Title is from the song "Gabriel" by Alec Benjamin.

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I've been rereading a lot of my friend Griffin Stone's old VLD books, and "Chocolate Tea" is mentioned in one. Since I figure they might not remember that, I'm now going to claim ownership over it and use it in this story. XD Sorry, Griffin.

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Takes place between S3E3-S3E4

"I thought I'd find you here."

Keith jumped in surprise, turning around to face Coran, blinking rapidly. He hadn't thought anyone would find him in the observatory; but if anyone did, it'd make sense that it was Coran. After all, the adviser knew the Castle like the back of his hand. Besides, everyone else was… busy.

To his utmost surprise, Coran held a blanket in one hand and a mug in the other, his eyes kind and sympathetic. "Shiro used to come here too," Coran informed him gently, wrapping the blanket snuggly around Keith's shoulders and pressing the mug into his hands. "When the weight of being a leader got too much for him. Or, I suspect, just when he wanted to look at the stars. I used to tend to his needs in the same manner. It's incredible what some tea and something soft to snuggle in does for a human."

Keith glanced out the window of the observation deck, agreeing silently. Shiro used to give him some tea and a soft quilt when he had woken up from a nightmare or failed a test. It was quite comforting and soothing. Besides, the stars really were lovely, and the deck was out of the way, unlike the bridge, which made it a spot of quiet in the storm that was their lives.

"Leadership trials or just needing some space?" Coran inquired, taking a few steps outside of Keith's personal bubble.

"I don't know." Keith admitted quietly, taking a small sip of the tea. It tasted like chocolate. Chocolate tea.

"Don't know?" Coran echoed, tilting his head at the teen curiously. "What do you mean by that?"

"I-I don't know." Keith repeated, sinking into himself, adjusting the blanket quietly. "I guess I didn't realize… that leadership was so… lonely. I guess."

"'Lonely'?" Coran mused, playing with his mustache with a hum. "Could this possibly have to do with the strange cave the three other human Paladins are showing Allura how to make out of blankets and pillows?"

"Yeah. Maybe." Keith murmured.

"That's a yes." Coran confirmed, releasing his mustache with a twang.

"Maybe." Keith repeated, sounding even smaller. "I… miss Shiro. If he were here, he would've… stuck with me. He would've understood."

Coran rested his hand gently on Keith's shoulder, understanding him perfectly. If he was being honest, he had also felt left out whenever the Paladins would invite the princess to join in on their strange earthling customs. He would never think that humans would leave out their own kind, but… it probably wasn't on purpose.

"I'm sorry." He honestly stated. "Come; I think I know what will make you feel better."

Keith started in surprise, trailing after Coran. He kept the blanket and mug in hand, still hunched inwards to look just as small.

"There is a common misconception," Coran hummed, walking with his hands clasped firmly behind him. "That you and Shiro both carried."

"Oh?" Keith hummed, only half listening.

"This misconception is that the team leader is useless during downtime and every day duties. This is untrue."

Keith's brow furrowed, clueing in, glancing up at Coran. "But… the only time anyone ever listens to me is when I'm supposed to be in charge."

"Leading is not just about being in charge and having people listen to you." Coran proceeded, feeling his heart ache for Keith. He was not ready for this position, nor was he willing. He was cast into this role much too soon. "It is also about being a supportive presence. The tricky thing about being a leader, is that it's not just the head - giving command. It is like Voltron as a whole. The leader must be able to support his entire team, with his actions and words, not to mention fight for them, as the arms do. He himself is his team as a whole and must act as such."

"I… don't think I'm ready for that." Keith admitted.

"That's part of the journey!" Coran piped, "being able to admit to a lack in abilities. Flarqual steps, Keith, Flarqual steps. That is what we're going to work on."

"…like, training?"

"Indeed. But without the team. Just the two of us working together, understand?"

To Coran's utmost surprise, Keith shifted so that he held both blanket and mug in one hand, freeing up one hand so he could reach out and take Coran's hand. Like a child taking his father's hand.

Coran's heart just about melted right then and there. Because they were still children. Keith had hardly had a childhood, even on earth. In fact, he hadn't had his eighteenth birthday until two weeks after arriving at the Castle. (The adviser had learned this later.) The others, obviously still young, had their innocence ripped out from under their feet near instantly. (Coran could remember Pidge sobbing in Shiro's lap after she killed Haxus, seeking comfort from the only person who would understand.)

They still, of course, had their moments of childish antics. Keith's… were less common. Coran felt quite pleased that Keith was acting younger with him, for he only ever did so with Shiro.

Coran led him to the kitchen, first refilling Keith's tea and handing it back once they reached the dining room. Keith accepted it graciously, this time downing the whole thing in a matter of seconds.

"Alright," Coran hummed, sitting down in the seat across from Keith at the table, "let's get down to business. To start, a team leader looks after his team, correct? Make the decision which would help them all the most."

"Sounds legit." Keith agreed, setting down the cup.

"Then, how can we best help the team even while we're not with them in person?"

"Um… well, it's… they'll probably be hungry come dinner time, right?" Keith pointed out, biting his lip. "So, why don't we, uh, make food?"

Coran beamed, proud at Keith's thought process; there was a reason that Coran had brought him to the kitchen, after all. "An excellent idea, Number Four!"

"Preferably," Keith elaborated, stumbling to his feet, "something easy to transport, relatively hard to spill, and easy to clean up. So they can eat it in the blanket fort."

Now, that was not something Coran had thought of. Incredible! "Well, any idea of what to make? My knowledge of earthling - er, Human - recipes are lackluster. Not to mention what's palatable for them."

"We can 'palate' your food just fine." Keith mumbled, low enough that Coran doubted Humans could hear him. However, an Altean's hearing - among other things - was superior. "It's everything else that's the problem."

Coran laughed at the response, well aware of that fact. "Well, then allow us to make something good for the Paladins in all standards, aye?"

Keith rolled his eyes fondly, chortling. "Sounds good!"

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Much later - armed with the space equivalent of... Coran thought Keith called it Pi-sa-h? - the two made their way to the lounge, balancing one large steaming pan between them. Keith carried plates with the water pitcher balanced atop them, and Coran held the cups with his free hand with all the pieces of silverware slotted into the top cup.

"I honestly can't believe Alteans have tomato sauce." Keith muttered, shaking his head. "Not just any tomato sauce: sauce that doesn't stain. I'm so jealous."

"Again, this is flutoj sauce." Coran repeated, utterly miffed as Keith obviously ignored him. He didn't know what a tomato was, but he doubted it was anything like the small, red, round, flutoj bean. "It is unlike any other in the whole universe."

"Naw, it's just unstainable tomato sauce." Keith assured Coran, shaking his head. "Trust me. That's literally the only difference."

Coran didn't believe him.

The two reached the lounge door, knocking on the metal surface gently with their feet. There was a chime of acceptance to come in from Hunk and Lance at the exact same time. The door opened - following their brain waves because their hands were still full - and they entered.

"I made dinner!" Coran called, sworn to secrecy by Keith. There was no way the boy was going to let his team know he could actually cook. (He had made the majority of the meal, with Coran fetching the space ingredient that best went along with his description.)

Everyone good naturedly groaned, resigning themselves to their disgusting fate, but they didn't seem to particularly mind, too busy with their own endeavors.

The Paladins, despite being vocally there, were missing from view. As was… the majority of the lounge. Everything was covered with a thick layer of pillows, blankets, and whatever they could use to levitate them off the ground. It was like a cave made from bed necessities. Fascinating.

"Um, it's uh… what did you call it?" Coran stage whispered to Keith.

Keith sighed. "Pizza." He hissed back, managing to keep his voice very quiet.

"Pi-sa-h!" Coran repeated loudly, wondering why Keith sighed. He was almost certain he had said it correctly.

"Do you mean Peponberry Pie?" Allura echoed, miffed. "I've never even heard of Pishuh."

"I think he said Pisah." Lance muttered back. "Might be Galran."

"Phishuh?" Hunk inquired. "It smells familiar, though?"

"I'll go check." Pidge suggested, crawling over to meet them."Coran, you can come in if you want." Her head peaked out of the fort, and her expression brightened. "Keith! Come on in, too. Do you guys need help?"

"Grab the water from Keith, if you would." Coran instructed, and Pidge was quick to take it, rising high enough to see on top of the platter.

She squeaked in surprise, clamping her mouth shut right after to maintain the secret. "Keith?!" She whispered. "Is this what I think it is?"

"Yeah, now get back into the fort! We're coming!" Keith grinned, mirth tracing his voice. Coran was glad to see Keith looking considerably less stressed as he spoke with Pidge.

Pidge clambered back into the forth, giggling excitedly under her breath as Keith and Coran followed, both men finding it rather difficult to crawl on just their knees through the fort, still busy holding all their supplies.

Coran found great relief when they finally put the platter of Pi-sa-h in front of them, and his chest warmed at the look the Paladins gave the Pi-sa-h.

"This can't be real!" Hunk chimed excitedly, snatching a plate and picking up a slice.

"Yeah, it's probably Altean." Lance determined, crossing his arms, despite the hungry look in his eye. "Poisonous."

"I told Coran what ingredients to use." Keith soothed as he grabbed his own slice, "I can guarantee it's not poisonous."

"Definitely poisonous." Lance grumbled, ignoring how Hunk and Pidge were already almost done with their slices.

"What is it?" Allura inquired, picking up one slice and tilting it from side to side.

Lance immediately brightened up and picked up his own. "It's pizza," he explained joyfully, "it's, like, the most popular food on earth."

"Oh!" Allura beamed, and took a small bite of pizza, her face melting into an expression of bliss. "Delightful! You eat this all the time?"

"Oh, yeah," Hunk, Pidge, and Lance all chimed, likely lying. "It's high society food. We have it every day."

"Interesting." Allura nodded, and bit in again.

The Paladins dissolved into laughs and grabbed more slices, piling up their plates.

Coran glanced curiously at Keith, and was relieved to see the boy looking completely relaxed.

"Thanks, Coran." Keith mouthed happily, squeezing Coran's hand. "This helped. A lot."

"Glad to be of service, m'boy." Coran smiled, and ruffled Keith's hair.