A/N: This still takes place at the beginning of Season 7. I'm trying to stay true to the original show's timeline. Hope you enjoy!
They must have slept for a few vargas because Keith was abruptly awoken by a rat-a-tat-tat pattern playing on the door.
"Keith? Shiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiro?" Coran's too bright-for-this-early-in-the-morning voice sang from the other side of the door. "Everyone else is up and exiting their Lions. We're having a meeting and you're welcome to join any time."
"Go away." Keith groaned.
"That's the spirit! Now that you're awake, you'd better hurry. Hunk and Lance are having a contest to see who can polish off the most breakfast! Can't hide in there forever! Two strong men like you need all the breakfast you can—"
Keith looked around wildly for something to throw at the door to shut Coran up, and settled for his jacket which was in easy reach. He flung it, but when Coran's cheerful babble persisted, he followed up with two pairs of boots.
As he settled back and listened with satisfaction to Coran, muttering under his breath to finally stalk off, he realized that he was lying on the floor of the Black Paladin's sleeping quarters. That's why there was so much outerwear in easy proximity around him... Then he realized who's boots beside his own he had thrown. And looked to see Shiro stirring on the bed, soft gray eyes blinking at him.
"What am I doing on the floor?" Keith asked, levering himself up on his elbows, his back muscles protesting.
"I don't know." Shiro coughed lightly, his throat dry from the Lion's recycled air system. "Can't remember. If it's my fault, then sorry."
"Do you start all your mornings with an apology?" Keith frowned, continuing his painful ascent. He paused on his knees. "Is that like a mantra of yours?"
Shiro's cough turned into a rough chuckle. Keith rather enjoyed the sound, and the fact that he could make Shiro laugh at all so he threw in one more brilliant bit to see what would happen:
"If you didn't like me, you could have just asked nicely before pushing me out of the bed."
"I didn't push you—!" Shiro jackknifed bold upright.
"Kidding." Keith dragged himself to his feet and stretched sleepily, touching his fingers to the ceiling and grimacing. "I actually slept a little, despite your nightmares. And you moving around a lot. I thought the floor would be a better option." His spine popped loudly in three places as he arched his back. "Turns out, that was a bad idea."
Shiro sighed and ran his finger through his shock of now completely white hair. "Keith—"
"If you apologize again I swear to Earth I'll tie you Black's back today with no armor."
"Oh? Trying to kill me in deep space, huh?" Shiro threw Keith a smile that arrested his breath. "I thought you were glad to have me back."
"I am, I am." Keith hurried, staring at Shiro like he was viewing the Crown Jewels of some ancient Earth dynasty for the first time. He tore his gaze away with effort. "How are you feeling?" he asked, looking at the floor.
"Alive." Shiro answered safely. "Very much so." He stood and instantly the room became ten times smaller. Keith's first reaction was to gather his things and leave to make space for the taller, strapping man now standing nose to nose with him.
"That's good." Keith squeaked, trying to turn that embarrassing sound into an attempt to clear his throat. "You needed rest."
"My sleep was sweeter with you there." Shiro bestowed another heart-stopping smile. Quiznak, Keith thought giddily, does he even know what that did to him?
Keith didn't trust himself to answer. He bolted for his boots and jammed them onto his feet. Then he turned to the small hold on the wall opposite the bed that contained all his meager possessions and pulled out a clean, long sleeved shirt. He shoved it at Shiro, a little more harshly than he would have liked.
Shiro inspected the garment and made a pleased sound.
"This is mine."
Keith turned his back and continued rummaging in the hold. "Yeah. When we had to abandon the Castle of Lions I grabbed a couple of your things too. Couldn't save much, sorry. Just three shirts and a few pairs –"
Keith stopped breathing entirely as Shiro's large hand landed on his left shoulder from behind. His long fingers felt electric when they squeezed gently.
"Thank you." Shiro said gratefully, his voice thick. "That was really thoughtful of you."
"Don't mention it." Seriously, don't mention it ever again. My skin is so hot right now I probably look like a boiled lobster. Keith snatched his red and white jacket and put it on, refusing to turn toward Shiro as he heard the soft rustle of cloth behind him and knew the other man was changing. His hands were shaking. He curled them into fists and felt the distracting bite of his own fingernails digging into his palms.
"Done." Shiro said after a moment, undoubtedly picking up on Keith's uncomfortable posture.
Keith stepped around him in the close quarters to grab his gloves, which were lying on a retractable shelf by the bed.
When he turned around again he almost wish he hadn't. Almost.
Shiro was bent over by the door, lacing up his boots. Keith's eyes lingered on his backside and he wanted to slap himself for it. He got his wish when he slammed his forehead on the open storage compartment.
Shiro straightened with a concerned glance as Keith smashed the hold shut and muttered a few choice words. He snapped on his fingerless gloves, brows knit together.
"You ok?"
"Yeah, fine." Keith answered automatically. He moved to the door, only to find Shiro's tall frame still blocking it. He stared at Shiro's broad chest, dragging his eyes up and memorizing the shape of him. Every hard plane, smooth slope, and bulge of muscle, noticing one missing detail.
"Where's your vest?" Keith met Shiro's eyes, startled to see a spark of amusement in them.
"Had your fill?" Shiro snorted.
"Shut up." Keith snatched his utility belt off a hook by the door and put it on. His fingers were sloppy though. He was so high strung and flustered right now.
"I can't get the zipper up." Shiro sighed. He suddenly had his signature black vest, accented with white piping in his left hand. "I can manage the rest with one hand…" his voice trailed off.
"Of course, sure man." Keith felt most of his nerves settle as he concentrated on doing something normal. He helped Shiro into the vest and fastened it for him, secretly glad not to have to look at what that tight shirt had been revealing just moments before.
"Thank you. Thanks for everything." Shiro grinned, his gaze warm and full of unspoken depth. Keith smirked back, trying to stay casual.
"We'd better make an appearance before Coran returns." He muttered, running his fingers through his thick black hair.
He waited for Shiro to unlock the door and exit first before blowing out a shaky breath, settling his whirling emotions.
Following Shiro's footsteps, he fetched his Red Paladin armor from a locker that held all the bulky piece better than his small bedroom did. Shiro had already donned his. He hadn't asked for help working with only one arm this time. Keith noticed out of the corner of his eye that he did admirable well. Was there anything he couldn't do?
"There he is!" the remaining three Paladins, the Alteans and Krolia greeted Shiro jubilantly, offered him breakfast and peppered him about his health. They were all hanging out in a circle amid packing crates. The five massive Lions stood guard solemnly around them all.
Keith plodded down the smooth ramp leading out of Black's open jaws, his eyes quickly adjusting to the planet's light.
"Keith, don't say I didn't warn you. Breakfast is gone." Coran clucked his tongue mournfully and stroked his mustache.
"Get enough beauty sleep?" Lance sniggered, bumping into Keith's arm. "We all know you need as much as you can get."
Keith shrugged past without acknowledging Lance and nodded a silent greeting to his mother, moving to stand in the space between her and Allura. That was all that was necessary between them. Krolia wasn't the syrupy, talkative type, which was fine with him.
"No seriously, did you get some sleep? Because I'm so nervous I couldn't sleep a wink." Hunk sighed. He glanced between Keith and Shiro. "You two weren't staying up talking about super secret Black Paladin stuff?"
Keith cut him a glare that promised a slow and painful death if he said another word, and Hunk shied away.
The group continued to discuss their next move.
"How long do you think it will take us to get home?" Keith asked in his best authoritative tone. Obviously they couldn't stay on this rock together forever.
Coran did horrible math trying to figure out in Earth time how long it would take them to reach Earth.
A year? Keith moaned inwardly after Pidge had made the necessary mathematical correction, that's still such a long time.
Shiro sat on a crate, sharing the edge with Pidge and listened to the lively conversation, speaking up and adding his thoughts only when he thought it was necessary. His mind and body were still tired. He was getting used to be mobile again, and living with certain changes. But he had to admit he was excited about the prospect of returning to Earth again.
His cool gaze continued to wander toward Keith. Keith refused to look back at him, and Shiro had to assume that he was too absorbed in solving the conundrum of who was riding with whom and in what lion. At least, he hoped that was the only reason. Was Keith beating himself up about last night? His body language was certainly guarded this morning…
After Lance took it upon himself to rely upon his self-proclaimed brilliance and assign seating arrangements, everyone started loading their supplies as equally as possible into all five lions. The passengers were loaded next, and the Paladins prepared to awake their lions out of their low power mode.
As they took flight, Keith cringed at the amount of chatter coming over the coms and the faces of his friends popping up in his vid display. Of course not everyone was satisfied with their passengers. Except perhaps Lance, ever the shameless flirt, who was not-so-cleverly planting moves on the blond haired beauty Romelle.
Keith settled back in his chair, glad to be piloting Black again. Glad to be on the move. His cockpit was noisy, comprised of not only him but Coran, Krolia, and Shrio too. At least no one had thought of separating him and Shiro. He might have had something to say about that, he told himself firmly.
He felt a little suffocated with his red helmet on, and was considering taking it off when Shiro's smirking face appeared on his left. He leaned around Keith's chair, brushing his outstretched arm.
"Sooooooooo," Shiro drew the word out thrice its length. "How exactly do you love me? Like a brother or what?"
Keith was suddenly glad his helmet was still on and that his piloting displays glowed a soft purple against his face because he knew his cheeks must be flaming scarlet. He gripped the controls harder, sweat breaking out all over his body. Why the heck would Shiro bring that up right now! And with his mother and Coran standing within earshot!
"Oh, feeling better Shiro?" Keith answered loudly, not taking his eyes off Black's displays. "Why don't you go clean the cargo hold then?"
Shiro's face disappeared from his peripheral vision as he moved to stand behind Keith's chair again. Coran was jabbering about some ancient species' history to Krolia so luckily neither of those two were aware of what had just went on.
Then Hunk gushed about the fun he was having with Allura's intelligent and apparently food serving mice, so Coran jumped at the chance to play "some Earth road games."
That led to Coran singing the Altean alphabet, much to everyone's eternal chagrin, and Keith tried to drown out the sound of his voice and keep the peace between his team even as a steady stream of grousing and whining poured through his com channel.
Allura didn't like Cosmo and his perfectly natural tendency to chew on things and drool. Lance was no longer feeling the spark of romance between him and Romelle, and was now screaming at her.
The complaints built. The pressure in Keith's head built too until he finally snapped
"That's it! We're switching passengers!" he was seething, mainly at Lance and his stupid passenger grouping.
After that was taking care of, Keith losing only Coran's boisterous company, the long trip continued.