snapped out of their concentration, Pidge throwing a rock to Lance's paper. He threw up his arms with a cry of triumph while Hunk stopped the clock.
"Damn it, Keith, you messed me up!" Pidge whined, glaring over her shoulder before turning back to Lance. A split second later, her eyes widened and snapped back to the former paladin. "Keith!" she cried happily, leaping to her feet, rushing over, and wrapping Keith in a breath-stealing hug. The others all stood and approached with greetings and warm welcomes.
"Welcome back, Mullet." Lance.
"It is good to see you again." Allura.
"Agreed." Coran.
"It's been too long." Hunk.
"We missed you." Shiro.
"It's nice to see you all, too," he wheezed, "but I'd like to breathe again Pidge…"
"Sorry…" She unraveled her arms and stepped back a little with a sheepish grin.
"So, Keith. What brings you back?" Allura asked.
"Well, the Blade doesn't have that much to do after Zarkon's death, so Kolivan gave me some time off. I figured I'd visit."
"In any case, It's great to have you back." The rest of the team nodded, moving back to their seats around the lounge. Keith joined them.
"So, what has Voltron been up to?"
"Nothing much, like you," Hunk answered. "These two just broke their record for the longest rock, paper, scissors match.
"We broke it? Yes!" Lance yelled, giving Pidge a high five. Everyone laughed. Realization lit up Lance's face. "Oh, there's something I want to show you!" he shouted, leaping up and seizing Keith's hand. Lance dragged Keith through the hallways to the Red Lion's hangar. The Lion itself was just as Keith remembered, but shinier.
"You polished her?" he asked, smirking.
"Tada!" came the reply. "It only took a few weeks!"
"Only a few weeks."
"But she looks amazing!"
Keith chuckled. "Okay, I'll give you that one." The two lapsed into silence.
"Isn't it amazing? How much we've done together, I mean."
"Freeing so many planets, saving countless lives, taking down an empire that has ruled for ten thousand years. It is pretty incredible." Keith didn't miss the sad smile that crossed Lance's face. He'd never been good with touchy-feely stuff, but seeing Lance, the bubbly, happy jokester that could always raise their spirits with a frown on his usually cheerful face, it… it hurt. Without thinking, he placed a comforting hand on the red paladin's shoulder. "What's wrong?"
"Huh?" It was a simple, straightforward question, cutting right to the point and bringing everything out into the open. "Oh… Nothing's wrong. I'm fine." Keith knew that tone, the facade of calm hiding the turmoil underneath. Presenting the illusion of strength to deter the worry of others. He had used it himself many times.
"You and I both know that isn't true. What's really going on?" Lance took in a deep breath, then let out a shuddering sigh.
"I just… I miss them so much…" A tear slipped from his sapphire eye. "Mamá, Marco, Luis, Veronica, grandma…" Another shuddering breath. "They think I'm dead. The Garrison probably announced our deaths, just like Shiro and the others on the Kerberos mission. What if…" His voice caught, breaking with the words. "What if I never see them again?" He turned his eyes to Keith, streams of silver tears running down his tan cheeks. Keith's breath caught in his throat. He never thought Lance could hide something so deep. He truly cared for his family back on Earth. Keith silently vowed to make sure the Cuban family saw their son again, no matter what it took.
"You're homesick," was all he said. Lance turned his gaze back to the floor. "I know Hunk is, too. So is Pidge. And Matt, and Allura, and Coran, and Shiro." Apparently, that caught Lance by surprise. With a gentle hand, he took Lance's chin and lifted it so Lance would meet his gaze. "Everyone misses Earth. Even me." Swiping his thumb, he brushed away the tears on Lance's cheek as it quickly turned bright red. Lance opened his mouth as if to speak, but Keith cut him off with a finger and a shake of his head. "We're going on a field trip." He grabbed Lance's hand and pulled him toward the Red Lion. He practically threw Lance into the pilot's seat and entered some coordinates.
"What are you-" Lance tried.
"Shut up and trust me," Keith replied with a small smile. An image of a planet appeared on the dashboard. "Go here." Lance shrugged, confused, then grabbed the controls and took off. The trip only took a few minutes, and they arrived at the blue-green planet in no time.
During his time with the Blade of Marmora, he'd visited many planets, most unremarkable and completely forgettable. This world, however, he held onto. This one was different. Familiar. Perfect for a moment like this.
The Red Lion passed through the cloud cover to find an expansive meadow of teal-colored grass. The metal paws gently touched down, and the boys inside stepped into the fresh air. The scent of nearby trees drifted into their noses. Lance teared up, remembering the woods behind his house. Keith glanced up at the sky.
"Why did you bring me here?" he asked, louder. "What makes this place so special?" Keith was about to answer when the sky growled. Grinning, he just pointed upward. Lance turned his face to the sky. The clouds rumbled again as the sky cracked, letting little droplets fall. One drop landed on Lance's forehead, and he watched in astonishment as more rain fell onto his cheeks.
With a laugh and a cheer, he ran through the rain. For a moment, if only a moment, everything else vanished. For a second, he wasn't a galactic hero. He didn't have to be a paladin with the universe on his shoulders. For now, he was just a kid again, splashing and playing in the rain. For that little while, it was just him and the rain…
And Keith. Lance turned back to find him smiling, standing there and watching him run around like a child as the rain soaked his clothes. Lance ran to him, enveloping him in a hug. A sopping, tearful, heartfelt hug in the pouring rain.
"How did you know?" he whispered.
"Coran," Keith replied, laughing softly.
"Figures. Did he tell everyone?"
"Oh, yeah. Pretty much immediately." They were quiet for a minute, both refusing to let the other go. Lance asked his third question so quietly that the rain drowned it. "Hmm?"
"Why? Why do this for me?" Keith took his hands from Lance's back and cupped his face with them. His violet eyes sparkled in the rain.
"Because you were sad. I could tell you were homesick, and I know you loved the rain. That… and I care. I really, deeply care about you." A jagged bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by an echoing thunderclap. Rain continued to pour. "I care about you more than I care about most things. Little things you do drive me crazy, and… and sometimes I can't get you out of my head, and..." Keith didn't know why, but pent-up words that had been lodged in his chest were all breaking free, spilling from his lips as his cheeks grew redder and redder. Lance just stared in wonder watching all of the confessions tumble out, each coming faster than the last. The sweet words, however, turned sour. "And you probably hate me, and you deserve someone better because you're amazing and confident and beautiful, and I'm not even totally human! And… and…" He couldn't stop himself, because once a dam is broken, the water won't stop rushing out until the reservoir is empty. "And I'm just a nobody when you have a family who loves you, and-"
Lance, unwilling to listen to any more, seized Keith's traitorous lips with his own. He was startled by the suddenness of it, and it was over as quickly as it had started. "At least that shut you up," Lance joked, laughing. Keith could only squeak in surprise while casting his gaze to the ground. "All of that junk you said wasn't true. You're not a nobody and I don't deserve better than you. But most of all, I don't hate you. I could never hate you. I like you too much." Keith's face turned as red as the Lion behind them. He looked back to Lance's face, seeing his gorgeous blue eyes filled with honesty, caring, and admiration.
"Lance? For a while…" He stumbled over his words, unable to finish a sentence. "I… I think… I think I…" He sighed, defeated.
"I love you, too." Lance grabbed his hand, intertwining their fingers. Keith buried his face in Lance's chest to hide his growing blush. He could feel the heat of his own face, as well as the warmth beneath Lance's wet clothes.
"Good," Keith said, his voice muffled by Lance's shirt. "Because, if you didn't, I'd have to kill you." Lance laughed, his shoulders shaking a little bit.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say." The two quieted for a while, listening to the rain as it pounded against the ground and the Red Lion behind them.
"One more thing…" Keith pulled his head away, looking up at Lance with his violet eyes.
"Hmm?"
"Do you think we should get out of this rain? I don't want to find out what being sick is like in space." Lance laughed, then pulled Keith back to the Red Lion. On the ride back, they chatted like nothing had happened. They entered the castle, just like normal, and Allura was the first to notice their dripping clothes.
"Oh, my! What happened?" she exclaimed. "Your clothes are soaked through!"
"Oh, nothing happened," they replied in unison, each hiding a knowing grin.