Keith finally returns to the castle, everyone is over the moon at his return especially Lance. The paladins barely have time to acknowledge his arrival when Lance sprints towards Keith. Crashing into him, Lance lifts the boy in his arms with a squeal as he buries his face in Keith's shoulder. Putting the newly returned paladin down, Lance cracks a big old grin looking into the blue-gray eyes he missed so much.
"Missed having my rival around," Lance laughs giving his rival a light punch on the shoulder. Keith is a bit flustered from the unexpected welcoming, his fingers twitching towards his blade as he tries to keep his cool. He never thought that out of all the paladins Lance would be the one to greet him so lovingly.
The other paladins have finally come to join them: Shiro places a firm welcoming grip on Keith's shoulder, Hunk sports a cheerful "Welcome back, buddy", Pidge presents her fist for a long overdue fistbump, and Allura and Coran bow their heads to him. Keith missed his paladin family, he really did, but something told him that what he really missed was the grin-wearing-goof standing before him.
"Who's that?" Pidge perks up, pushing her glasses up her nose as she inspects the figure standing behind Keith. Keith turns around, motioning to the figure to come forward.
"This is Krolia," he explains, the Galra lady standing beside him. "My mother."
The paladins are all stunned. This is Keith's long-lost mother. No one knows what to say or do. Thankfully, Coran comes to the rescue. Shaking Krolia's hand, he welcomes her to the castle the way only Coran can by offering her an extensive tour.
"So, that's your mom?" Lance finally asks after Coran, Allura and Krolia leave to tour the castle.
"As I can see, mullet runs in the family," Pidge snickers earning a glare from Shiro.
"She seems nice," Shiro notes. "Where did you find her?"
Keith explains all the little details of his mission, the discovery of his mother, and the weird cryptic messages she was sending before he realized she was his mother. Normally, Lance would have laughed at his expense, saying that he should have realized it sooner considering their horrendous hairstyles, but he doesn't. Lance stays silent, biting his lower lip, and burying his hands in his pockets, all while looking lost in his own world.
Keith sits on the floor, his back against his bed sharpening his blades. At every mission, he'd steal one to add to his growing collection making each knife a memento to his survival. Unwrapping his mother's blade from its cloth, he traces it with the tip of his fingers, a frown etching itself on his tired face.
It's been a few days, Krolia seems to enjoy training with Keith but other than that Keith feels lost when interacting with her. Sure, he knows how to slice a fair amount of robots open, but he always feels like he's disappointing her. The way she scowls everytime he gets hit or how she continuously pushes him to train harder. What if he isn't the son she wanted? Maybe that's why she left him in the first place. He was a disappointment then and he still is now.
Thankfully, a knock interrupts his depressive thoughts. Sighing, he stands up opening the door to a hooded Lance. His hood covers his messy hair, his shaky hands are shoved into his pockets and his ever-glowing eyes are dead. Keith has never seen his rival this way and the throbbing in his chest tells him he wishes he never had.
"You, my friend, seem down," Lance explains, slithering his way into the room. "And I, loverboy Lance, am here to cheer you up." No matter how cocky he sounds or how hard he smirks, it never reaches his eyes.
"I don't need cheering up," Keith grunts, going back to his spot within his blade collection. Rocking on his feet, Lance inspects the bland room he'd been sneaking into every now and then during the past months. There were many quiet lonely nights spent hiding under the covers pretending that he wasn't entirely alone. He had missed Keith, whether he admitted it to himself or not. He had missed how the older boy tied his mullet up, biceps exploding in his jacket, hands roughly passing through his dark hair. How his shoulders straightened when he held a weapon. How his eyes twinkled when Lance found out about his hippopotamus love. He had missed everything about Keith.
With a huff, Lance finally plops himself down next to Keith. "I don't know, man... Look at you," he says, poking Keith's cheek. "You're all frowny and mopey... Looks to me like you need some major cheering up..." Lance mumbles the last part, hiding his face with his knees.
Turning towards the younger boy, Keith catches a glimpse of blue before they disappear into a wall of knee. It hurts seeing him like this, so closed off, so far... so like Keith.
"Don't tell Shiro..." Lance perks up to that, blues coming out of their hiding, piercing through Keith. "Okay?"
"Promise." Jutting out his long pinky, Lance's eyes soften, and in turn melting Keith's heart. Keith wraps his own pale finger around Lance's, their skin colours clashing like waves on sand.
"So..." Keith starts, not letting go of Lance's soft pinky. "I- Krolia is a mystery. I know nothing about her. And I- It's confusing."
"Confusing?" Lance leans his head on his knees, his soft cheek getting squished in the process. His eyes are not focused on Keith but on their hands slowly meshing together. The leather gloves wrapped around Keith's hand is rough on Lance's tan skin.
"Yea," Keith sighs, copying Lance by cradling his knees with his free hand. "I don't know what she's thinking, you know?" Lance hums in answer, fingers trailing Keith's palm. "What if she doesn't like me? What if she thinks I'm a complete failure? I-I don't-"
"Woah, slow your roll, kitten," Lance cuts Keith's worries off. "You're strong, courageous, and amazing. You are not a failure." Lance emphasizes the 'not' by gently squeezing Keith's hand. Keith can't help the slight blush that brushes onto his cheeks and the shy grin that sprouts onto his lips, nor the tightness in his chest when Lance calls him 'kitten'.
"Thanks... I'm glad you're here," Keith admits, tightening his grip on Lance. It's Lance's turn to feel the blood rush to his face as he stares into the eyes he's longed for so long.
"I missed you." Lance surprises himself when he blurts it out. From the red of Keith's face, he guesses Keith is surprised as well. "Um- I- I'm sor-"
"What?" Lance sits up, eyes wide, hand still clasped in Keith's.
"I missed you too," Keith restates, shuffling to the side until their bodies touch. "A lot, actually." They look into each other's eyes, both lost in the other's gaze, their cheeks warming up by the second. With a quick glance to Lance's soft lips, Keith flops his head onto the soft boy's shoulder. "Your turn."
"My turn?" Lance questions, delicately laying his head on top of the older boy's.
"Yea, what's bothering you?"
"You making me flustered," Lance thinks as he looks at their connected hands.
"I don't know," he starts quietly. "I miss home, I guess. Seeing Krolia, seeing you with your mom, it kind of hit me in the gut. I know it's selfish... but-" Lance sighs, and Keith gives him an encouraging squeeze. "I wish it was my mami and not yours. Don't get me wrong, I'm so happy for you, you deserve to be happy. But when I see her and you together I just- I want" His sobs cut him off.
Letting go of his hand for the first time, Keith grabs Lance in his arms. The younger boy is gasping through his tears as sobs run down his spine. Keith's whole body aches at the sight of Lance like this, but all he can do is squeeze him as tight as he can.
"It's okay," Keith whispers into Lance's soft hair. "I'm here."
Lance misses his mother, immensely. There isn't a single part of his being that does not ache to be in her comforting hold. He misses her smell: a mix of spices, ocean spray and love. He misses her voice, he can barely remember the sweet melody it made when she sang him those lullabies. Most importantly, he just misses being home with his family. He'd do anything to go back.
Sitting on the floor, cradled in each other's arms, the two boys yearn for the love of their mothers. Eventually moving to the bed, where limbs will tangle and whispers of praise will be shared. They will hold and support each other throughout the night, with the silent hope that this won't be a bonding moment forgotten.
