**I do not own Voltron: Legendary Defender (duh)

CHAPTER 41: TOGETHER

Taiki Shirogane was a quiet and kind man. He was also stubborn and deadly efficient when it came to his work, and it was then that Keith realized where Shiro and Mari had gotten their diligent and selfless attitudes from. Despite his age and bad leg, Taiki showed up each day on site, determined to see their project through to the end. Of course, Keith was right there with him, helping out where he could.

He was finally doing it. He had settled all the necessary contracts and had made all the necessary preparations. With Taiki overseeing the project, the last one he would be taking on before he retired, the construction of the new house was well underway.

The rebuild went startlingly fast. Thanks to the once alien tech that was now well integrated into Earth machinery and thanks to the help of many inhumanly skilled construction workers, it only took several months for the project to be completed. It almost didn't seem real to Keith, watching as his childhood home was reconstructed piece by piece right before his eyes. In no time, it was the final day. The place he had longed to return to with his dad was now finally standing before him, finished.

"How's she look?" Taiki asked, leaning against the open front door frame of the house. The morning rays streamed freely through the entrance and windows, already warming up the air in the rooms. They'd have to turn on the air conditioning soon lest they be baked alive.

Keith stood in the center of what had been and would be the living room. He took in all the walls and floors, their materials brand new. Everything was bare, not a single piece of furniture or decor in sight. But even with all its emptiness, he could see his old home in the identical layout and structures.

"Everything looks…exactly the same," he said, his heart clenching with the long-missed familiarity of it all.

Krolia fondly ran her hand along the fireplace mantel. "Well, almost exactly," she decided, her fingers coming back free of the dust and splinters that had adorned the original.

She was right. With the brand new and longer-lasting materials, this house would never be the same one that had been in the Kogane Family for generations. No matter how similar it looked, it would never have those ancient scratches and stains, dents and bumps. But their loss was the price to pay for a safer, more comfortable home. And Keith was more than happy with the final outcome.

"It's still missing that lived-in character that comes with old houses," Taiki admitted with a helpless shrug, unable to dispute her. Then looking at Keith, he added, "But that's the fun of breaking in a new place. I'll leave it up to you to give it some new character."

Keith nodded in agreement, more than sure that he wouldn't be doing it alone either. "Thank you for all your help, sir," he said, moving towards Taiki and holding out an appreciative hand to him. "This means a lot to me."

Taiki warmly took it, giving it a gentle shake. "It was my pleasure, Keith," he replied softly. His dark gray eyes were tired, but full of an understanding light. A knowing gleam flashed in them as he said, "I'm excited to see this place turn into a real home for you."

Keith's smile widened, his nerves flaring a bit at the sight of that encouraging glint. Over the past few months during the construction, they'd had many long conversations about certain things coming in the near future. And that thing had been sitting in his pocket for even longer, right next to Danua's little rock. Even now, he had it on him, ready and waiting for the right moment to be popped out to a certain someone.

"I am too," he said just as the screeching of tires sounded outside.

Taiki chuckled. "Sounds like the move-in party is here earlier than expected."

Moving to the porch and standing next to where Kosmo was sprawled out, they watched as two Garrison vehicles pulled to a halt in front of the house. Detachable cargo trailers had been hooked up to their rears, and the clouds of stirred-up dust were already settling behind them. Several familiar forms emerged from the cars, each one with varying levels of enthusiasm.

"Geez, Pidge," Lance groaned, massaging his temples. He'd donned casual Earth garb today, yet he still wore the shiny Altean circlet that announced his princely-hood. "You can't call me a reckless pilot when you drive like that."

Coran sighed with relief, bending over on wobbly legs. "Oh, thank the ancients Allura rode with Shiro," he wheezed.

Hunk clutched his stomach, his face looking green around the edges. "I think I would've preferred Chip to drive us here," he nodded weakly.

Pidge looked like she wanted to strangle them. "Oh, shut up, it wasn't that bad," she snapped, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose. "If Chip wasn't helping Matt upgrade the Garrison's satellite systems today, I would've made him play chauffeur."

"Wow. What a wonderful mother you are to him," Scarlett drawled as she and then Mitsubishi hopped out of the second vehicle. Mari was quick to follow while Shiro helped Allura to disembark.

"Ha ha! Whoa! It's so weird seeing a house here!" His queasiness gone in a flash, Hunk beamed as he glanced between the little shack and the new building next to it. "Man, it feels like it's been forever since we were last here."

"Yeah, not since we rescued Shiro and found the Blue Lion," Pidge said, a small smirk tugging at her lips as her gaze landed on the red hoverbike parked outside.

Their group of new arrivals stepped onto the porch, joining Keith, Krolia, and Taiki as they entered the house. Lance whistled, a grin stretching out across his face as he stood in the center of the empty living room.

"Whoo! This place looks nice!" He placed his hands on his hips, his eyes sweeping over the space. "I mean, it's nothing compared to a castle. But this fits your rugged, lone wolf style. Could totally see you as a cowboy out here. If you ever decide to start up a ranch like your ancestors, I can hook you up with some livestock."

Keith rolled his eyes. "Thanks, but I'll leave the farming stuff to you."

"I quite like it," Allura chimed in, her eyes sparkling in the morning light as she took in the humble abode. "It's wonderful that you rebuilt such an important part of your family's history."

"You guys did a great job," Shiro said, casting his dad and Keith a congratulatory nod.

"Yeah," Keith agreed, his smile returning as Mari sidled up next to him. She slipped her hand into his and he gave it a small squeeze. "It was worth the long wait."

Mari hummed, quiet for a moment as she regarded the unfurnished room. "So, what's the first thing on the agenda for spiffing this place up?" she wondered.

The others turned to him, waiting for his orders. Now that the house was complete, the next daunting task awaited him: actually moving in. Keith took a steadying breath, ready to get this done and over with.

"My dad put most of our stuff from the old house in a storage unit downtown," he explained. "We'll see what's salvageable and go from there."

After taking Taiki back home, the rest of their move-in crew tackled the storage unit. Old furniture, appliances, and boxes of miscellaneous home goods were stacked from front to back inside, having been left untouched for years. It would've taken Keith weeks to go through it all and take it back home. But thankfully, with the others here, hopefully they could get it done in just a few days.

Hour after hour ticked by as they gradually began to load up the cargo trailers and empty the unit. Two additional piles were created as well: one for trash and the other for items to donate to charity and the Plaht City community center. Dust filled the air and sneezes ensued. Accidents happened and a few things wound up broken and chucked. But despite the hiccups, Keith found the whole process admittedly enjoyable. It was a relief finally clearing out the place, a weight several long years in the making finally lifting off his shoulders as he got to return everything back to where it belonged.

"Are you sure you've got it?" Lance was once again hovering over Allura as she easily lifted an armchair that had been covered with a sheet. "Hunk and I can carry that for you."

Allura frowned, her patience thinning. He'd been fretting over her ever since they'd opened the storage unit and had begun moving things. "I am fine, Lance," she assured him for what was probably the hundredth time. "You don't need to worry so much. I am quite capable of carrying things on my own."

She moved towards the exit and he was quick to follow. "I-I know," he stammered, no doubt sensing her irritation as he restlessly rubbed the back of his neck. "But…I just don't want you to accidentally hurt yourself."

Allura grunted as she set down the chair in one of the trailers. "Lance, that is very sweet of you," she began, granting him a small smile. "But I'm pregnant. Not completely helpless. I can handle this much."

"She's right, Lance," Coran piped up, swiftly loading another armchair. "I've told you, Altean bodies are much sturdier than a human's, especially during pregnancy. And Allura has much more stamina and strength than most Alteans." He paused, casting her a worried look before adding, "Still, be careful not to overexert yourself, Your Majesty."

Allura huffed, her annoyance returning. "I'll be fine," she insisted, marching past them to grab another item to load. "You two worry too much."

Coran hurried after her, but dared not question or lecture her again. Lance's brow remained pinched with worry, looking like he wanted to argue. But he said nothing, settling for casting her quick glances every few minutes while he moved on to his next task. Hunk patted his shoulder sympathetically and the others exchanged helpless smiles.

Lance, the big family man, was understandably nervous. Not only for Allura, the love of his life and his most precious person, but for the new life they had created that she now carried. They would be their first child, the first prince or princess of new Altea. They would be the next heir to the Altean throne, the first one to have been born in over ten thousand years. Suffice it to say, all of Altea was overjoyed and excited for their queen, almost to the point where all of their eager and overprotective attention was becoming rather smothering to Allura. She'd practically jumped at the opportunity to escape to Earth for a few days when Keith had mentioned he'd need help moving in.

"The Space Family keeps growing," Mitsubishi stated, his hair a mellow yellow as he watched Allura pluck up an end table and carry it out. "I wonder if they'll be a boy or a girl."

Scarlett shrugged. "Either way, let's just hope for the sake of Altea, they take after Allura instead of Lance."

"Hey!" Lance shrilled, his worry twisting into indignation. "I am a great leader, for your information!"

When Scarlett raised a doubtful brow, Coran came to his defense. "Lance has actually become quite knowledgeable about the Altean culture and lifestyle ever since Altea's return. Naturally, he's our best pilot too," he provided, pinching his mustache with pride. "I must say, even I'm impressed. If I didn't know any better, I would think he was born and raised on Altea."

Allura nodded in agreement. "Sometimes even I half expect his ears to point and for markings to appear on his face one day," she teased.

Lance scowled at her, self-consciously brushing his fingers against his rounded ears as if to make sure they hadn't suddenly transformed. Allura chuckled and tenderly patted his cheek. "The people love him," she assured them with a smile. "They find his charismatic attitude and knowledge of Earth very fun and refreshing. Lance is a much loved ruler and teacher to our people."

Lance's expression softened as he looked at her, the confident light returning to his gaze. "Thank you, Allura," he murmured, and their Quintessence Rings seemed to glow brighter the longer they stared lovingly at one another.

Pidge rolled her eyes and stifled a gag before turning away from the lovey-dovey scene. "But the planet would still totally fall apart without you, Allura," she said, and Allura's grin widened.

"Oh, absolutely," she agreed without even a hint of hesitation.

Lance pouted. "Hey…Well, actually, I can't argue with that," he admitted, and the others laughed good-naturedly.

Inch by inch, Keith continued to unpack a surplus of family history and long-forgotten keepsakes from his childhood. Heirlooms, picture frames, boxes filled with his dad's clothes, even baby toys and his old bed, now much too small for him. In the way back of the unit, Krolia had even stumbled upon his high chair and crib.

"I remember when your father first put this together," she murmured. Her gaze was soft and sad as she regarded the empty cradle, picturing the precious infant she had laid there countless times. Then she smiled and shook her head. "He really kept this thing…So sentimental."

Keith couldn't disagree with her there. He remembered how it had sat in his dad's bedroom for years, unused. He never understood why they'd kept it considering his dad had no plans to fill it with another occupant. It was just a crib, but now, for some reason, Keith felt an odd attachment to the thing as he watched his mother stand over it. There was no use keeping it, he knew. But it was in great condition and he at least wanted it to be used by someone else who needed it. Someone he knew would take good care of it.

"Allura, do you want a crib and a kid's bed?" he asked, turning to her.

Allura blinked at him, almost surprised. "Thank you, Keith, that's very generous of you. But we've already gotten everything we need for the baby," she politely declined.

"Can always just put them in the donation pile," Scarlett reminded him.

Keith's heart ached at the thought. "I…don't want to part with them like that," he barely uttered, his face heating up in embarrassment as he realized this, but he hadn't gone unheard.

"If your dad built these, you should keep them, then," Mari piped up, giving him a warm and reassuring smile. "For the memories, at least."

"Yeah. You can always make them into a bed for Kosmo too," Pidge pitched in. "Bae Bae loves her lil doggie bed."

Keith frowned. He wasn't even sure if Kosmo could fit in either one of the beds. Still, he said nothing, unable to admit his lingering sentimentality for the things that he'd inherited from his father.

"So…into the trailer with the kiddie beds?" Hunk wondered finally, breaking the silence.

Keith sighed, caving. He had plenty of space in the house. He could just keep them in an empty room with all of his dad's things.

"Sure. Why not."

With the storage unit cleaned out, the next few days were a flurry of unpacking, rearranging furniture, decorating, and running to the store to purchase new decor and appliances when old ones turned out not to work anymore. The important documents and albums from the shack were moved inside, leaving the space as a sort of storage shed and backup house. His and Mari's things were transferred from their Garrison living space and placed in their own respective bedrooms. And after the living room, kitchen, bathrooms, and dining room had been filled, two extra bedrooms were left in the house to be used as guest rooms or offices.

Then finally, finally, they were finished with the house. Warm and welcoming and up to code, it was more than ready to be lived in. Keith hoped his dad could see it now from wherever he was. He'd finally completed the long-awaited project that had been started all those years ago.

Kosmo was still full of surprises.

The first night Keith had spent in the house, the cosmic canine had whined and whimpered on the porch. He was too large now to fit through the front entrance, but he could easily teleport inside. Yet even then, the ceilings were too low for him, forcing him to constantly crouch. He couldn't move around freely without threatening to knock something over, and it didn't take long for him to retreat outside. He'd stared at Keith and Mari through the window for a long moment, his golden eyes bright with a frustrated determination to join them.

Then, his massive form had glowed. But instead of trying to teleport inside again, he'd started to shrink right before their very eyes, initially scaring the daylights out of them. Thankfully, his transformation had stopped and he hadn't shrunken out of existence. But now, he was as small as he had been when Keith and Krolia had first found him as a puppy. He freely milled about the house and snuggled up to his humans without any crushing discomfort. Later, they discovered he could continue to change his size like this at will, now that he was a matured adult. It was just another wondrous ability of the cosmic wolf from the Quantum Abyss.

The next morning, while they were waiting for the rest of their group to arrive for the official housewarming party Lance insisted they have, Mari presented Keith with a surprise of her own.

"An album?" He stared at the brand new photo book, taking in its warm red color and how 'KOGANE' had been printed in gold letters on the spine.

"Yeah." She was sitting across from him at the kitchen table, tightly clasping her mug of morning tea. She said nothing more, watching him intently through nervous eyes and waiting for his reaction.

Keith ran his fingers over the cover, the leather smooth beneath his touch. When he opened it to flip through the many empty pages, he stopped short upon seeing the photo already placed in the first slip. It was his dad holding him up in front of the old house, the two of them posing and grinning from ear to ear. It was the "Before" photo, and the space beneath it was empty and ready for the "After" shot. Keith blinked at it and then at her, at a loss for words as his heart throbbed.

"I-It's just a little gift to celebrate things coming full-circle for you. …You know, sorta to mark a new beginning in your life," Mari stammered, awkward and sheepish as she quickly filled the silence he had created. "But! But, we can put it back in the original album if you don't want it there."

Keith smiled at her, an amused chuckle escaping his lips as the fire burned hotter in his core. She really was too kind…He loved her so much. "No, it's perfect here," he assured her, more certain of this than anything else. "Thank you, Mari."

The tension instantly left her shoulders and she grinned. She took a chipper swing from her cup, all aglow now that her initial apprehension had disappeared. The longer he looked at her, the heavier that thing in his pocket seemed to get, reminding him of what he was planning to do today, what he'd been planning to do for months and months once the house was finished. And now in their peaceful moment of silence, Keith found himself reaching for it, his heart racing erratically as he prepared to go for it.

But before he could, Mari chugged the last of her drink and let out a satisfied gasp before firmly returning the mug to the table. "Let's take a picture!" she suggested.

Keith's attempt was instantly snuffed. "What? Right now?"

"Yeah!"

The caffeine clearly kicking in, she jumped from her seat and marched for the door with Kosmo following right at her heels. Keith hesitated before standing and trailing after her. From the cool shade of the porch, he watched as she set up her phone on a tripod outside, the morning rays roasting the surrounding desert landscape. When she bounded back to meet him, a giddy grin was stretched across her face.

"You ready?" she asked, the timer she'd set no doubt already counting down.

Keith grimaced. He wanted to go back inside, follow through with his plan before he completely lost his nerve and delayed it another day. "It's too early for this," he weakly protested.

"C'mon, we gotta start filling that album somehow," she pressed.

"Maybe we should wait until the others are here."

She rolled her eyes at his stalling, but she wouldn't cave. "This one will just be to test the camera," she insisted. "We'll take another one together with them when they get here to commemorate the finished rebuild and all our hard work."

She pointed to the camera then, and Keith was suddenly struck with a sense of déjà vu. This was it, that vision of the future he'd seen in the Quantum Abyss. It was finally coming to fruition. It was his reality now. He and the paladins had saved the universe. He'd rebuilt the house. He'd achieved the future he had been striving for.

He'd finally found his home.

All at once, Keith felt his restlessness fade away. Wrapping his arm around Mari's shoulders, he held her close, the two of them smiling freely as the camera flashed. But unlike in the Quantum Abyss, the scene didn't fade in a burst of white light. His life was continuing, right here and now. A future of possibilities awaited him, and he was ready to take the next step and share it with the precious person standing right in front of him.

As Mari scooped up Kosmo, ready to take another picture with him, Keith reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring he'd been holding onto for so long.

**Check out my tumblr to see some cool art: pufftheninja