Chapter 2

"I don't understand the problem." Kolivan was sitting in his command chair with his head leaning against his fist. His blank face staring at the Paladin's from the screen he was being displayed upon at the Castle of Lions bridge. "Surely, you are capable of taking care of a single cub." He insisted.

Coran pulled at his mustache while staring down at the small toddler who had seemed to claim Keith as their own personal pillow. The tiny thing snuggled under the paladin's chin with its white curls cascading around its even tinier shoulders. The cub looked so tired and helpless making Coran reconsider his thoughts on the matter of having a tiny thing running around a war ship. "Well, it is just a child." Coran considered the options while a frown. "However, the castle isn't child proof nor a really safe place for such a wee thing." He insisted as he turned towards Kolivan.

"Nor is the Blade of Marmora headquarters any place for a child. Your castle is the safest place in all the galaxies. You have plenty of well bodied people. You have Voltron. There are always at least two of you on board while the lions are out. Again, I see no issue in you taking care of the cub. It is only temporary afterall." He insisted with a tired sigh. "I am not asking you to adopt the cub but merely to watch the little one until I can locate the closest of kin."

"How long might that be?" This time it was Keith asking the questions. His eyes looked from the sleeping pup up towards Kolivan, speaking ever so softly to not wake the toddler.

Kolivan pinched the crown of his nose. "I do not know. But for now, the pup is in your hands."

Coran and the others looked towards one another to only shrug their shoulders at one another. Well, how hard could it be to take care of one tiny toddler? They certainly did out number the child and Kolivan was making good points that was starting to become hard to argue. Allura stared at them all for a long moment.

"If the child is to stay here then might we know the little ones name?" As soon as she asked the question she realized Kolivan had no idea the child's name. He shifted in his chair uncomfortably.

"There was no record of the child's name and no one to inquire. I leave the naming to you. Now, if you pardon me I have parental units to find." Kolivan cut the feed. Leaving Allura to look at her paladin's and Coran with a small shrug.

"Well," She started with a smile. "How hard can it be to take care of one child?" She asked with a small chuckle. Coran on the other hand was pulling at his mustache as if he wanted to say something but decided not too. Instead the elder Altean smile softly.

"I suppose I should go see what we have in storage. We might have something we can use as bed for the child. Perhaps some old toys to keep...um…" Coran suddenly stopped himself as his eye narrowed slightly at the child. Slowly, his eyes rose to meet Keith's. The two made eye contact for a long moment.

Feeling uneasy the hybrid pulled back, "What?"

"Um, Keith." Coran started delicately. "What is the gender of the child?" It then occurred to tiny group that this had never been brought up nor did Kolivan deliver such information. Then again, from how the leader of the blades was acting one had to wonder if he even knew the answers to that question.

"I, ah, I don't know. I mean, the kid looks like a little girl?" Keith offered as he looked down at the sleeping child. "I think…" He trailed off. The small bundle of joy had feminine qualities but so did some of the males of the Galra race. It was honestly quite difficult to tell the difference at a glance which meant only one thing. The only way to tell the gender of the child is when they would need a bath or...made a mess..which speaking of which the child was starting to smell. Keith, with a stronger nose then most caught one whiff and lifted the stirring child away from him in offence. "Oh god!" He declared a bit too dramatically.

Pidge was the first to realize what was happening, "Nope! I tap. I'm out!" The green paladin quickly vacated the area soon followed by a nervous Hunk muttering about his stomach issues. Allura just sorta took a step back. Shiro just stares at his husband and the child while Coran just makes his way out the door. He did have things to attend too after all!

Lance was the only one not to look offended or concerned. With a sigh he plucked the waking child from Keith. "Really, you guys are a bunch of losers. I got this." Lance shook his head and started out of the bridge. The little one seemed to be fully awake and wide eyed. The child took one look at Lance and burst into tears with its tiny arms reaching out for someone.

"And the kid's unhappy." Lance stated, turning on his heels he held the toddler out towards the remaining crew. The kid screamed at each member as Lance rotated the toddler around the room to take in each person. When he pointed rotated the child to Keith the toddler just started giggling. Making Keith the winner.

The paladin looked at his friend with a raised brow while Keith just sighed. "Why me?"

"Because your purple and your mommy."

"I am NOT mommy!"

Lance shrugged with a snicker, "Tell that to pipsqueak."

Ten minutes later, Keith had learned many things about Lance he never realized. One being that a dirty diaper did not offend him. He could handle a toddler as easy as he could his sword or rifle. Next, Lance was the king of high speed changing and disposing of ruined diapers. It left Keith in wonder. "How did you…?"

A snort came from the paladin of red. "Please, I have a thousand siblings as well as a massive family. The number of diapers I have changed in my life greatly outweighs the entire Galra Empire. Also, for the record, we have a little girl." Plopping the now fully awake and fresh child in Keith's hands. "Best we figure out a name. Can't all her "Kiddo" forever."

Keith continued to stare at his fellow paladin before following after him, toddler resting on hip. "N-name? I don't know what to name her! I mean...that's like a forever...isn't?"

"Until the child is old enough and tells you how horrible your naming skills are then promptly changes her name into something like Francesca."

"That's a horrible name."

"And the name of my youngest sister, thank you. Anyways, if your so worried about naming her why don't you go ask Shiro? Or better yet, why don't you call your Mom?" Then again, Lance thought to himself, Krolia named him Keith and that wasn't the most bread winning name either. Making a face he turned on his heels and pointed two index fingers at him. "On second thought, ask Shiro only. I personally vote on Novia or Esmeralda."

With that, Lance rotated town a separate hallway that would lead to his bedroom. Keith, now alone took a moment to look at the small cub who was happily teething on his braid. Sighing, he pulled the braid out of the child's mouth with a look of disgust. "Ew. Just. Ew."

Well, he supposed Lance did have a point and that little girl did need a name. Perhaps he should go visit with the other paladin's to see about what they might call her?