Shiro's wedding had been perfect. All of the Paladins were there to support their friend on his big day. Hunk had even catered the event with food fitting for all the species that attended. The ceremony had brought tears to their eyes and the reception was lively.
Lance was sitting at a corner table, alone. Pidge was dancing on the floor with an Olkari child. Hunk and Shay were laughing with strange dance moves. Shiro and his husband were talking to Colleen and Sam, who were sharing their advice for marriage. Keith sat down next to Lance, handing him a slice of cake.
"How're you holding up?" Keith didn't make eye contact with Lance, but focused on his own slice of cake.
"What do you mean?"
"You know, with the wedding. It's only been a few years…" He trailed off. It had been almost three years since Allura had gone. Lance's life on the farm was quiet and far from the rest of the Paladins. Keith had sent him letters now and again, and Lance's replies were always short.
"It's fine. Shiro deserves this. After everything he had to go through, he deserves love and happiness." Keith glanced at Lance, whose eyes and Altean markings shone with sincerity.
"You do, too." Keith's eyes returned to his dessert, though he had almost finished the small piece.
"We all do, I suppose. Though Hunk has found Shay and Pidge… well, Pidge has her technology." Lance's voice was heavier than a moment ago even though his words were light. "And you, you're the future after all." He smiled at Keith, referencing their time on the strange game show in space.
"I don't know about me. But, Lance, you have so much to offer this universe. You've met women from across the galaxies who could – and would – love you." The music shifted into a slow song, and couples filled the dance floor. Shiro and his husband led the dancing. Shay wrapped her arms around Hunk's neck and he pulled her close. Colleen and Sam took to the floor. Pidge stepped off and slid to the dessert table. Matt and Romelle danced in a friendly way. Even Coran and Acxa were on the floor.
"I'm not sure about that. I don't think I could love another woman." Lance's voice paused slightly before saying woman. Keith didn't notice, as he watched the man who was like his brother dance with his new husband.
"I guess time will tell." Keith sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He'd long since lost the tie he was wearing as best man and the jacket was discarded soon after the ceremony. His shirt sleeves were rolled up. He stared at the sky, stars twinkling above them, missing his lion and the closeness the Paladins shared as Voltron. "Do you miss it?"
"Sometimes. There was a certain peace about being with the lions when it wasn't chaos. Security." Lance stared up with Keith. "Even when it wasn't new and exciting any more, it felt right. But being with my family again, watching my nieces and nephews grow, it's wonderful."
"That was probably the most stable time of my life. At least since I was a little kid."
"Even with the coming and going and lion shifting and Blade of Marmora stuff?" Lance knew that Keith had a rough upbringing but couldn't imagine the Voltron years as stable for him.
"Yeah. I always knew I had people I could go back to on some level."
"You still do." Lance put his hand on Keith's shoulder, and they looked at each other. "We're all here for each other. Always." The music was speeding up again, and Pidge and Hunk were over to convince them to dance. The seriousness of their conversation evaporated as they danced like fools across the dance floor.
Keith couldn't sleep that night. Everyone was staying at the Garrison, because it easily housed everyone and the ceremony had been nearby. He decided to go and work out. He still trained regularly. Skirmishes were infrequent but it made him feel normal. It reminded him of his days at the Garrison and on Voltron. He contemplated the weight room or shooting range, but decided on a run. Nothing could clear his head better and still keep his body working.
He was usually able to keep the homesickness for Voltron at bay. He kept busy, traveling around the universe to check on the progress of rebuilding and coexisting. He often thought of the other Paladins. Shiro, who was like a brother, he kept in touch with regularly for work and pleasure. Hunk and Shiro worked closely together, so they talked on a regular basis. Pidge set updates and pictures, informing them of her developments and projects. But his mind always shifted to Lance. Even now, running, Keith couldn't shake him from his mind.
Keith pushed himself harder with frustration. Their conversation tonight wheeled across his brain. He could understand someone not being able to love another after losing the person they loved. Yet, Lance's comment bugged him. He shook his head, trying to focus only on running and the way it felt across his body. He was so focused on this, he ran smack into someone, falling over in a tangle of limbs and yelling.
"What the quiznak, Keith?" Lance shouted as they thudded to the ground. He'd been out walking, enjoying the cool night air and trying to clear his head of the emotions that were flooding through him. It was bittersweet to watch his close friend marry someone he loves. Yet, Lance couldn't be happier for Shiro.
"Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."
"I'll say! Geez and you were in charge of Voltron?" Lance was squirming to detangle himself.
"You're one to talk, sharpshooter. But you weren't aware of your surroundings, either!" They eventually detangled, but didn't stand up immediately. Keith's breathing was strained and Lance was breathing heavy. Keith sighed. "Couldn't sleep, either?"
"Nope." They laid on the ground in silence. Keith opened his mouth several times to speak, but kept closing it. His thoughts were volatile, dangerous. Lance was contemplative. "Earlier. You mentioned not thinking that you would find someone to love. Have you ever fallen for someone?"
Keith's heart jumped into his throat. He whispered, "Yes."
"How did you get past it?" Lance rolled to his side.
"I haven't." Keith's honesty was painful to speak. He didn't dare look at Lance.
"How do you handle it? Did you fall before Voltron and then lose her?" Lance was desperately seeking answers.
"I… It…" Keith stammered, not sure what to say. "I don't know when I fell for him. And I just try to keep myself distracted. That's how I handle it." His heart pounded and he thought he might throw up.
Lance sat up. "Were there any others?"
"No serious crushes. I was too… aggressive? I was pretty off putting and didn't open up."
Lance laughed. "I remember. You were a bit of a jerk."
"How did you handle it? Flirting with all those girls on all the different planets."
Lance leaned his elbows onto his knees and rested his head on his hands. "I don't actually flirt with people I crush on. I enjoy flirting. I enjoy the attention. But if I seriously like someone… I get awkward."
"You, awkward? No, never." Keith's sarcasm tried to make the conversation lighter. He'd become very vulnerable to Lance over the years. But after leaving Voltron, some of his walls had come back. Even if he trusted Lance completely.
"So do I know him?" Lance shifted the conversation back onto Keith and his entire body tensed up.
"Yeah, I guess you do."
"It isn't Shiro, is it?"
Keith sat straight up in a flash. "NO! He's like my brother, ugh." Lance was chuckling.
"I'm kidding!" Lance chuckled again. "Kind of glad you don't have your blade or bayard right now." Keith burrowed his face into his arms, propped on his knees. Lance got serious. "You really like him, don't you? Whoever he is."
"Not that it matters." Keith's voice was muffled by his posture.
"You could always tell him. Find out if he feels the same way or at least air it."
"I can't."
"Why not? Maybe you get a little uncomfortable or shy but Hunk is great at forcing you into confronting it." Lance grimaced at the memory of asking out Allura. Her last night on Earth.
"It's not that I can't say it! I'm not chicken. It's just… I can't do it to him." Keith sighed and laid back down. "He's got enough to deal with."
"Sometimes it's easier to deal with stuff if you share it with someone. Like when we could fight as Voltron better than alone." Lance laid back down, too. "If you trust him, you love him, you don't think he can handle knowing that?"
Keith's stomach tried to crawl out of his body. He took a deep breath and mumbled. "Can you?"
Lance rolled over to look at him, shocked. "Wait, what?" Keith rolled onto his stomach, covering his head with his arms. "Oh." Lance stared at the half Galra man, his eyes revealing the blush spreading across his body. "It's me." His voice was shaky. Keith didn't move. Lance scooted closer, and set his hand on Keith's shoulder. His thoughts raced as he tried to put everything together – their bonding moment soon after joining Voltron, how it felt when Keith left the team, when he returned, the game show. How important it was to him that Keith was safe and came back. "Keith, I –"
Keith sat up, facing away from Lance. "I'll just go. I shouldn't have said anything. You had and lost Allura and you don't need…"
"I do need you." It was quiet and Keith barely heard it over the breeze rustling the leaves from the trees near them. Keith stood, and Lance stood with him, not removing his hand from his shoulder. "I need you, Keith. I did the entire time we were with Voltron. I do now." Lance turned Keith to face him, but he kept staring at the ground.
"But, Allura…"
"I loved her. I love her. But, she wasn't the only one on Voltron that I was afraid to lose." Lance lifted Keith's chin. "Every time you left, or you were injured. I was worried that you wouldn't come back." Keith finally made eye contact with the taller man. Lance's heart was racing. "Keith, I hated you. Then, I respected you. Admired you. And honestly, loved you. We went through so much together. You always had my back. Allura… she made sense and she needed me in a way that made me feel like I could be a better person. But you, you challenge me. You never needed me. It was terrifying. I decided that I shouldn't." Lance's voice was thick with emotion over Allura, over the suppressed feelings for Keith.
Keith hesitantly stepped closer to Lance. "Every time I left, I knew I could trust you. When you were hurt, when we first joined together for Voltron… I was terrified. I didn't know it then. I saw you with Allura, with all the girls, and I knew I didn't have a chance. I wanted to be deserving of it. I threw myself into our missions."
They stepped into a hug. Both were shaking slightly. Lance rested his head on Keith's. They stood there for what felt like forever. They jumped apart when they heard a voice say, "How many doboshes are you going to stand there like that?" A small creature moved from one of the trees.
"We were just, uh, going." Keith muttered and the two humans turned and walked back to the Garrison in silence.
Keith stayed in his room all morning. He was afraid to go out and face everyone after the night before. He half didn't believe it happened. He sat in his room and watched reruns of the cartoon they had made of their adventures.
Pidge knocked his door and came in before he could respond. "So, I'm working on creating a system to more quickly deliver messages across longer distances. I made each of us one of the prototypes to use so I can work on the bugs and we can keep in touch easier." She smiled. "I gave them to everyone but you and Lance at breakfast. Since Shiro is going to be staying on Earth now, really you and Hunk are going to be the furthest distance to communicate with regularly."
"Lance wasn't at breakfast?" Keith was visibly surprised.
"I know! That boy normally never misses a meal but I guess he just needed the sleep or something. He's up now that I've played delivery girl." She stood up from his bed and held out her hand. "C'mon. What's with you two staying cooped up when we're finally all together again? Shiro has an excuse to have returned to his room but you two… none!"
Keith smiled and reluctantly followed her into the mess hall. Hunk's kitchen staff was preparing for lunch now but people still milled about chatting and enjoying themselves. He was relaxing and chatting until Lance walked in and his whole body tensed up. They never did get any closure to the previous night's conversation. All through lunch Lance acted the dunce and everyone laughed. It felt like old times. Slowly, though, groups of people started to say their good byes and depart. Sam, Colleen, and Pidge were among the first. Shay, Hunk, and the kitchen crew soon after. Even Shiro and his husband packed up and left for their newly built house.
Keith went outside and sat on the cliff where Pidge, Hunk, and Lance had first seen Shiro land. He could see groups of people leaving. Some on car, some on train, and some in spacecrafts. It wasn't long before Lance joined him, sitting in silence watching their friends depart to various places they called home.
"So which way are you going to leave?" Lance motioned to the variety of vehicles stationed around the Garrison landscape.
"I don't know. I don't know where I'll be off to next." Keith's words were heavy. It was true. He could go with him mom back to Daibazaal, but she had recently started dating someone there and he didn't want to intrude. Coran always welcomed him on Altea. He'd spent the last few years traveling so often, that his small ship felt more like home than anywhere else, even if it left him yearning for his lion.
"You can always come stay on the farm." Keith glanced at Lance, staring out ahead.
"The farm?"
"It's a lot of work, but it's…"
"Lance, I grew up on a farm, remember? For awhile at least." Keith smiled.
"So, you'll come?" Lance looked hopeful.
"I think I will." Keith gave a slight smile back and Lance beamed.
"Awesome!" They stood up together, still watching the groups of people depart as the sun was setting. "Hey, Keith?"
"Yeah?" Keith looked at Lance, who was turning red. "What is it?"
Lance grabbed Keith around the waist and kissed him. Keith's arms came up around Lance's neck. As their kiss simmered down, they stood, forehead to forehead. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
Keith smiled. "Of course."