Written for the holiday drabble challenge on Hunk's Corner (thenewhrh dot weebly dotcom) using the prompts "starlight", "sleigh", and "Coran got run over by a reindeer".
On a clear, cool night beneath a cloudless sky, Keith sat back, turned to view his companion's profile. Smiling shyly, he admired how lovely she looked in the starlight. When she shifted, sensing his gaze upon her, his eyes dropped to his hands resting on the lap blanket they shared.
"Everything alright, Keith?" Allura asked quietly. "You don't seem yourself tonight."
"Hmmm? Oh, I'm fine, Princess. Are you enjoying the sleigh ride so far?"
"Yes, very much. You said you often did this back on Earth?"
"Not me personally, but yes, it's a popular cold weather activity," he responded, avoiding her eyes. Looking up to the starry sky, he took in the constellations that now seemed almost as familiar to him as those he grew up with.
"You miss Earth, don't you?" she asked gently, following his gaze, looking for whatever drew his attention.
He turned back to her, a wry smile curving his lips. Catching her eyes for a moment, he sought something within her bright blue gaze. Shaking his head slowly, he looked away again, leaving her straining to hear his words when he finally spoke. "Not as much as you'd think," he whispered, fingers worrying the blanket covering his knees.
Allura blinked slowly, confused by his answer and the demeanor so different from his normal confidence. Her mouth opened, but before she could say anything, he spoke again. "It turns out that there is something here that is much more attractive than anything Earth could offer," he added, his voice deepening, his eyes searching hers once more. Keith moved closer, erasing most of the space separating them, stopping when his thigh contacted hers. He swallowed, bit his lip gently. "You see, I've met someone and the more I get to know her, the more I want to get to know her… The more I want her to get to know me."
She sat silently, caught in the spell his words wove around her heart. Cheeks burning, breath coming in ragged gasps, Allura leaned closer to him. Keith moved in to meet her, his lips nearly touching hers when a shout interrupted the moment.
They moved apart quickly, heads turning to seek out the source of the call. Pidge skidded to a halt near the slow moving sleigh, panting lightly, catching his breath in the cool night air.
"What's going on?" Keith demanded, all traces of romance gone.
"Coran got run over by a reindeer!" Pidge repeated. Before his words faded, Keith and Allura leapt from the vehicle, gathered Pidge in their wake and raced towards the castle. They arrived to find the castle diplomat sitting on the ground, head in his hands.
"What happened?" Allura asked, dropping to her knees beside Coran.
"I'm fine, Princess. Apparently a horse got spooked when Hunk tried to tie antlers to its head. I simply didn't see it coming."
Keith sighed, taking in the disarray surrounding him. "Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to bring Christmas to Arus after all…"