A/N

Yea! I am finally back online. Everything in and around my house seemed to break at the same time: my car, our heating system, refrigerator, our computer modem, and then our washer. Only the washer has yet to be fixed. I have been dying to get this next chapter out, so here you go.

Thank you for reviews, faves, and follows!

Paulina Ann: I love to write Lance because the one-liners are so appropriate for him. Only he can truly make Allura blush like that.

cubbieBlueMako: Thank you for noticing my little subtleties. I am working on incorporating more of those into my stories. Lance assist coming soon!

Smithy: Koran is easier to imagine being accepting of the KA relationship, while Nanny, well, you know how Nanny normally reacts. One of the two will be explored in this. Haven't figured out if the other will play a part. I am still working on flushing out the ending.

Limetwist: Lance and Allura have the ultimate bro/ sis friendship. I just don't see their relationship as romantic at all (Don't hate on me LAers! I respect your views; I am just a KA girl at heart.) That's why they have the best bestie relationship.

JustLucky: Thank you! More yumminess coming now.

I envisioned this whole library sleeping arrangement like the scene in the New York Library from the movie The Day After Tomorrow. How fun can cohabitation be?

Rated T

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron.

Chapter 5

Keith sighed in relief as he finally settled Black Lion in the reparations bay. Finishing his final sweep moments before, he dialed Hunk to alert the Yellow Lion pilot that it was his turn to take patrol. Hunk grumbled at first, but stopped when Keith admitted he was cold and exhausted.

Freezing was not a strong enough word to use to describe how Keith felt. His feet were numb and his hands achy. He shivered all over. Looking forward to getting into some heavier clothes, Keith keyed in the commands that would open the hatch. Settling into a slight jog, he headed to the main part of the castle and to his personal quarters. The sooner he got changed, the sooner he could head to the library and check on his princess.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Thirty minutes later, Keith finally headed to the library. Arriving at his room, he hesitated for several minutes at the thought of peeling his uniform off in the middle of the frigid air, but he didn't have a choice. He couldn't change in the library. The princess would be there. He finally just did it, ridding himself of his uniform and putting on heavy thermals and sweats in record time. With thick socks on his feet and a black ski cap on his head, Keith looked like he was ready for a snowball fight rather than slumber. Not caring, he felt relieved that he could feel his extremities again.

Grabbing his thick comforter from off his bed, Keith shoved his feet into his slippers and padded down the hall to the library. Keying in the code, he was greeted by a room bathed in warm, cheery firelight.

The grand room stood three stories tall. Floor to ceiling shelves full of leather bound books lined three of the four walls. On the wall across from the door, a huge fireplace with an ornate marble mantle glowed with a roaring fire. Several plush couches and overstuffed chairs occupied the space in the middle of the room, flanked by wooden coffee tables and end tables. The room was a reading lover's dream come true, and Keith had spent many a night in the luxurious room lost in the pages of a good book.

Sighing in relief, Keith found that the room was several degrees warmer than his quarters and the hallway. Looking around, the commander noticed Pidge sound asleep on the end of one of the large couches, his mouth open as he snored lightly. Koran occupied one of the overstuffed chairs, his feet propped up on the matching ottoman. The advisor's head leaned back and the hairs of his mustache twitched as he breathed in and out. Chuckling to himself, Keith couldn't help but realize that though Allura's guardian claimed to trust Force with the princess, he stayed to keep an eye on things just in case.

Looking around, Keith noticed that the other couch was empty and Lance was nowhere to be found. He must have slipped out to find warmth with one of the many pretty maids that he had befriended during their years on Arus. Befriended with benefits would be a more accurate description. Keith fumed at his friend's irresponsible actions. The commander would need to take him to task for leaving the princess alone.

Keith allowed his eyes to flit over to Allura. The princess lay curled up on the other end of Pidge's couch, her blankets forming a cocoon around her prone form. Walking over to her, Keith ran a light hand over her soft cheek. Gods, how he missed her. Every day, he ached to touch her. The gentle caress of his hand elicited a soft moan from her. His body tightened in response. Groaning softly in frustration, Keith glanced at Koran to make sure he was still asleep. Confirming the fact, he bent over and brushed a soft kiss on the princess's forehead. She didn't waken, but snuggled deeper into her blankets with a contented sigh. He swore he heard "Keith" escape her lips.

Walking over to the fireplace, he added a few more logs to the flames. The blaze danced jovially. Feeling exhaustion threaten to overtake him, he decided it was time to settle in for the night. Close to the fire and within line of sight of Allura, another plush chair sat near the princess's head. Deciding it would make a good bed for the night, Keith sat down. His body sunk down into the deep seat. As his body was enveloped by the soft cushions, he pulled his comforter around his chilled body. Feeling warm for the first time all day and knowing that Allura was only a few feet away, Keith quickly fell asleep.

VVVVVVVVVV

Several hours later just as dawn peeked over the horizon, Allura stretched languidly from a relatively warm and comfortable sleep. Opening her azure eyes, she glanced around the library. Blankets and linens were tossed haphazardly around the room, the only sign that six of them had slept there the night before.

Hunk had occupied the chair closest to the door. Having vacated the spot hours ago when he left for his patrol, the Yellow Lion pilot left his favorite Broncos sweatshirt behind. Lance had slept on the couch across from Allura. It too was empty. Allura remembered waking up about three am to see Lance sneaking out of the library, attempting to fix his hair as he went. She giggled as she remembered pondering what lucky girl he was scurrying off to meet.

Pidge and Allura decided to share the last remaining couch, figuring the Green Lion pilot posed the least threat to the princess's virtue. He had taken one end and Allura had taken the other, with their feet meeting in the middle. That space was empty now. Pidge had probably been sought out by Hunk to help get the castle power generators back online.

Glancing around the room again, Allura saw no sign of her overprotective guardian, who had slept in one of the chairs that flanked the couches. He, too, had probably been summoned to Control to deal with the offline computer systems. Yawning, she wondered why she had been permitted to sleep in. Where was Keith? As she glanced at the other chair to her right, a tender smile crossed the princess's beautiful face.

It appeared to be a lump of blankets. The only sign that a person occupied the chair was the top of a black ski cap that peeked out from under the thick comforter. Rising, Allura walked over to the chair. She shuddered as she dropped her blanket, realizing that the heat must still be off. As she exhaled, she could see her breath. The blaze in the fireplace had died long ago, only a few glowing embers still remained. As a result, the room was chilled. Looking at her commander, she smiled at how peaceful and content he looked in his slumber. He also looked warm.

A sly smile crossed the princess's face. They were alone. She doubted anyone would be along any time soon. What would it hurt to crawl in next to Keith, just to feel him against her for a bit? Mind made up, Allura shed her blanket and lifted the covers. She sat down in the large chair and snuggled her body tightly against Keith. The commander mumbled but didn't awaken as he shifted closer to Allura's soft curves. Smiling, warm and content, Allura laid her head against Keith's broad chest. She wrapped her arm around his waist. Knowing she could be happy doing this for the rest of her life, the princess of Arus fell back to a deep sleep.