While they waited for Shiro's healing cycle to finish, Hunk and Coran began working on replacement bayards for the Paladins. Allura and Lance worked together on compiling a list of the planets and races to start contacting once the team was completely recovered from their recent experiences, and Keith and Pidge teamed up to hunt down/create new suits of Paladin armor from the Castle's vast supply of spare parts.

"Oooooh, if I had more time to play with some of this stuff…" Pidge said longingly as they left another storage compartment, their arms full of the various items they needed.

"-that would mean Shiro would be asleep longer," Keith replied. "And as much as I know you can't wait to try 'science' - I'd rather he be back to normal."

Pidge made a 'No, duh' sound in her throat as they walked up the stairs, back to the healing pod room.

"Of course I want Shiro to wake up as soon as possible!" she said. "Don't be an idiot."

"You sound like Lance," Keith replied, but there was no heat behind the words. "Oh no - the sickness is catching."

Pidge let out a bark of laughter as they came into the room together. They maneuvered deftly around the various pieces of equipment and reached their spot without too much trouble.

All three teams had set up shop in the various corners of the room where the healing pods were kept. Keith had known it wasn't more efficient to do it this way - but he'd kept quiet. He had a feeling it was the team's way of…connecting. Spending more time together in the same space was one way of connecting. That, and occasionally Pidge, Lance, and Hunk could break out into songs that all three of them knew.

Of course, the setup had its drawback s as well as its advantages. Occasionally the noise from the bayard-forging corner got too loud, and Lance and Allura would have to relocate to the kitchen or the control room. But, as Allura put it, it kept them 'active and well-informed on the Castle's situation'.

"It means I walk up and down a lot of hallways," Lance told Pidge that night. "But - I guess I'll be even more awesome in the training room once we pick that up again."

Pidge, exhausted from compiling three different suits of armor that afternoon, only had time to nod and give him a sleepy thumbs up before her head fell back onto her pillow. Lance shrugged, turned over, and adjusted his position so that he was more comfortable on the couch nearby.

The team had decided a second sleep-over was in order, and no one had raised any complaints with the arrangements. Granted, they'd all had to adjust the spacing of their sleeping placements around the various projects in progress - but It meant they were able to be close to Shiro while he was recovering, both day and night.

Keith sat with his back against the wall, looking over the team as they fell off to sleep, one by one. Smiling, he rested his head against the wall and looked over at the healing pod where Shiro slept, the Black Lion still curled into a ball at the foot of the pod. He still felt nervous about telling Shiro about - about himself, after Shiro woke up tomorrow.

But something told him it was going to be okay.