Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

March 9th:
Day 1: pets/kids

Keith grunted as he reached the end of the steep hill he’d fallen down, his shoulder burnt from the blaster’s shot. He groaned as he came to a halt, blinking slowly to try and get the world to stop spinning, the com was nothing but static, one his to many on hard rock’s had wrecked it.
Keith slowly pushed himself up to his feet hissing and groaning in pain at the bruises. He stumbled lightly as he got to his feet and looked around; he was in a valley of sort. The ground was covered in vines and small purple plants. He looked to the hill he’d just rolled down and grimaced, it was his only way up.

  “Well this is just great.” Keith spat and started to move to start to climb up, his hands and feet pushed the sand away as he slowly climbed as it didn’t want to hold hi weight making him sink back to the vine covered ground all over again. “Quiznak.” Keith hissed as he took some steps away from the hill before he started to run he came about a meter before he sank back down. He shouted in frustration before he sat down with a string of curses, which would make Shiro hit him upon the head if he heard.
Keith glared at the ground, before he got back to his feet and looked to his sides. He walked off to the left to see if he could find another way back up.

He wasn’t sure how far he walked when he felt something that just felt wrong; he halted and looked around, his instincts rung alarm bells in his head but he couldn’t see anything that would be dangerous. He didn’t see anything, but then he heard a low inhuman whine ahead.

He started to move slowly and as he passed a pillar of the cliff that made the other side of the valley fell his eyes on a four legged creature that looked like a strange mix between a armadillo and otter, it was big as a horse and was in yellow red colours that mixed to orange in a pattern that reminded him of a tiger. It lied on its side back towards him, a dark substance thick like tar dripping down the armour plates, unmoving.

Keith stared before he slowly moved forward, closer to the strange mix of armadillo and otter.

The whining noise came again and Keith now saw how several small armadillo otters buffed at the bigger one whining again, they were between a big cat and a small bunny in size.

Keith moved closer slowly, and as he got a better look on the bigger armadillo otter did he feel his chest clench, the big one had a bad looking wound that was smudged in darkness and had black dark blue blood oozing out thick like tar from its entire chest aria.

The small one squeaked in fright and rolled to a ball when they saw him white the bigger ones growled in protectiveness and looked at Keith with dark eyes.
Keith looked back not sure what to do.
The big armadillo otter was clearly dead, and here the offspring’s were without a protector or parent.

Keith grimaced and looked to the small ones who had peeked out and looked at him with dark curious but weary eyes, Keith moved slowly as he sank to his knees before them, he held out his hands slowly. The baby armadillo otters sniffed at it in confusion some nipped at his fingers as the smaller ones unfolded themselves from the ball and moved up to him whining as they buffed at him for comfort.

Keith sent out a call for Red and it didn’t take long before the red lion landed close by, scaring all of the armadillo otters into rolling up tight into balls. Red tilted her head in confusion when Keith tried to calm them down. She lowered her head slowly and opened her maw. He managed to get all of the 10 small ones inside Red who chuckled and purred at them as they sniffed away inside. As Keith took the pilot chair opening the com and removing his helmet since it wouldn’t do him any good in its wrecked state.

  “Uh, guys.” He said.

  “KEITH!” he heard Hunk and Pidge scream

  “Oh thank god, you’re okay.” That was Shiro, voice overflowing with relief.

  “See I told you guys he was fine.” Lance spoke and Keith could hear the smirk

*

Keith returned to the castle and waited for a moment and turned around to look at the puppy pile the armadillo otters had made in one of the corners of Red’s cockpit.

  “Come on.” Keith said and beckoned them to followed, they all followed without hesitation.

Red opened her maw and Keith walked outside followed by the tiny hoard. The smaller ones rolled to a ball and rolled down before squeaking happily at it spun around on its back. Keith chuckled, holding his helmet in one hand as he pushed it back to its feet.
He moved to the bridge where the others were followed by the hoard, the door opened and he and the small animals walked inside. Lance stared with wide eyes mouth hanging open as if he had problem believing what he saw, Hunk gave all of the small ones star eyes.

  “Keith.” Shiro’s voice was disapproving and Keith looked up at him to see how he stood with arms crossed having a staring match with one of the older animals. “What are these?” Keith cleared his throat and crossed his arms.

  “Uh...”

  “Oh stars! It’s a hoard of baby Dasypodinaes!” Coran cooed loudly sinking down and picking up one staring at it with shiny eyes. “Haven’t seen one of these in years.” He looked to Keith “Where did you find them?”

  “Uh... well... I found their mother I think... she was dead and I couldn’t just leave them to fend for themselves.” Keith said

  “Keith we talked about brining wild animals home.” Shiro groaned placing his face in his hand.

  “I couldn’t just leave them! They looked at me with their dark eyes- and I just couldn’t!”

  “Wow, looks like mullet have a heart.” Lance smirked

  “Of course he does idiot, he’s Hunk’s boyfriend.” Lance choked on his own spit as Pidge’s declaration.

  “Pidge, shut up!”

  “Still despite that, we don’t have time to take care of them.” Allura said. “We need to find a planet where another hoard is.” Keith blinked when hissing noises left all the Dasypodinae as they gathered at Keith’s feet clinging to him.

  “Seems like they taken a liking to him.” Coran said and chuckled.

  “They’re so cute.” Hunk cooed as he picked up one, it gave away a happy noise and nuzzled against him, licking its long tongue out to slap Hunk between the eyebrows, Hunk blinked in surprise before he burst out laughing.

*

Keith sat on the cough in the common room, surrounded by the Dasypodinae, the three big ones occupied on the floor near where the sofa sank down in the floor, the four middle ones laid at the foot of the sofa, while the three smallest ones rested on Keith.
Keith was dozing, and he was just about to fall asleep when steps reached his ears and he lifted his head to see how Hunk stood there a warm smile on his lips, before he sat down on the sofa near Keith, who snuggled closer to him.

  “They’re so cute.” Hunk cooed as he picked up one from the floor and placed it on his lap, it nuzzled against his belly and fell asleep again.

  “Yeah...” Keith said and smiled, all of the small Dasypodinae had fallen asleep, and he could finally rest.
They were hyper which made it hard to keep an eye on all of them at once, but they didn’t stray far, before they rushed back to the safety that was at Keith’s feet.
Now he was just drained.

He hummed in content when he felt how Hunk started to brush his fingers thru his bangs. He looked up at Hunk who smiled down at him.

  “You can sleep; I’ll keep an eye on them.” Hunk said and kissed Keith on the forehead. Keith hummed and snuggled closer before he closed and let loose a deep breath as he let himself fall asleep with the warmth of Hunk against his back.

Chapter Text

March 10th:
Day 2: confessions/lies

Hunk stood and fiddled with his fingers in the corridor, the door of the common room was at the side of them, Lance stood next to him, sending a look inside where Keith was sitting talking with Pidge, deep in conversation about conspiracy theories or something.

  “Come on, buddy, you can do this.” Lance said placing his hand on Hunk’s shoulder, returning his attention to the yellow paladin.

  “I feel like I’m gonna throw up.” Hunk croaked out.

  “Hunk, no!” Lance whined. “Breathe, it will be fine!”

  “I’m a ball of anxiety, what if he doesn’t feel the same!?”

  “Oh trust me he does.” Lance chuckled as he patted Hunk on the shoulder

  “Ehhh I can’t do this!” Hunk whined moving to get away, Lance showed him into the wall hands on his chest.

  “You love him, don’t ya?” Lance asked looking Hunk in the eye

  “Yes.” Hunk replied with a squeak

  “Do you wanna hold him?” Lance raised one eyebrow

  “Yes!”

  “Please him?”

  “YES!”

  “Then ya gotta, gotta try a little TENDERNESS! Go and tell him what you feel!”

  “Did you just go Shrek on me?”

  “Shhh, don’t tell Pidge. Now, go and get your mullet galra man!” Lance showed Hunk into the common room. Hunk stumbled inside before he caught his balance and sent Lance a betrayed glare; Lance gave him a thumb up and grinned.

  “Oh, hi Hunk.” Pidge! Why did you have to say I was here! Hunk turned back to them to find how both Pidge and Keith looked at him.

  “H-Hi.” Hunk croaked and swallowed, his nerves were on end, and he was sure his face was getting redder.

  “Did you need something?” Keith asked tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy, why did he have to be so cute.

  “Uh... well... I... uh... I- you.” Hunk stammered, he knew his face was red now, Pidge looked between the two before a cat like smirk grew on her lips as he glasses reflected the lights in the room, she turned to look at the door to smirk at Lance who was watching them and cheering Hunk on in silence to not make Keith see him.

  “Hunk?” Keith asked “Are you okay? You’re red, do you have a fever?” he got up from the sofa and places his hand on Hunk’s forehead, making the yellow paladin jolt at the sudden touch, his brain stopped working. “You’re not warmer than normal...” Keith said and frowned.

  “I love you.” Hunk blurted out brain still not working. Keith took a shocked step back and just stared at Hunk for a long moment face unreadable.
Pidge looked between them; Lance was holding the corner of the door way with a painful grip

  “...what?” Keith wheezed out after several dobashes. Hunk swallowed before he opened his mouth.

  “I love you... I- uh have for a while... back at the Garrison I had a small crush on you, but after the Weblum I knew I loved you...” Hunk rambled linking his hands together to fiddle with his fingers, he didn’t look Keith in the eyes anymore “But its okay!” he blurted holding his hands up in surrender as he looked at Keith again “You don’t have to feel the same, I just... uh... wanted you to... know.”

  “Sorry... I don’t-” Keith mumbled but was cut off.

  “Hey, its okay, I’ll just... go.” Hunk pointed to another door and walked fast out from the room.

Keith looked after him with a slight panic on his face, it felt like back at the Marmora when Shiro’s hologram had walked away, he looked down at the floor before he looked up again, he barely registered Lance walking inside looking disappointed and annoyed, or Pidge’s pointed glare she sent at him. Keith swallowed again.
Why did his chest hurt?
Why did it hurt to see Hunk walk away?
Why did it hurt to see the way Hunk’s warm eyes had gone a bit colder, and his smile drop?
Goddamn it feelings! He hated them when they didn’t make any sense!

  “Hunk! Wait!” Keith cried out and ran after the yellow paladin.

*

Hunk stood at the observation deck when he heard hurried steps and turned to look at the door to see Keith run past, before he heard a stumble and a crash and a loud curse in Korean, he thought it was a curse, before Keith stood in the doorway, holding on hand to his nose, grumbling strings of curses before he looked up at Hunk, the curses trailed of and silence took over the room, Keith took a deep breath and seemed to square his shoulders before he walked inside.

  “Hunk, I-”

  “I told you it was fine, you don’t have to tell me that you don’t feel the same, we can still be friends, right?” Hunk said and smiled, it was strained and lacked the warmth it usually had. Keith nodded hastily before he bit his lower lip looking down at the floor.

  “It’s not that I... don’t like you.” Keith said.

  “Keith, please.” Hunk whined.

  “Let me speak, please!” Keith said and looked up at Hunk with such an earnest face that it stole Hunk’s breath away, he nodded slowly. Keith sighed and sat down on the floor next to Hunk, not to close, but not far away either. “I... I’m horrible at feelings...” Keith mumbled “They... scare me... but I...” Keith clenched his fists, that rested in his lap “I don’t know what I feel for you, but I like you a lot, back at the Weblum you’re jokes got on my nerves at first, but then I realized what you were doing... thank you for that.” Hunk nodded all attention at Keith.

  “Hey, just because you got to know you’re mother apparently was an alien, and Galra at that, doesn’t change you.” Hunk said; Keith nodded, not looking up.

  “I... I like you, Hunk, you’re fun and warm and you care about everyone... but I don’t know if I love you... I’ve never... I don’t know what it feels like, but I think I like you a lot more than a friend.”

  “So... you don’t know what love is?” Keith shook his head.

  “I know there are different types of love; the love between family, the love between a mother and child... both of which I never felt until Shiro’s family adopted me, when I was ten... and love between friends, and love between couples... I don’t know that kind well to know the difference between them.”

  “Never thought I’d get you to talk this much, Lance gonna be jealous.” Hunk chuckled causing Keith to snort.

  “I feel like I can be less guarded around you... it’s... its nice...” Keith smiled weakly, Hunk smiled before he leaned closer to Keith slightly, placing his hand to the floor for stability.

  “Can... can I kiss you?” Keith turned to face him; eyes wide, before he hesitated then nodded one stiff nod. Hunk leaned closer, into Keith’s personal space.

  “I... uh... I’ve never...” Keith stammered out, and Hunk saw how his pale cheeks slowly grew rosy

  “You never kissed anyone?” Keith shook his head, Hunk smiled. “Just trust me, and follow my lead, you can push me back if you want me to stop.” Keith nodded stiffly again, placing his hands on Hunk’s shoulders, Hunk felt the tremor in them, Keith was nervous.

Hunk leaned closer gently taking Keith’s face with one hand, Keith had his eyes closed hard and his eyebrows were twitching in nerves, Hunk leaned in and placed his lips against Keith’s, they were slightly chapped, but surprisingly soft and warm. Hunk let his tongue trail across Keith’s lips that opened for him, a low moan left Keith’s throat as he pulled Hunk closer by the painful grip he had on Hunk’s vest. Hunk didn’t complain; he pushed his hand into Keith’s hair to gently turn his head to get the kiss deeper. They kissed for a while longer before Hunk pulled back.

Hunk opened his eyes, breath a bit laboured after the kiss, and looked up at Keith who stared at him with star struck eyes and lips red from kissing; his face was flushed as well.

  “That...” Keith started but trailed of, Hunk chuckled and let his forehead rest against Keith’s, a breathy laugh left the red paladin who leaned into the touch. “That felt surprisingly nice...” Keith said silently and smiled. Hunk laughed as he opened his eyes and looked into Keith’s “I... think I’d like to love you.” Keith looked back, and Hunk felt a happy laugh grown in his chest as he pulled Keith into a tight hug until the red paladin sat on his lap.

  “Why, do you have to be so cute!?” Hunk chuckled, making Keith blush.

  “I’m not cute!” Keith snapped back but it lacked heat and the scowl he had was destroyed by the big grin on his lips. “You’re... the cute one.” Keith said before he kissed Hunk on the nose, and hugged him right “You’re like a big soft marshmallow, to sweet. You’re a cinnamon bun, to pure for this world!”

  “THAT’S RIGHT! AND IF YOU HURT HIM WE WILL MAKE YOU PAY!” Lance and Pidge suddenly called from the corridor making Hunk and Keith jolt.

  “How long have you two been there?!” Hunk shrieked as Keith hid his face in Hunk’s shoulder.

Lance and Pidge looked into the room looking like the cat that ate the canary.

  “Since Keith- you two started talking.” Pidge said and grinned.

  “Fuck off.” Keith grumbled, but it was muffled.

  “We will leave you two alone to get grosser, as we tell the others. Oh Shiro’s gonna love this.” Pidge snickered

  “He owes me a free pass from training.” Lance said as the green and blue paladin left.

  “I’m gonna kill them.” Keith growled, causing Hunk to burst out laughing.

Chapter Text

March 11th:
Day 3: make out/make up

  “I can’t believe I said that.” Hunk breathes out, there’s pain in his voice as he sits hunched forward; the heels of his hands pressing hard into his closed eyes to keep from crying, but he can still feel the lump in his throat growing. “Why did I say that?”

  “Easy, buddy.” Lance consoles as he strokes his hand up and down Hunk’s bent back, “You both were stressed from the previous battles; you weren’t the only one who said something bad.”

  “I made him cry!” Hunk shouted voice cracking in the end on a broken sob. “I’m a horrible person, I’m a horrible boyfriend!”

  “No, no, no, Hunk, you’re anything but horrible, you’re the most caring person I know.”

  “Lance, I made my boyfriend CRY!” Hunk sobbed out, snapping his head up to stare at Lance, uncaring about the tears that now streamed down Hunk’s cheeks. “I made Keith cry!”

  “Okay, yeah, you did say some very bad things too him, but you both did, you both were tired and stressed from the fight. You two just blew up at each other.”

  “How will I be able to face him again, after what I said?” Hunk sniffled as Lance pulled the yellow paladin into a hug.

*

  “Keith.” Shiro said gently there he stood at the observation deck, looking at his little brother who paced left and forth in stiff fast strides on the floor before him, having his arms crossed a hard bruising grip of his upper arm and gnawing on the nail of his thumb in stress and worry. Shoulders stiff and most of his hair hiding his face. “Keith.” Shiro called again.

  “I’m a fucking asshole!” Keith suddenly shouted “Why did I say that to HIM, of all people!?” Keith’s voice cracked as he gave away a roar, of mixed emotions gripping his own hair hard, probably pulling several strands of, but he didn’t care. “Why, can’t I keep my fucking mouth SHUT?!” Keith stopped to sink to the floor with a broken noise, as a hiccup tore from his throat. “Why can’t I get control of my temper? Why?” Shiro sighed as he moved closer placing his galra hand on Keith’s upper back.

  “Come here, kiddo.” Shiro said and hoisted Keith up from the ground to hold the sobbing and hiccuping red paladin close. “Shhh, its okay, Keith.”

  “No it’s not!” Keith sobbed out in a whine “I’m a horrible boyfriend.”

  “No you’re not.”

  “YES I AM!” Keith cried out

*

  “What if he hates me now...” both Hunk and Keith said at the same time, Lance held Hunk tighter, Shiro stiffened before placing his hand at Keith’s head and holding him like he had done back when Keith was still a child, before the garrison.

  “Don’t say that.” Lance said looking down at Hunk giving him a shake.

  “Hunk wouldn’t hate you, Keith.” Shiro said as he let his jaw rest over Keith’s head.

*

Dinner that day was strained and silent, Keith kept his attention on the bowl of food go before him, while Hunk did the same on the opposite side of the table, they sat as far away from each other as possible.

  “Oh dear, this isn’t good, any kind of tension will make you unable to form Voltron.” Allura said, making both Hunk and Keith stiffen.

  “Allura, we all know that, but please let them fix this on their own.” Shiro said.

  “I’m done.” Keith mumbled and rose from the table, leaving a half finished bowl left, Shiro looked after him with a pained face. It didn’t take long before Hunk left as well.

  “Everything, suddenly gotten so cold... I feel as if the sun gone down and I can’t get a fire going due to rain.” Pidge muttered and hugged around herself and shivered. Shiro and Lance sent her weak smiles before they shared a painful look.

Quintants had passed since the fight, the yellow and red paladin hadn’t said a word to each other, they never stayed in the same room, if they had to it was far away from each other. Lance and Shiro stopped to hope that anything would happen, Shiro was often surprised just how close he and Lance gotten all due to Keith and Hunk. The friendship off: my brother and your best friend are boyfriends, let’s be friends so we can talk shit about them when they’re not in the room, Pidge joined them now and again.

*

Keith was fighting against the gladiator, parrying the hits from the staff with his bayard, he was so into the fight that he didn’t hear the door to the training deck open and Hunk walk inside, the yellow paladin looked at Keith for a moment, before he moved over to where the red paladin had discarded his jacket, and had a water bottle waiting. Hunk looked down at the floor and sighed.

Hunk wasn’t sure how long it been until he heard Keith call for the training to end, Hunk looked up and saw how Keith turned around, only to freeze.

  “Can... could we talk?” Hunk asked, pushing away from the wall.

  “About what..?” Keith mumbled walking over and taking the water bottle and started to drink.

  “I... I wanted to apologize... what I said was wrong and I still can’t believe I said it...” Keith didn’t say anything as he watched Hunk, slowly lowering the water bottle “I’m sorry I made you cry, I have no right to ask for your forgiveness.” Hunk bowed his head and Keith stiffened when he saw tears fall from Hunk’s face down to the floor “But please forgive me, I don’t want to be away from you anymore.” A shaky breath left Hunk, but he didn’t look up “I miss you, I miss holding you. Kiss you, cuddling with you, oh god I miss you so much-” the water bottle crashed to the floor and Hunk stumbled backwards when Keith flung himself at his chest grabbing his arms staring up at Hunk’s tear filled eyes, and shiny cheeks.

  “I’m sorry!” Keith blurted out “I’m sorry, I- I my temper is shit and I never wanted to point it against you.” Keith was crying as well as he stroked Hunk’s tears away with his thumbs, before he burrowed his face into Hunk’s chest “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry” he mumbled over and over, Hunk took a shaky breath as he placed his hand on Keith’s head and brushed thru the black locks, before he lifted Keith’s face and placed their foreheads and noses together.

  “It’s okay. Let’s just not do this any time soon, okay? I don’t think I could take it, I love you too much.”

  “I love you too.” Keith breathed out and smiled before he kissed Hunk on the lips, making the yellow paladin hum and smile, before he returned the kiss.

Chapter Text

March 12th
Day 4: free day

Did you lose what won’t return?
Did you love but never learn?

Keith’s breath fogged the front of the visor of his helmet, as he stumbled thru the waist deep snow as he walked upwards on a hill, the wind blew harsh around him and the only thing he had was a wind resistant plaid and a backpack with the survival kit he found in Red. He stopped walking to turn around to look at the crater in the ice, he and Red made when they crashed not so long ago, the ice hissed and spluttered from the heat and a big cloud of haze rose only to freeze right away and fall down in a tiny hail. She was unresponsive and getting covered in ice as the air around her hissed and popped from the heat before the ice grabbed hold and claimed her. The last command she’d given him before she went silent, was to leave her until help arrived since she wouldn’t be able to keep him safe.

The fire’s out but still it burns
and no one cares, there’s no one there

Keith panted harshly, fogging up the visor again making him growl in annoyance, but he couldn’t remove it without dying, even if the air was breathable, according to the suit, was it negative 1000°C in temperature, he did not want to freeze his lungs and face to ice the moment he took a breath.
Keith flexed his freezing fingers; the suit held back the wind and cold, but it was still slowly creeping into him. He looked at the symbols and numbers that told him how long his life support worked, he had about five quintants before it ran out and he’d turn to an icicle.
He started to move again sending one last look at Red. He felt alone without her present in his mind. he tried the com nothing, not even hissing static answered him.

Did you find it hard to breathe?
Did you cry so much that you could barely see?

Keith found an ice cave that would protect him from most of the wind. He tried the com again, still nothing, he opened the backpack to see what he had, some strange Altean version of nutrition bars, probably made from food goo... he wouldn’t be able to eat or drink in this cold without freezing his face off, Keith realized with a sharp hitch of his breath.
So that put another death closer to the steadily growing list he had made: freezing to death; starving to death and now, dying from dehydration. Great, this was just fucking great! He found something that he wasn’t sure what it was, it looked like an oval of silver, as big as his forearm and thick as the length of his thumb. He put it down on the greenish ice, as he kept looking thru the backpack, in the end, not much looked back at him from the floor of the cave.

  "이건너무완벽해서, 나는죽을거야!" Keith shouted out angrily in Korean, slamming his hands against the ice.
Hopelessness fell over him; he never thought he’d feel this alone ever again, the entire planet was so silent, even the harsh wind was silent, he missed the way the desert never really was silent, he felt his ears start to burn as a sob broke from his lips as he curled together under the plaid, letting the tears fall uncaring as he sobbed and cried as loudly as he could to try and drown out the deafening silence. the only light was the illuminating markings on his suit.

In the darkness all alone
and no one cares, there’s no one there

Hunk stared at the empty holographic-screen, Allura was looking horrified as her hands gripped hard at the pillars at her sides, while Shiro spaced left and forth muttering in Japanese, far too fast for the translator to snap up and translate, but the worried tone he rambled in was enough for the others to know what he was talking about, he wasn’t someone to usually lose his cool and level headed way of thinking, but now. They couldn’t find Red's signal or Keith, her signal was gone along with her paladin, whipped of the star maps before them.
Pidge franticly tapped away on her screen to try and find anything on the last location of the red lion. Lance looked shell-shocked there he sat in his chair; they all had just gotten back to the castle after a long fight, when they realized that their red paladin was missing, it far too late, they had flown away from that part of the universe.

  “What was the red lion’s last location?” Allura asked Coran, who tapped away on the control panel before him, with stiff but fast movements.

  “According to the castles readings, before it lost contact the red lion, they just hit the atmosphere on this planet.” Coran said and brought up a hologram of a big pale green planet, bigger than Saturn. It was jagged and spiky surrounded by a thin stripe of atmosphere.

  “Is that mountains?” Shiro asked having put his attention on what happened before him instead of worrying over Keith, even if the stiffness in his shoulder still shouted off a worried older brother.

  “No, it’s ice actually; this entire planet is nothing but a big block of frozen nitrogen.”

  “Frozen- WHAT?!” all of the paladins shouted

  “How cold is that planet?” Lance asked in a horrified voice

  “Negative 1000°C, that’s no good. Princess we got to go there before he turns to a human icicle.”

But did you see the flares in the sky?
Were you blinded by the light?
Did you feel the smoke in your eyes?
Did you? Did you?

  “Try the com.” Shiro ordered and Allura pressed some buttons on the screen before her and started the transmission.

  “Keith, can you read me, come in, If you can hear me please answer us.” nothing but spitting static. “He’s not responding...” Allura said.

  “Kept sending the transmission, and keep that link open! if he replies i want to hear him.” Shiro said in a tight voice “Come on Kiddo...” He mumbled to himself.
Hunk watched the black paladin with pained eyes, before he moved over to Shiro and hugged him tight, Shiro stiffened at first before he sighed and slumped in the hold.

  “We’ll find him... Keith’s strong he can handle it...” Hunk mumbled not sure if he believed his own words.

Did you see the sparks; feel the hope
that you are not alone?
Cause someone’s out there
sending out flares

Keith jolted awake as the com hissed at him for no reason, he hadn’t touched it... did that mean the others were trying to reach him? No it couldn’t be... it was probably just the cold messing with the equipment.
He fell asleep again, too cold to care anymore, he was starting to get hungry and his throat and mouth were uncomfortably dry, he regretted not eating more of Hunk’s special made breakfast...

Did you break but never mend?
Did it hurt so much you thought it was the end?
Lose your heart but don’t know when
and no one cares, there’s no one there

Oh god, Hunk.
Was he ever gonna see him again?
Or was this fucking freezing world of mint green ice gonna kill him? Huh! What a stupid way to go.
He wasn’t even fighting a against the annoying Lotor or Zarkon and his empire.
No he was gonna get killed by fucking ICE!
God he was so cold.
His eyes slipped shut again and he fell onto his side, missing how the com hissed again.

  “-kt- co- a-” it was just short clipped words, it rose him but not enough to wake him, tears fell from his cheeks as the cold got more hold of him, he had already lost feeling in the tips of his fingers. the com hissed again, louder and spitting this time "-ei- ca- -u- re- co-" he blinked his teary eyes open and felt a sob break form his lips as he realized someone was trying to communicate with him.

But did you see the flares in the sky?
Were you blinded by the light?
Did you feel the smoke in your eyes?
Did you? Did you?

A sob left him as he reached for the helmet pressing the com.

  “Guys?” he croaked out, voice hoarse and raspy, barely loud at all.

Did you see the sparks; feel the hope
that you are not alone?

  “-ei- ca- -u- re- co- -ase- an- us!” the com hissed again, more words.
Keith looked around the cave as he sat up from his slumped position, was the ice interfering with the com?
He gathered the stuff and pushed himself to his feet, stumbling when his cold limps didn't want to cooperate, he crawled out from the cave, the strong wind hit him in the back sending him tumbling down the icy and snowy hill. disappearing under the thick blanket of snow, he had been holding one of the strange silver things in his hand and suddenly it grew hot, he jerked his hand away as it shot into the air and exploded into a bright firework, glowing bright in red, it hovered in the air, sending out a big cloud of red smoke before it started to fall.
Flares, thay were flares! the com hissed again, but the jubberish still didn't make any sense.

Cause someone’s out there
sending out flares

  “-If you can hear me please answer us.” the loudness and clearness of the com made him jump from frayed nerves, happy tears fell from his eyes when he recognized Allura's voice.

  “GUYS!” he cried out in a croaked voice, grinning like an idiot, there he still lied in the snow, to tired to move, and so hungry and cold.

  “Keith!” he heard them call all at once, relief heavy in their voices.

Someone’s out there
sending out flares

  “GUYS!” Keith’s voice fell over the com, so happy and relieved but sounded like crap.

  “Keith!” they all called back. Hunk burst out laughing until he was crying. Shiro patted him on the back tears of relief in his eyes as well.
Lance was grinning while Pidge did a cheering dance in her seat; Allura placed her hands at her chest and smiled, breathing out a blessing.

  “I never thought I’d say this- but I’m- I'm so happy to hear your voices again-” his voice cracked several times, making him cough but his voice was thick with emotions.

  “Don’t worry kiddo, we're coming.” Shiro said

  “Thanks... Red's out, and- I'm so cold, Shiro.” Keith spoke over the com and they heard how he was breathing was strained as if he had trouble with it.

Did you lose what won’t return?
Did you love but never learn?

Keith looked up at the flare that had fallen down and died, the smoke had blown away, he was so tired... how long had he been here?
Keith reached out searching for Red in his mind, she was still gone. the others spoke some more, but he was barely able to keep his eyes open, he was hungry and his throat was killing him, but the cold made him not want to move.

But did you see the flares in the sky?
Were you blinded by the light?
Did you feel the smoke in your eyes?
Did you? Did you?

The lights from the castle lit up the sky. Keith saw them and stiffly reached for one of those silver flares, before he pressed on them, it grew hot and he let it go, it shot up in the air, colouring the green ice in red.
It didn't take long before Black came flying, the big lion landed not far from him, Hunk stepped outside and rushed over to him thru the snow, as ice and frost started to cover the black lion turning it greyer. Hunk helped Keith to stand and hugged him tight before the yellow paladin helped him on board Black, when Black closed his maw did Hunk remove Keith's visor and handed him a pouch of water, Keith lifted a numb hand and drank gingerly and with deep greedy gulps. when the water was out did Hunk handed him one of the nutrition bars from Black, the one Keith had been carrying around was frozen solid, ending up harder than Hunk's scaultrite cookies. Shiro looked back at them and smiled as Hunk pulled Keith close to warm him up, Black bit around Red's limp form and flew from the icy ground back to the castle.

Did you see the sparks; feel the hope
that you are not alone?
Cause someone’s out there
sending out flares

Chapter Text

March 13th:
Day 5: game night/movie night

Hunk and Lance had been searching thru the untouched storage of the castle. Pidge had been with them at first but she had gotten tired of it after a while and left them to do the rest.
Hunk had found a movie that looked interesting and showed it to Keith who just looked at the movie box with confusion while Coran explained the plot to them, the best he could.
Hunk had mixed up some snacks for them to eat as they watched the movie, while Keith grabbed the blanket from his room and Hunk’s room along with their pillows and other blankets and pillows to create a nest of fluffy blankets and pillows.

The movie had been going for a while, and neither Hunk nor Keith had any clue what was happening, even if they knew the plot it was so unlike any earth movie that it was confusing. Keith stopped trying to understand somewhere in the middle. He felt his eyes grow heavier as he took the last piece of the green brownie like things Hunk made, and snuggled closer to the yellow paladin, who actually tried to keep up with the story line. He sighed when Hunk pulled his arm around Keith’s waist and bulled him closer leaning his head against the top of Keith’s. It didn’t take long until Keith was asleep, Hunk mindlessly stroked his fingers thru Keith’s hair; it was so soft and fluffy. Hunk fell asleep somewhere at the last act, turning slightly to the side and pulling Keith closer before he was as deeply asleep as he red paladin.

Allura and Shiro talked about battle plans as they passed the open door to the common room, hearing static hissing from inside, they trailed of and looked inside to find how the screen that been showing the Altean movie was nothing but static. They moved further inside, Shiro smiled as Allura hid her smile behind her hand

  “Oh.” She said

  “Sound asleep.” Shiro chuckled as he turned off the screen filling the room with dimness, the faint blue lights from the castle the only sours in the room. Keith muttered something but Hunk pulled him closer and murmured something back and both of them stilled. “Oh god that’s just adorable.” He said and picked up the camera Pidge and Coran made and took a picture. “Can’t let this moment, of perfect blackmail material go to waste.” Shiro smirked

  “You’re such an evil brother, Shiro.” Allura chuckled trying to sound stern but failed.

They took the dirty dishes from the two paladins, and bundled them up a bit more in the blankets before the two of them sneaked out from the room and closed the door, letting the red and yellow paladin sleep.

Chapter Text

March 14th:
Day 6: fire/gold

Hunk had watched the angry wild flame for some time now, close friend with the wind. Hunk cast a look to the ocean; Lance was playing with a group of dolphins and giving a group of surfer’s big waves. Pidge and her brother were making their trees grow big and tall in their forest belt. Hunk lifted his head to the sky where Allura danced making the clouds swirl around at the day as she chased the sun, and the stars glitter at the night as she held the moon close. The orange nebula Coran helped her light up the sky at night.

Hunk crossed his arms there he sat on one of his cliffs, his land spread out around him, he and Lance being the ones who had the most space, Shiro was everywhere and would show up the moment you asked for him. Pidge and Matt spread their forests out here and there, but they always Asked Hunk if they could first, since he was the land they grew their trees on. He smiled at them and let them do it. But this flame, he eyed him a bit, a wild child, black hair long and in all directions eyes burning with anger as he blazed, scorching the ground he stood on, he never went close to the ocean, Lance had threatened to throw waves at him one time to many after splashing some water at him when he got to close. The flame had only gotten too close to the forest once, and almost burnt down the whole thing, Matt and Pidge had been pissed, while Allura, Shiro and Lance helped to put the fire out with a cascade of rain. They called him unapproachable, only Shiro was able to get close to the angry flame, but when Hunk asked he got the answer he already knew, the flame was angry, but so very alone.

Hunk bit his lower lips before he rose from his spot to move over to where the angry flame was.

  “Hi.” Hunk said when he got up, the flame jolted and shot to his feet spinning around fire blazing out around him. “Hey, its okay, I’m coming in piece.” Hunk said and held his hands up in surrender, the flames stilled slightly and shrunk in size, but the boy before him, around his own age, Hunk realized, still glared at him. “I’m Tsuyoshi, but I’m mostly called Hunk, what’s your name?” Hunk smiled. The flame before him was silent for a long moment.

  “Keith.” The flame said and crossed his arms and looked away. Cute Hunk found himself suddenly thinking and he blinked in surprise at himself.

  “Keith, that’s a very nice name.” Hunk said and smiled before he sat down on the ground picking up a pebble to play with it between his fingers. “Shiro told me a lot about you.” Hunk smiled, surprise fell over Keith’s face before he slowly sat down on his heels arms crossed and resting against his tights.

  “You’re a friend of Shiro?”

  “Yeah, he visits now and again.” Hunk said and looked to Keith “But even if he has told me stuff about you, I have been watching you, little angry flame.” Keith bristled; the fire around him growing slightly, Hunk chuckled. “No ill intent about that, if I didn’t like you walking around on my land and burning the stones I would have pushed you away, like Lance did.” Keith looked away. Hunk reached for him to give him some comfort, but Keith jerks away before his hand even touched him.

  “Don’t touch me!” he snapped

  “Why?” Hunk asked confusion clear on his face.

  “You’re gonna get burnt.” Keith says in a hard tone.

  “Oh...” Hunk lowered his hand.

*

Hunk wasn’t sure when it happened, but as time went on Keith became a bigger part of his life, he shoved up now and again but the stays grew longer and he stayed more often. They talked about anything that came to their mind. And the atmosphere around them was calm and gentle, Keith was smiling more than before and Shiro had noticed it, he had given Hunk a speech of gratitude one time when Keith wasn’t with him. Lance didn’t seem all that happy about it, hissing about that he was stealing his best bro, Matt and Pidge shrugged, not seeing a problem with it, since the fact that Keith spent more time with Hunk meant he wouldn’t wander to close to the forest again.

Hunk barely realized his growing feelings for Keith until Lance and Pidge pointed them out when he visited them at the beach of a mangrove forest.

  “So what’s the deal with Keith, Hunk?” Lance asked crossing his arms as h sat on the beach the water reaching his waist. “You’ve sent love sick looks at him for years.” Lance placed his jaw in his hand as he eyed Hunk with his blue eyes. “Why aren’t you acting on them?”

  “I thought you hated him.” Hunk replied, Lance shrugged.

  “I don’t hate him, I just don’t like when he vaporise my water, and hurt himself in the process.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Pidge asked.

  “He fell into a lake of mine several decades ago and almost died because his fire almost went out, Shiro saved him by drying him up as I took back the water from him. He’s a flame, he can’t handle water, why do you think he ran the moment me, Allura and Shiro started the rain over the forest fire?”

  “I thought he just wanted to run away because he was too stuck up to apologize.” Pidge muttered.

  “Keith is not like that.” Hunk said. Pidge shrugged.

  “Whatever, I just want the rain season to come soon, mine and Matt’s trees are starting to dry out.”

  “Allura hasn’t said anything about it yet.” Lance said with a frown

  “Hunk!” Shiro’s voice suddenly called as he materialised before them and landed on the ground.

  “Hi Shiro.” The three of them said.

  “What’s wrong?” Hunk asked giving the air a worried look.

  “Have you seen Keith?” Shiro asked “I can’t find him, and Allura told me that the monsoon is gonna start soon.”

  “I haven’t seen him since this morning...” Hunk said biting his lower lip in nerves “He said he had to do something before he left, he never told me what it was.” Shiro got a pained face and he sighed.

  “We better find him before the monsoon.”

  “You need to help Lance and Allura, I’ll find him.” Hunk said and got to his feet.

  “You sure, I could-”

  “Shiro, don’t worry, I’ll find him.” Hunk sand and rushed away, Lance and Pidge chuckled.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “Just how much in love he is, and he doesn’t even realize it.” Pidge said and smirked

Hunk halted when the first drops of rain fell onto him and he turned to see how the big dark clouds grew and he saw the wall of rain, it was still out over sea, but it was moving fast. He closed his eyes and searched with his mind, feeling the earth, his earth under him to tell him where Keith was. He felt how the rain grew stronger and harder, then he saw him, Keith’s warmth that scorched the ears he stood on, Hunk opened his eyes and ran the fastest he could in the direction.

The rain was crashing down when he found Keith he was curled together on the ground, a big plume of smoke rose from his as the water hissed and spluttered as it hit his body; he was shivering hard.

  “KEITH!” Hunk cried out and ran closer, Keith lifted his head slowly to look up at Hunk, who didn’t care about the heat that flared out from Keith as he pulled him close, it hurt, Keith tried to push away whining about hurting him. Hunk didn’t care he slammed one hand into the earth and created a big tent for them to keep the rain away, he pulled a shivering Keith closer.

  “Hunk- you-” Keith choked out.

  “I’m not gonna let you go, I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner.” Hunk said as he held Keith closer. Keith blinked up at him, eyes wide.

  “But- you’re gonna hurt yourself! I’m gonna burn you!” Keith barked out but his weak struggling had stopped.

  “I don’t care.” Hunk stated as he looked down at Keith placing their foreheads together.

  “Why?” Keith croaked out in a weak voice. Hunk looked at him and smiled.

  “I love you.” he said and kissed Keith on the lips, Keith jolted before he melted in Hunk’s arms, Hunk held him close as he felt how Keith grew warmer, but it didn’t hurt anymore, it felt pleasant, like the times he had lied on his back on sun warmed rocks and bathed in the sun. He broke the kiss after a while looking down at Keith who looked back at him with wide eyes pupils brown, and mouth still agape. “You’re fire won’t harm me.” Hunk said and smiled, as he took Keith’s hand in his showing the flame how his hand didn’t get scorched or burnt like the ground around them. Keith stared at it before he looked at Hunk and his eyes opened wider as a big grin fell over his face and he threw himself at Hunk with a laugh so full of relief as he kissed Hunk again, a bit more forcefully than Hunk’s kiss, Hunk held onto him as Keith’s fire went from red and yellow to white with blue flashes of sparks, Hunk smiled as he felt how Keith grew hotter, he kissed back and licked at Keith’s closed lips, Keith opened his mouth to let Hunk inside, Hunk smiled as the kiss grew hotter and deeper. When they pulled away both were panting. Hunk smiled as Keith was downright fighting with the sun’s light, but despite how bright he shone he didn’t hurt Hunk’s eyes.

  “I never thought I could have you.” Keith said in a whisper. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

  “You would never hurt me.” Hunk murmured as he kissed Keith again, and then peppered Keith’s face with more of them, making him laugh, before he pulled Keith closer and kissed him on the neck, making Keith’s breath hitch.

They didn’t leave the safety of the earth tent until Hunk knew the moonstone was over, and the other noticed the change right away with how bright Keith shone as Hunk held his hand.

Chapter Text

March 15th:
Day 7: bear/panther

Keith had been wandering as long a she could remember, after the place he called home had been turned to a parking lot had he been forced to life on the street, he had found several places that could have been a place for him to call home, but they never called to him, and something was calling to him, but he had no idea what it was, his feet hurt from the constant walking and he was weak and scrawny from the lack of food, now and again did he manage to find some half eaten junk in the dumpsters, but then he’d have to fight the cats that lurked around it, and not that he was against fighting, he just didn’t want to tire himself out with unnecessary fighting, but being bigger than the cats was a plus that made them more often than not back away and leave him alone. Wild dogs were another problem completely; they bit and growled at him, making him hiss back.

Keith wasn’t sure how long he’d walked when he saw the sign for Altea City, the cars and hover bikes flew by on the highway.

Hunk yawned and stretched after cleaning up the kitchen after the stressful day at the coffee shop and cafe: The Lions, he exhaled and brushed his hands against the yellow apron he wore with the lion logo on the chest

  “Hunk, you about done?” Lance asked as he looked inside, dressed in the waiter clothes and an apron same as Hunk’s but blue instead of yellow.

  “Almost.” Hunk replied

  “Lance, get back out here!” Pidge shouted from behind the door making the Cuban jolt and give Hunk a sheepish smile before he left.

A loud yowling came from the alley causing Hunk to halt and he turned to look at the backdoor, he put the cleaning equipment back and slowly eased the backdoor open, at first he can’t see anything due to the low light in the alley, but then his eyes land on a pair of reflective yellow and eyes, far too big to be a normal cats, Hunk turns on the backdoor's light and the wild cats scatter like rats but the big cat, that Hunk slowly starts to suspect is not a normal cat looks back at him their it lies in an unmoving heap on the ground. The fur is black and ruffled covered in dirt that makes the fur stand on end, Hunk looks at it for a while before he retreats inside then slowly hesitantly walks outside with a plate of some leftover ham and a cup of water.

A growl leaves the big cat as Hunk sinks down on his knees and places the plate of ham before the big feline, along with the water.

  “I’m not gonna hurt you, okay? I’m not sure what zoo you escaped from, but you need to eat and drink.” The feline glares at him and snorts before it slowly pushes it’s upper body from the slumped position and sniffs at the ham at first before taking a big chunk of the already cut up pieces, the black feline licks the plate clean before it starts to drink the water.

  “Hunk? Where did you- ¡OH DIOS MÍO!” Lance suddenly shouted from the door that he threw open. A loud growl came from the feline, fur bristling as it bared its long sharp canines.

  “No, no, hey it’s okay, he won’t hurt you.” Hunk said trying to get the feline to look at him.

  “What are you shouting for Lance?” Shiro’s voice asked from inside and then Hunk saw how he walked up to the door only to blink at the feline who growled. “Huh... that’s... a panther.” Shiro said blinking, the feline pushed itself to its feet only to get halfway before it gave away a pained howl and crashed back to the ground, panting. It was then Hunk saw the mangled hind leg.

  “Holy shit” Hunk breathed and stared at the wounded leg. He moved over to the leg, the panther started to growl eyeing him with violet eyes that reflected yellow in the light, Hunk noticed how its body sprung tight as the growling grew louder. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Hunk said as he took up his phone and started the flashlight to get a better look, shit, and the fur was covered in dried and fresh blood form the bite that a wild dog inflicted. “Shiro? What do we do? We can’t just leave it like this.”

  “I don’t- the news hasn’t said anything about a runaway panther... Hunk, Lance, get it inside while I call a vet.” Shiro left, Lance and Hunk shared a look before Hunk gently and hesitantly placed his hands on the felines back, it snarled at him growling loudly.

  “Shh, we’re gonna move you inside okay, and have a vet check you up, then the zoo you escaped from might come and get you back.” Hunk explained.

  “Hunk, it’s a cat it doesn’t understand you.” Lance groaned, getting a hiss from the panther. Hunk looked back to the growling animal.

  “I’m gonna need your help okay.” Hunk said “Don’t bite me please.” Hunk lifted the panther from the ground; it gave away a startled noise but didn’t move to attack. Hunk smiled down at it once he was done, holding it so that it’s front and hind legs were towards the sky. The big thick tail swatted irritated thru the air.

Lance placed a bundle of towels and a thick plaid on the floor for the panther to lie on, as Hunk put it down on the floor.

  “You’re a boy huh?” Lance remarked once he got a better look on the animal, the panther growled at him and swatted at him with one paw making Lance yelp and fall to his butt on the floor. Something that sounded like a chuckle left the feline, Lance glared back.

  “Shiro told me what happened so I brought some bandages and water.” Pidge came walking arms overflowing with it as she placed the rolls on the table.

  “-Okay, yes, thank you for your time, yeah sorry about calling this late, no, no, thank you. Bye.” Shiro walked into the room and removed his mobile form his ear. “The vet will be here in ten minutes.” He said looking at the teens before him “How’s the panther?”

  “It’s a he; and he tried to scratch me when I pointed it out.” Lance said “I think it’s too smart for being a normal fleabag.” The panther hissed at him causing Lance to gesture at it with both hands and give Shiro a look, the older man just shrugged.

The vet checked over the panther who had growled at first until Hunk shushed it, the vet took the vitals cleaned and bandaged the wounded leg and gave the panther a shot to ease the pain but also to make sure it didn’t catch rabies or tetanus. The vet hummed and looked at the panther checking for a chip, that most zoo animals had.

  “That’s weird.” He vet said looking at the scanner

  “What’s wrong?” Shiro asked; the vet got their attention.

  “According to the scan this panther isn’t from a zoo, but something’s in the readings just look wrong, I’m not sure what it is... I’ve never seen anything like this before.” The vet looked confused.

  “So what’s the problem?”

  “The scan is like someone has played around with human vitals and panther vitals...” Hunk looked down when the panther sighed and looked bored out of its mind but still tired.

  “So what do we do? If it doesn’t belong to a zoo, I mean? It doesn’t seem to act like a wild animal either.” Hunk asked

  “Keep it under watch, it might be one of those Galra experiments that run loose, we don’t want a reprise of Arus.” The vet said, Hunk gulped and Lance stiffened as they all looked to the panther that had closed his eyes now when the shot that was to numb the pain started working.

  “I’ll take him.” Hunk said; Shiro gave him a worried look.

  “You sure about this, Hunk?” he asked.

  “Yeah, I’m sure.”

  “The cat haven’t even tried to attack him since the very beginning, Hunk will be fine, Shiro.” Lance said dismissively, making the older man sigh.

  “Fine, but call us if anything happens okay, good thing we’re closed tomorrow.” Hunk nodded.

  “Will do, someone tell Allura and Coran about this too.” Hunk said and bundled the animal up in the plaid before lifting it from the floor. “Shiro, could you help me get to my car?”

  “Right, give me a moment.” Shiro turned to the vet who got back to their feet. “How much do you want for this?”

  “Oh, right.” They fixed a fast payment before the vet left and Shiro helped Hunk load the relaxed panther into the back of his car.

Hunk managed to get the panther into his house, Shiro opened the doors for him, Hunk told Shiro to get one of the mattresses form the storage to the main room, Shiro did as told and placed the mattress on the floor, before he put some blankets over it. Hunk put the panther down on the mattress; it sighed and looked around tiredly, before its eyes caught the big window out to the beautiful vegetable and spice garden, some apple trees and raspberry and blackberry blueberries grew there too. Hunk’s garden was full of berries and plants that you could use in food and pies.

Shiro asked once again if Hunk was gonna be fine, the Samoan just smiled and waved him goodnight as Shiro left. Hunk turned to the panther that had turned so that it was watching the window.

  “I’m gonna get ready for bed, see you in the morning.” Hunk said and smiled a low noise left the panther and Hunk wasn’t sure if it was a sigh or an affirmative.

*

Hunk woke up with a yawn; the sun shone in thru the window as he sat up and stretched his arms over his head. better check on the panther, Hunk thought as he got dressed and left his bed room to enter the main room, only to freeze when his eyes fell on the mattress where he left the panther, the feline was gone, but replaced with a pale skinned boy with black hair that stood in all directions and was in dire need to a haircut. The sun danced over pale naked skin as the boy slept on his back breathing slowly, it wasn’t until Hunk saw the bandage around the boy’s leg that he realized that this human and the panther was the same person. Hunk moved closer slowly sinking down on his heels, the boy was around his age, and a beautiful face, Hunk cleared his throat making the boy frown before blinking his eyes open, the most beautiful violet looked back at Hunk’s brown eyes. Then pain exploded across Hunk’s face and he yelped and crashed to the floor bringing his hands to his face whining in pain at his throbbing nose.

  “Ow, ow, ow, ow!” He whined before he opened his teary eyes to see how the boy had pushed himself to all four, Oh hunk was glad the plaid was dark and kept the lower regions of the human’s body obscured in darkness. “Hey, easy, it’s just me, you weird panther shifter thingy? Oh my god what are you?” the boy blinked at him the tension in his body vanishing as he sat down on the mattress the plaid fell down to cover him and Hunk breathed out in relief. Hunk let go of his own nose prodding at it gently, it still hurt, but he didn’t have a nose bleed. He eyed the boy before him and sighed “Okay, uh, my name is Hunk. What is your name?” Hunk asked gesturing to the boy who frowned at him.

  “Keith.” The boy replied after a while, voice hoarse from disuse.

  “Keith?” Hunk asked the boy nodded “That’s... a really good name, if you don’t mind me asking, how did you- uh why did you look like a panther?” Keith looked at him unblinkingly which made nerves and unease grow in Hunk’s belly

  “I have always been able to shift. It was just easier to be on my own as a panther, than a human.”

  “But, what about your family?”

  “Never knew them.” Keith stated. Hunk blinked before he opened his mouth but was cut off by a loud growl coming from Keith’s pale stomach, and Hunk first now noticed how thin he was.

  “You must be hungry.” Hunk said as he got up from the floor “I’ll give you a shirt to wear, I’ll be right back then I’ll make some breakfast, okay?” Keith tilted his head in confusion, making Hunk only able to think of a cat. He left the room to search thru the wardrobe until he found a long sleeved shirt that would fit Keith... well mostly all his shirt would fit the thin cat shifter. He walked out and handed it over to Keith who looked at it before sniffing at it Hunk tried to not blush and think about what it might smell like, Keith struggled slightly to get it on but in the end managed and started to push himself to his feet only to winch when his right leg gave out. Hunk helped him stand, the shirt fell down to Keith’s knees, but the bandage needed to be redone, but first breakfast, Hunk helped a halting Keith over to the kitchen island and parked him there before he started to gather everything he was gonna need to make breakfast.

It didn’t take long before the mouth-watering aroma filled the house. Hunk fixed two plates and handed one of them over to Keith who blinked down at it before he took the fork and stabbed a piece of bacon and started to eat, a bit wildly, but Hunk guessed he hadn’t been eating in his human form for a long time, Hunk was just glad he didn’t eat with his hands. Hunk’s phone piped making Keith jolt and he looked at the device with a betrayed glare. As Hunk halted in his eating and picked it up.

I’m a Mermaid >> Hunkules, Space Dad, Queen, Tech Geek Ready 2 Fight, Don’t Trash the ‘Stache,

(09:26)
I’m a Mermaid: Yoo! How’s it going with the fleabag?

Hunkules: Good I think... apart from that he’s no longer a fleabag; we’re eating breakfast right now.

I’m a Mermaid: did you wash him?

Hunkules: uh... no... There’s just less fur to wash... he uh... turned human... his name is Keith. He’s around our age I think.

Space Dad: what?

Tech Geek Ready 2 Fight: Ugh HUNK it’s too early for this!

Hunkules: I’m serious! I went to bed and he was a panther, then when I woke up Mr. Panther had turned to a human.

Don’t Trash the ‘Stache: Oh seems you kids found a shifter. Met some of them thru my life a rare kind, they mostly stay hidden and were hunted in the old days as what was known as werewolves and vampires.

Queen: Coran’s right. Is he cute, send us a pic, Hunk! I want to see him!

Hunkules: He’s glared at me but here he is...

Hunkules: has sent a picture

I’m a Mermaid: OMG IS THAT A FUCKING MULLET?!

Space Dad: Language

Queen: Oh my stars, he’s so thin! Hunk you better feed him!

Hunkules: Of course I will Allura!

Tech Geek Ready 2 Fight: So... is no one gonna ask why he’s wearing Hunk’s shirt?

Hunkules: he was covered in fur! He’s human fur do no longer stand as cover I was NOT gonna have him walk around NAKED! Cue to why he’s wearing my shirt.

Hunk pushed the phone away and started to eat again, he sent a look to Keith, fining him scoping the scrambled eggs of the plate in a starved hunger, already having eaten all the bacon.

Hunk chuckled when Keith started to lick the plate clean.

  “Hey, easy, there is more if you want.” Keith put the plate down and blinked at him, tongue still out oh my god he bleps Hunk squealed in his head. Keith got three more helpings all to Hunk’s amusement, once they had finished and Hunk had cleaned up did he get the first aid kit and got out the bandage to redo the bandages on Keith’s leg.

Keith watched him as he worked and Hunk noticed that it already started to heal.

  “How fast do you heal? A normal dog bite shouldn’t have started to heal just after one night.”

  “We... heal fast... it’s kind of a shifter thing.”

  “Oh, that’s good then.”

  “You’re... surprisingly okay with all of this.”

  “I am?” Hunk looked and blinked Keith nodded “I- uh... how did you think I was gonna react?”

  “Throw me out or- something... you’re not even afraid.” Keith mumbled. Hunk finished bandaging up the wound as he fixed the first aid kit and rose to his feet.

  “Even if you weren’t a shifter I wouldn’t throw you out, I’d take care of you till that wound healed then let you go on your way wherever that might be.” Hunk shrugged before he smiled “I mean, you’re not gonna kill me in my sleep or hurt me, so why should I be afraid of you?” Keith looked at him with a vulnerable expression before he looked away.

  “Thank you...”

  “No problem, Keith. Oh and I guess my friends will come over to meet you, you met Lance, Pidge and Shiro back when we found you, remember?”

  “Not really...” Keith said. Hunk shrugged.

  “So... how long do you think it will take before that wound heals?”

  “A weak or so...” Keith said looking down at the bandage. Hunk nodded.

  “Well, I’ll be out in the garden, you do what you want.” Hunk said and smiled as he pushed the big window to the side, it was a sliding door.

The warm air rolled inside along with the singing of birds and the smell of flowers and earth, Keith halted over to the opening as Hunk walked outside and took an earth yellow apron from where it hung and took on a sunhat before turned on a radio that started to play songs from a station with barely any talk. Hunk grabbed the things he would need and started to work; keeping weed and other plants he didn’t want away, checking on the growing plants and the fruit to make sure they were healthy, Keith sat down on the sun warmed porch and watched him, playing with the grass between his toes. A mew made him look up to see how a big yellow fur ball came waltzing over to Hunk and rubbed against his legs Hunk laughed and petted the cat on the head, Keith glared at it, the cat looked back at him and downright smirked, Keith bristled and hissed before he looked away with a snort, the cat moved around as if it owned the place, but it didn’t dare to get closer to Keith, just taunted him from afar.

The cat left after a while and Keith lay down on the porch and closed his eyes to bask in the sunlight, he didn’t hear how the front door opened nor the steps that moved closer.

  “Hey, Hunk!” a voice suddenly called startling him awake and he yelped sitting up, the shirt slipped to the side revealing his shoulder and found himself staring at the tanned boy with blue eyes.

  “Oh, Hey, Lance.” Hunk called as he looked up from the bush of cucumber, some dirt on his cheek, Lance grinned back before he looked down at Keith who was squinting at him with a scowl.

  “And here’s the fleabag.” Lance said and sank down on his heels to get to eye level with Keith who glared back.

  “He’s not a fleabag!” Hunk called from the garden.

  “You stink.” Keith bit back, making Lance blink before he glared back.

  “What was that?”

  “You stink. You reek of false scents.” Keith said.

  “You don’t smell any better, when was the last time you even took a bath.”

  “I walked thru rain a week ago.”

  “IT’S NOT THE SAME!” Lance snapped.

  “Hey, be nice to the cat.” A third voice came from the door, where a short girl stood munching on a lollipop, she was dressed in baggy clothes and had her hand in the pocket of her sweater, she gave Lance a look and he snorted, Keith looked at the new human.

  “Hey, Pidge.” Hunk called not looking over the cucumber bush this time.

  “Hey Hunk.” she called before she looked to Keith and smiled, before sitting down legs crossed and grinned at him “Tell me, do you know any other shifter around here? Are the Galra turning things into shifters?” Keith blinked at her sitting up a bit more now when he realized he was not gonna get any sleep in the sun. He looked at her, she smelled like the neon signs and forest.

  “I don’t know anyone else than me.” Keith said

  “What about your parents?”

  “Never knew them.” Keith said “I lived at this place, can’t remember the name anymore, but it was turned to a parking lot so I hit the road after that.”

Things continued like that, once Hunk was done in the garden had three more humans shown up, a man with orange moustache and hair who was very loud but easy to get to smile, a woman with long white hair who smiled warmly at him and a man with black short hair and white bangs, he was scared and missed one arm, it was replaced by a metal prosthetic that worked just as well as his real arm apart from that he couldn’t feel anything but pressure with it.
They had all properly introduced themselves to him, and he had gotten his hand shaken more times than he could count and was staring at it in confusion, why did humans shake hands?

*

Keith blinked his eyes open, the sun shone in thru the window and the smell of pancakes hung heavy in the air, he wasn’t sure how long he’d been at Hunk’s place, his leg still hurt when he pushed himself to walk for too long, but Hunk didn’t seem to mind the fact that Keith was staying at his home, Keith had taken the sofa as his bed, and Hunk had even dragged him to town to get him some clothes, Keith was then dressed in some of Lance’s clothes since they fitted slightly better than Hunk’s, and wouldn’t rise to many eyebrows.

They had found a grey t-shirt and black pants for Keith along with a pair of boots and Keith had been staring at a pair of fingerless gloves so hard that Hunk had bought them the same happened to the cropped long-sleeved jacket that made Lance gag, but Hunk hadn’t cared about his best friends attics with how Keith had beamed at him once he handed the jacket over after paying for it.

Hunk combed and cleaned Keith’s hair to get the worst tangles out and made Keith suddenly purr Hunk had been staring starry-eyed at him the rest of the day after and tried to get the shifter to purr again.

He had before anyone realized become a part of the group of waiters at The Lions, Lance had to rush in now and again when he saw how Keith’s lack of social skills and vocabulary started to run thin. Pidge helped as well from time to time as Shiro sent him encouraging smiles from the cash register as Allura and Coran helped along from time to time.

It was when the winter came that Hunk realized what he felt for the shifter who basically already had claimed him with his scent, the yellow cat who usually came and said hi, sat and glared on the stone wall that kept the two gardens apart, at first he hadn’t realized what caused it until he caught sight of Keith’s smug look at he watched the yellow cat who snorted and jumped back down to its own garden.

When Christmas came; Hunk caught Keith under a mistletoe and kissed him. The shifted and squeaked blushing bright red, Hunk had to catch him as his knees gave out, once Keith had caught his bearings again he had snuggled up against Hunk on the sofa purring in content, kissing him now and again, causing Hunk to chuckle. They got together then and no one was mad about it, well Lance complained that it took them to long only to be swatted lightly in the back of the head by Shiro.

New year was fun until the fireworks, Keith had flinched so hard that he lost grip of his human form and scrambled backwards and gotten tangled in his clothes until Hunk placed his hands over Keith’s ears and pulled him close gently shushing him as the panther’s tail was between his legs and the fur stood in all directions. They had left the outside to get back inside, Hunk held Keith close as the shifter shook in fear body stiff, but as Hunk scratched him behind the ear and petted his back the tension ebbed out.

And when the others found them both Hunk and Keith were sound asleep on the bed, Keith curled around and lying mostly atop of Hunk back in his human form.