Lance had gotten quieter over the past few days and, as the loudest member of team Voltron, it did not go unnoticed.

Training would end and the blue paladin would excuse himself to his room, head ducked and voice quiet. He'd barely made any jokes in three days and with no missions to go on, it was hard not to notice that he didn't seem to want any company lately. Shiro was worried but Hunk only sighed as they watched him leave.

"He's homesick. Especially since it's his birthday in a few days. His family always made a big deal about them and now he's here in space and his parents don't even know he's alive. It's bound to get him down for a little while."

Keith had only been half listening until then, but came over to the small huddle as Pidge squished herself between Shiro and Hunk.

"It's his birthday? Why didn't he just tell us?"

Hunk shrugged, doleful. Lance was his best friend and when he was sad Hunk was sad too.

"He's never really been good at asking for help, and he already thinks he's the weakest member on the team. He misses his mom, that's not really something that makes a person look strong."

Shiro frowned, and crossed his arms.

"He's allowed to miss his family, but he should also know he can tell us when something's wrong."

Pidge pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose as she looked up at the others, voice excited.

"We should do something special for his birthday!"

Hunk's face lit up to match hers as he thought about all the food he could make.

"I'll make a cake! And we can have a big family dinner."

Shiro nodded, liking the idea of a party to cheer Lance up as well as boosting morale for the rest of them.

"We could go back to that space mall and get supplies. We should tell Coran and Allura too."

Pidge started talking excitedly about presents and Keith got worried. What could he do for Lance? They'd been getting along now that they'd been in space together for a while but dealing with his feelings for Lance was hard. He knew he had a crush on the idiot and he didn't know if Lance liked him back. He mentally winced at how childish he sounded and shoved any thoughts of his feelings away.

Hunk was still talking, mentioning things that Lance liked, his hands waving excitedly as he talked.

"He was so excited about the mermaids and they like us now that we saved them from enslavement, maybe we could go visit them again? Or take Lance to somewhere with a beach, he loves water."

Keith's face warmed with a smile, remembering the last time they found a planet with an ocean. Lance had jumped in the purple water without hesitation, laughing as he floated in the waves. God, he was cute when he laughed. Keith frowned as he pushed away the memory. He really had to get a handle on this.

The others eventually pulled Allura and Coran into the conversation, spending at least thirty minutes explaining what birthdays were, before settling into the party planning, while Keith excused himself.

He escaped the noise of the others and went to his room to concentrate on what he was going to get the blue paladin. He only made it half-way to his room before he paused at a door, hearing noises coming from the other side.

It was Lance, that much was obvious, but Keith couldn't figure out what the noises were. He lent closer to the door, hand accidentally pressing it open when he went to lean on the wall. The door slid open and Lance spun around from where he was sitting, back towards Keith, the entire room lit up with stars.

The walls were glowing with soft light as holograms spun planets and stars around the room, the light making the tears on Lance's face more evident. A hologram of earth was spinning in front of him as he sniffed and wiped his face with his sleeve.

"What are you doing? Did you follow me?"

Keith didn't know what to do. Lance was crying and seemed to want to be alone but Keith couldn't just leave him. He stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He kept his voice quiet, keeping his eyes on the stars so that Lance could pretend he wasn't caught crying.

"No, I saw the lights from under the door. It's so pretty."

Lance seemed to relax and nodded.

"Yeah." His tone was sad and Keith came to sit beside him.

"You're allowed to miss earth. You know, that, right?"

Lance looked at the floor but Keith kept watching that sad frown. He wasn't good at talking to people like Shiro was, but it always seemed easier with Lance. And he'd been more serious lately, making less jokes, and it made it easier to talk to him. The boy shrugged.

"Do you miss earth?"

Keith thought for a moment before he shrugged back.

"I didn't have a family there and I was kicked out of the garrison. I lived alone in a hut in the desert. No one's missing me."

Lance looked up at that. Keith's voice was quiet and relaxed. He'd gotten used to being alone.

"It's better here, with everyone, with a…purpose, I guess. I know what I'm doing now." Keith was watching the hologram of earth and lifted a finger to spin it lazily as Lance watched.

"I do miss it though, but now, going back wouldn't be the same. I'd just be alone again."

Lance nodded and watched the globe spin. The green amidst the blue water, the familiar shapes of countries tugging at his heart as Cuba came to face him. His voice was stronger than before and he found himself talking. Keith's honesty making him feel safe enough to share.

"I love being part of team Voltron, I'm finally a proper pilot and I get to help people while being a total bad-ass." Keith let out a small laugh but watched Lance's face turn somber.

"But my mom hasn't heard from me in months and the garrison probably told her I ditched or flunked out or… she's going to be worried."

Keith looked at the floor. His parents were long gone, he didn't know what Lance was feeling.

He pressed his shoulder against Lance's, just a little, just to let him know he was there. They watched the globe spin until Keith thought of something to say, anything to take that sad look from those beautiful eyes.

"Well, just think about how great it'll be when you go home and you tell her you're a hero."

Lance shook his head a little, a sad smirk on his face.

"I don't know if she'd believe me." Keith knew this was Lance's was of saying he didn't see himself as a hero, as good enough.

Keith shrugged, nonplussed.

"Fine, I'll tell her." His tone was sure and confident and Lance looked over at him. Keith turned to meet his eyes, face unreadable as he watched Lance.

Lance was so awed by the adamant way Keith had called him a hero. Keith believed he was worth that title, even when he didn't himself. There was no pity or humor in his face, he truly believed what he'd said.

Keith wanted to kiss Lance so badly in that moment. The blue of his eyes shining in the soft dark of the room, lit only by the slowly spinning planets around them as the stars glowed against the freckles on his brown skin, his lips parted slightly in surprise.

Lance watched Keith's eyes flicker down to his mouth, face still blank, before he leaned a little closer. Lance took a breath, waiting for him to close the distance between them, before Keith blinked and turned away.

Lance was disappointed but smiled a little as he saw the blush in Keith's cheek's, staring at earth once more. At that moment, Keith being there was enough. He sighed and leaned his head down on the red paladins shoulder, feeling Keith tense before melting into Lance's touch. Lance's hand was resting on the small space of seat between them and Keith blushed further as he lay his own hand next to his, pressing his fingers just close enough to brush against Lances.

They watched the planets spin until late into the night and Lance felt a little less empty when he went to sleep, his dreams were full of dark eyes and red cheeks. He woke up to find his fingers curled to his pillow, looking for someone, unaware that Keith had woke the same.