Disclaimer: I don't own Voltron: Legendary Defender.

Author Note: This is an Au. Keith is going on missions for the BoM but is still a paladin. Ulaz, Thace, Antok, Haxus, and Sendak are alive in this as well. Thulaz and Sendak/Haxus.

"Fallen Soldiers"

Keith rubbed his right shoulder as he walked back into the Blade of Marmora headquarters. He couldn't wait to relax with his family. He wondered if Kolivan and Antok would be joining them in the cuddle pile. Every time he came back to headquarters there was a cuddle pile. It would start out with Thace and Ulaz with Keith, but by the end of the day, Kolivan and Antok would join in. He walked into the training hall to find Thace and/or Ulaz. He stopped short at who was sitting across from two of his favorite Galra.

Sendak and Haxus were casually sitting across from Thace and Ulaz, the latter of the two was leaning against his mate. Keith withdrew his blade and willed it to its short sword form. He cautiously approached the quartet, and Ulaz saw Keith approach. He sighed. "Kit, put your blade away. Everything's okay."

Sendak and Haxus turned to see the Red Paladin dressed in Blade of Marmora armor with a Marmora blade held in front of him. Sendak put an arm around Haxus, and Keith realized that Sendak didn't have his Druid left arm anymore but still had his right eye replacement. His left arm was reminiscent of Shiro's arm, and while that was slightly comforting he wasn't taking chances. "So, this is the kit you mentioned, Thace?"

"Yes, Sendak. This is our kit. Keith, put your blade away. You don't turn your weapon on fellow Blades."

Keith was stunned but put his blade away and made his way over to Thace and Ulaz, giving a wide berth to the two other Galra. He was pulled onto the bench between Thace and Ulaz, and Ulaz began rubbing Keith's right shoulder, providing some comfort for their kit. Keith looked at Sendak and Haxus. "I want answers."

"We know you do, kit." Sendak paused, seeing Keith glare at him for calling him that. His ears drooped a bit. "Keith, we were Blade of Marmora operatives but we were caught and the Druids tortured us and brainwashed us to make us loyal to the Empire. As how we got back, Haxus has to start."

"After falling down the tube in the engine room, I managed to find a vent that led me to the pod bay. I hid there for several days until after you saved Balmera X-95-Vox. I launched one of the pods, and I saw Sendak had been ejected into space. I brought him onto the pod and set the autopilot to take us away from that region. I freed my mate. When-"

"Mate?" Keith repeated, interrupting Haxus.

"Yes, mate. When I released Sendak from the cryopod, I had to catch him. When we touched, our memories of being Blade operatives came back."

"I took the pod off autopilot and set the course for headquarters. It took a couple of days to reach it of course, and once we did, proving the truth to the other Blades was a simple matter of going through the Trials again," Sendak had picked up the tale. Both Sendak and Haxus unsheathed their Marmora blades, and they took their short sword forms, surprising Keith. The youngest Blade was speechless at this turn of events. Sendak looked at him as he and Haxus put away their blades. "Is everything all right, kit?"

He tensed slightly as he remembered that Keith wasn't comfortable with him calling him kit. He relaxed when Keith sent a little smile in his direction. "Yeah. I'm okay. I think I'm tired from my mission."

Thace knew Keith was wanting family time in a cuddle pile, but Thace had orders to stay with Sendak and Haxus until Kolivan returned, and Ulaz wouldn't leave his mate. Keith looked up at Thace and softly whined. Sendak and Haxus heard the whine and were concerned. "Kit, what's wrong?"

Keith looked at Sendak. "What do you mean? Nothing's wrong."

"You whined, kit. Something's wrong."

Keith blushed slightly but said nothing. Thace hugged his kit, and Ulaz replied. "After every mission, he ends up in a cuddle pile with Thace and I. Eventually, Kolivan and Antok join us."

At Sendak's and Haxus's slightly confused looks, Thace supplied more information. "He had been abandoned on Earth and was left on his own without a family. He is still touch starved, and we are providing him with all the affection he needs as a kit."

Sendak and Haxus looked horrified at the revelation of Keith being an abandoned, touch starved kit. "We don't want to keep you from your family."

Ulaz looked at Keith. "What would you say about just having me for now, and Thace can come by later?"

Keith shook his head. "I'd rather stay here with both of you."

"That's very nice of you, kit, but unnecessary." Kolivan entered the room. "Thace, Ulaz, take the kit back to our room. I will join you shortly."

Thace and Ulaz led Keith out of the room. The kit was making little chirps at his family, who responded with rumbles. The three Galra in the room watch the trio leave before Sendak spoke up. "No one ever mentioned the Red Paladin was one of us, let alone being a touch starved kit."

"It's not a topic we take lightly. He went through the Trials as we all did; however, we didn't find out about him being a kit or touch starved until later on," Kolivan explained. "I noticed you are calling him kit as well."

"At first, he didn't like it, but he allowed it after the explanation of our return. I hope to get to know him better," Sendak replied, his arms settling around Haxus's waist. His mate leaned against him and nuzzled his neck.

"Maybe he'll let you two join the cuddle pile if he gets to know the real you; the Blade operatives, not the evil Commander and his lieutenant," Kolivan mentioned. The leader spotted Antok making his way towards their room to join the cuddle pile. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a kit to attend to."

Sendak and Haxus watched their leader leave the room but just stayed put. They knew they were fallen soldiers, but they had finally come home.