Please consider, Omega Keith deliberately hiding who he is from the rest of the paladins (including Hunk, the only other Omega on the castleship). Then one day something snaps and they all find out in a pretty unexpected way. Keith literally locks himself away and refuses to talk, but Hunk pushes through and they have a one to one talk about it. And Hunk admits that he wants to hide it too sometimes but it's just more freeing to not have to hide anything, and maybe Keith might find it easier too
I hope it’s ok that I post this to twitter too. Wish it were longer but I’ve been writing all day and my brain is a jumbled mess. Thank you for the prompt lovely anon!!:
Keith has been good about hiding his status as an omega. He’s taken all his pills and sprayed his scent glands with his scent-neutralizing perfume every day and been careful about his language. When the others talk Alpha talk, he bites the soft inside of his cheek to keep from blurting anything out. He doesn’t want to say anything that might give away that he doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Though, occasionally, Lance will turn to him and slap his back, and ask him when he’s gonna go into rut.
“What self-respecting Alpha takes pills to stop their ruts?” Lance just can’t seem to understand why an Alpha would want to be reserved. Not that Keith is an Alpha- but neither Allura nor Shiro nor Pidge act like Lance. So, he’s convinced it’s more a Lance thing than it is an Alpha thing.
“It’s Keith’s choice- “Shiro says, landing his large palm around Keith’s small shoulder, “Not every Alpha likes to be so focused on these things, Lance.” He smiles at Keith a warm smile.
“Not to speak for all omegas but, y’know, I think Keith has kind of the right idea.” Hunk walks over to Keith and bumps shoulders with him.
The subject moves on, but Keith’s mind doesn’t.
He finds out, eventually, that no secret stays a secret forever.
They’re sent out on a mission without their Lions- who need time to recharge their quintessence. While they’re camping, wild animals attack their tents; there’s no time to think or react, Keith doesn’t grab his bag as they flee. He does hear bottles breaking though and looks back to see his bag in the animal’s mouth. Shiro has to grab his arm to get him to keep moving.
That bag held the last of his pills and the last of his neutralizing perfume. Neither the Castleship nor the Lions have the capability to fly them to a swapmoon- not for weeks. But the pills stop working after a few missed doses and the heat that comes after that is always brutal.
He doesn’t even make it to his heat- his scent comes in along with his preheat.
Keith walks into the kitchen one morning, feet shuffling and socks whispering along the metal of the floor, desperate for food.
Shiro’s in there, mug of coffee held in his hands, leaning against the counter. “Hey, Kei-“ he stops and his nose scrunches. He sets his mug back onto the counter and steps into Keith’s space. From up close Keith can see that the black of his pupils are overtaking the gray of his eyes. He sniffs, inhaling loudly and groaning before he pulls away like the air around Keith had been set ablaze. “Keith, you’re… You’re an Omega?”
Keith turns to run away but Lance and Hunk are standing at the doorway of the kitchen. Lance balks and Hunk’s eyebrows draw together but he doesn’t look as surprised as Lance. Keith bolts through them, forcing them apart bodily.
He locks himself in his room.
All the team try to get him to open the door. At first, they just say they want to talk. Then as the day gets later, they try to bribe him to at least get food.
He refuses them.
Until it’s Hunk- who doesn’t ask to come in. He just asks that Keith listen.
“I get why you wanted to hide it- or… I think I have an idea of why. It’s not easy being an Omega and there are a lot of stereotypes. Sometimes I want to hide it too. But you’re not alone. Ok?”
Keith opens his door and lets Hunk in, and when the man sweeps him into a tight hug, he squeezes back and lets his tears be soaked into the fabric of Hunk’s shirt.