Archive of Our Own ^beta

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“I will be back,” Keith spoke in a soft bit of a very firm tone. He was telling the truth; he had full intention to come back like they agreed. Once a year for a month in the summer, Keith would come back and stay on the McClain family farm.

Lance smiled weakly, saddened by Keith's leave. Without Keith at the farm, he will have no one but his family to take care of him. Which was great, but they don't understand like Keith does. All that he's gone through turning the war. The nightmares at night that keep him up and pacing. It's been only six months since landing on earth, he still feels like he isn't home yet. The longing he felt for home was still there. Lance still needs to get back to his family, they need him. “I know but still, I'll miss you samurai,” Lance replied, desperation filling him. 

Lance didn't want him to go, but he wasn't going to outright say it. Because if he asks him to say, he will have to admit feelings he wasn't ready for. He knew deep down inside him how he felt about Keith, but he just lost his girlfriend. Keith wasn't a replacement, so he would have to wait. Keith gives him a small weak smile, placing his hand on Lance's shoulder. “I know you are worried about me going back to space. I'll be alright. I can defend myself if needed," his expression changed slightly to show the worry in him. “I have to go. I don't belong here on earth. I never did. Plus, you need time with your family to grieve Allura. I will not be your distraction any longer,” Keith spoke clearly and strictly. He wasn't staying. He was tired of Lance clinging to him the past two months and wanted away from him. Lance shook his head lightly. Keith did belong here; he's always belonged here. “I just don't want to be alone,” Lance said, broken and trying his best not to cry and scream. Why did everyone he loved leave him? He had to pull himself together.

Keith pulls him into a hug, tight and warm. Keith was never a hugger, so this shocked lance slightly, but he immediately hugged back. pushing his face into his shoulder and started to cry a little, he tried not to let Keith know but they both knew. “I will be back, I promise,” Keith whispered into his ear. “If you get into any trouble. I will go out there and save your ass,” Lance said after a minute of pulling himself together. He was trying to be funny and lighten the mood, trying to act like he was okay. Keith pulls away and looks at him with a small smirk. A smirk that could and has brought him to his knees. “Well, you will be the first I call for help if I need any sharpshooter,” Keith pulls away and grabs his bag. They say their goodbyes again and Keith heads into his ship which is parked in a grass field. 

Chapter Text

Lance is woken up by the sound of a loud crash. His first thought was they were being attacked by another ship, before snapping out of it with the realization that he was comfortable in his own bed on earth. He gets up in a hurry and throws on the closest pair of shoes and a robe. It sounded closer to his house than the main McCain home. Meaning he would most likely be the first to get there. “Shit,” he mumbled to himself when he looked out the window to see if he could see anything, only to notice smoke coming from the horse field. Monica would be absolutely devastated if one of the horses got hurt.

Lance goes to reach for the door when there's a knock, he stops himself for a second not sure if he heard right. Another knock. When he finally opens the door he looks down to see a small girl. Her hair was dark brown, thrown into two messy space buns. Deep violet eyes with a few spots of blue in them, they immediately remind him of Keith. Which caused him to relax a bit, she didn't look much like Keith, other than her eyes and the way she is standing with a type of authority. She mostly reminded him of one of his nieces Monica, who was around her age by the look of her. She is wearing what looks like a magenta-colored space suit, fitted to her and is beaten and shaken up. Blood running down the side of her face from a cut and a few burns on her suit.

Lance's worries about the field are put aside for a moment seeing her stand there injured, maybe she might be in danger. Someone will definitely be driving up from the main house to see what has happened. They would understand that helping a hurt child was way more important than checking on whatever is going on in the field. It's not like any animals would live anyways if one had gotten hit by whatever crashed there. “Hello there sweetheart, you lost?” Lance asked, trying his best to comfort the very clearly lost girl and show her he was no threat. “Hello, is this," her voice was shaky and small, she looked down at a piece of paper before continuing. Her posture changed from authoritative to slightly skittish. Lance waits for her to look at the paper in her hand. “The McClain's farm?” she looks back up at Lance and gives him a small weary smile. No confidence at all about her being in the right place “Yes, but the main house is about 100 acres that way,” he points in the direction, nothing but darkness and the smoke dying down from the field, it had been put out or was dying out. “Who are you looking for?”

“Lance McClain,” she spoke a bit louder than before, with an accent he hadn't quite heard before. Lance lifts an eyebrow before stepping to the side. “Come inside sweetie,” he replied, hearing that she was here to see him. Maybe she was another McClain, one that he hasn't met yet. This thing happened time to time, its what happened when his niece Ava. Her mother had dumped her in the barn without saying that she was Juan's daughter and to never contact her again. So maybe she was here to ask him a question about another family member. Maybe another one of Juan's kids, he definitely had more they didn't know about. from how often he talked about hooking up with random girls at bars, Lance was surprised this has only happened once before. The girl stepped in slowly and consciously, she was gripping something in the pocket of her suit but Lance acted like he didn't see it. He had no plans on hurting a little girl even if she was the first one to swing. Lance closed the screen door but kept the main door open to not scare her. Looking out at the field one more time before walking over and standing in front of her. “I am Lance McClain,” he said once she stopped looking around. Her eyes widened before she let go of what she was gripping in her pocket. She touches her hair, pushing back all her loose hairs, which did absolutely nothing. Before standing up straight and putting her hand out, taking a deep breath. “I am Amora Ao Kogane McClain,” she introduced herself with a big smile but was clearly still shaking.

“Kogane?” he asked, Keith's last name physically hurt coming out of his mouth. He wanted so badly to know where Keith was, to hear from him, anything from him. He had promised to come back but never did, he just stopped talking to him and the whole team. “My father is Keith Kogane," she said matter of fact, before frowning. “Well he was my father, now I only have one father. You. That's what daddy said anyways,” she made a face similar to one Keith used to make, hiding her pain. A million thoughts filled his head but only one slipped out. “Was? What happened?” Lance asked, needing to know. The word was past tense, why wouldn't he be her father anymore? Lance didn't want to entertain the idea that Keith was no longer. Keith was too strong and stubborn to die.

“He came in upset about something, then he grabbed me and started pulling me to where the ships were. King Kazimir was standing in front of the ship we were supposed to leave in,” she paused for a second before continuing her story. “They started yelling at each other, the king reached for me and that's when daddy pulled out his blade and cut him on the neck. He grabbed me and pulled me into the ship, hitting some bottoms. We were about to leave together but a guard came, starting hitting the ship with something. Daddy looked at me and said not to touch the bottoms and left,” she was now on the verge of tears. Lance didn't ask more, she was clearly not in the state to talk about this nor did Lance want to hear more at the moment.

If Keith killed a king of a plant, it was highly unlikely that he was still alive. He sent Amora to him, knowing Lance wouldn't turn her away or harm her. He held himself together only because Amora was in front of him. He believed her, from the look on her face and the shaky way she told the story. Even though his heart was racing and there was nothing more he wanted than to find this plant and burn it to the ground. Lance takes a deep breath in to try and calm himself before looking at Amora again. Now she was crying, her nails digging into her own fist while staring at him. Seeing how scared and upset she was he nervously pulled her into a hug, not wanting to scare or break her. Amora immediately clung to him and buried her face into his shoulder, getting blood on him.

They stayed like this in silence for what felt like forever, Lance held himself together the whole time and tried his best to comfort her. It got harder and harder to keep himself together the longer they stayed there. So when her knees started to give out enough for him to notice, Lance pulled away from the hug and looked at her. “Lets get you changed and in bed, we can talk more in the morning,” he leads her into a hall. He could tell the panic attack forming in him already, but he had to get away from Amora first. The whole house was one story and there were three bedrooms. Lance's main bedroom, two guest rooms. The guest room was only used when the whole family was there but Lance takes her to the biggest guest room.

Amora follows behind him, slow and consciously looking around the house. Once in the room she looks at the bed and immediately climbs in. She wraps herself in the blanket and curls up facing the door, ready to sleep in her space suit. Lance was in a dresser by the door pulling out what looks like a dress. It was a simple yellow color, around her size with a few patches sewed into it. Lance walks over to the bed and sits beside her. “The bathroom is the door across from your room, my room is the door next to yours. It's the only one at the end of the hall. If you need anything, I mean anything, come in. I will be leaving it open for you,” Lance walks towards the door, looks at her one last time and then leaves her. She looks at the door, he had left hers open as well.

It took a few minutes for her to sit back up, she looked at the dress he had sat out for her. It did look comfortable, way more comfortable than what she was wearing now. If her daddy trusted Lance than so should she, he never trusted people. So Lance has to be a good person for him to be trusted with her. Amora gets fully up again, grabs the dress and slowly walks towards the door. She stops a foot in front of her door before taking a deep breath and almost running to the bathroom. She shuts and locks the door before looking around. The bathroom was big enough for both a tub and a shower, a double sink with a huge mirror. She places the dress down on the sink counter and turns the water on. The sink was different than she was used to but not so different that she couldn't figure it out after a minute of playing around. “Wow,” she mumbled to herself, touching the water. It was clear, she's never seen anything like it before. She looked up at herself and what she saw almost made her angry. She looked a mess, blood all over her face and burns on her. Quickly she used the water to clean herself off, not sure at first if it was going to actually wash off. Water here was thinner as well as a different color, but after a minute of rinsing her face everything came off. She slipped on the dress, leaving her suit behind and ran back into the room Lance had called hers.

Chapter Text

Keith was sitting down on a prison bed, chains digging deep in his wrist. Every part of his body felt like it was on fire. His back being the worst. Prince Rune wipes his body with a cooling wipe, yet Keith did not feel it. Rune was a kind soul, so innocent that Keith worried about what being king would turn him into. He was absolutely nothing like his father, who ruled like everyone was his enemy. The second he thought you turned on him, he would cut you into pieces and throw you into the ocean. The fate of thousands of people closest to him. 

Rune was a beautiful shade of deep blue furlike skin that always reminded him of Lance every time he saw him. Anything blue reminded him of Lance and the logging he still felt for him. “I wish there was more I could do,” Rune said, trying his best to comfort Keith with his pain. His back was flaming to the point where water would immediately evaporate off him. Yet he had no physical marks at the moment. The whole day, about two earth days, Keith had been publicly whipped to the point where his back was falling apart. At some point today Keith's back skin had been ripped off and a chunk of him had fallen off. The only reason he was alive now was because they put an IV in him with healing medicine. Just enough to keep him alive but not enough for him to not feel the pain. Whenever he was close to death they would stop for an hour or two for the medicine to kick in enough for his blood to regenerate and his marks healed. If he had time to fully heal, it would only take about six earth days. 

“I tried convincing her to give you a lighter sentence. But unless you try to apologize and feel bad about what you did then there will be no helping you this time,” Rune said while examining Keith's back and gently continuing to wipe a cooling wipe onto him, not realizing it wasn't doing anything. “I appreciate you trying to help. But I told, I will not apologize. Not this time. He deserves worse,” Keith said, almost whispering. His tongue was still sore from biting it in today's beating. They wanted him to scream, apologize and yell in pain, but he refused to let them get what they wanted. Bitting his tongue so hard that it was close to falling off by the time they had finished, it was still healing. “He did. And mom agrees, I know she's doing this to punish me. For refusing to marry Princess Larkspur,” Rune said right before taking a blanket that he definitely wasn't allowed to bring in here with Keith. But Keith was naked and exposed to the cold of the planet's season. It was a loud secret that Rune had admired and crushed on Keith since a young boy. Keith's heart still belonged to Lance and more importantly his daughter. Keith knew that if he didn't have Amora and if their biology couldn't make an heir. Keith would have been offered to Rune. Even though Keith had watched him grow, had taken care of him as a sick boy. When he was the only person in the castle, they trusted that wouldn't get his sickness. Keith had always viewed him as a son, an innocent little boy that used to cry for his mommy while sick. So, he was glad about the fact about not being able to make an heir with him. He didn't want his innocent view of him to be destroyed “Keith, she will forgive you if you apologize,” Keith shakes his head and wraps the blanket around himself. He knew she would let him go if he apologized, but what he said to Keith, he would never forgive him. On top of that he had no ship, no way to get to earth. Keith was stuck in a place he hated since the moment he landed there.

“If you want to help me. See if you can find out if Amora has gotten to Texas on earth. Then let me die. Stop the medication,” Keith said, turning to him. Rune frowns almost immediately. His four eyes looking back at him sad and almost teary look to them, they were a lighter blue than the rest of his body. They matched his hair which was about three inches long. “Is that really what you want? To Die?” Rune asked, almost like he didn't actually want to hear the answer. Like seeing him upset would change Keith's mind. But Keith's mind was made up already. “I cannot do this torture forever. My ship is on or heading to earth. I have no other reason to live. Lance will take care of her,” Keith said before curing up on his side. He didn't add that he was uncomfortable with the fact that he was detransitioned. That was another fact that Rune wouldn't understand, gender was different here and they could change their bodies to whatever characteristics they wanted in seconds. No hate or judgment if someone wanted to change. It was the world that Keith wanted growing up on earth, a true paradise. That was until he was forced to detransition to save Amora. Which he doesn't regret at all; he loves her so much it hurts. He would do it over again if that meant her living. But the king had decided that he was to stay female presenting and if the king tells you to stay away, then you do it no question. At least around the king, but Keith couldn't change his body like they could. He could not go back and forth between body parts and looks. Keith was stuck in the body he hated the most, boobs he so desperately fought to get removed now there again. They were bigger than before from pregnancy, not by much, maybe about a size up but for Keith they felt huge. Heavy and uncomfortable. Keith wanted nothing more than to physically rip them off himself.

“If that's what you want,” Rune said, sighing and placing his hand on his side. Keith didn't react, he trusted Rune not to do anything Keith didn't like and they were very affectionate people. Always needing to touch someone in some type of way. “Don't fall asleep yet, you haven't eaten in two days,” Rune said while getting up and starting to head to the fridge that was fingerprint locked. It showed Keith the food inside he couldn't have, another way to torture him. “Not hungry,” Keith said before closing his eyes. That was a lie, Keith was starving, but right now this was the only thing he could control. He just wanted some type of control right now. “You haven't eaten in two days Keith. We both know you cannot last longer without food. Don't be stupid,” Rune said before taking something out of the fridge. “You want to make sure Mora's okay. Plus, your body is weak,” hearing this Keith sat up annoyed and looked over to him. He wanted to fight with him about this but couldn't. Not when he was holding out a food that Keith had come to love there. A floral-like dish that reminded him of how sweet that hibiscus and honey taste. The food didn't look floral completely. Unlike the rest of this colorful planet, it was black and brown and looked more like an asparagus. “How did you get that?” Keith immediately asked, feeling as good as he could in his situation. “It was served yesterday, I asked Isha to sneak it here,” he said, handing him the food over with a weak smile. Keith immediately dives into the food while he speaks. Isha was Rune's private chef and close friend. Rune then hands him a drink, milk like in color but with the texture of something thigh, it tastes floral like most the food on this planet. They called it water here and used it the same way water was used on earth. Keith thought it was like cum with a similar color and texture, but he would never admit that out loud. It was something just for himself. Keith takes a drink, still uncomfortable with the way it goes down but he ignores the discomfort. Only gaging a little, blush starting to show on his face. Keith was never good with swallowing. Rune laughs a little at the gag before taking Keith's empty plate and now empty cup. “You always gag. Why's that?” Rune noticed with a smile on his face; he said this while putting the plate and cup fully away. He wasn't going to risk Keith using it to hurt himself. “No reason, it's just a weird texture,” Keith said, not telling him the real reason.

Chapter Text

Lance did not sleep, instead he had spent the past five hours processing the information he had gotten about Keith. Someone he never got the chance to call his lover, only teammate. A bitter reminder that lance shouldn't feel this way. Keith would never know how desperately Lance yearned for him. Hours upon hours of fantasizing how their relationship would be, would have been, if Lance ever got the chance to confess to him. Passionate and loving, something Lance wanted so desperately. It was gone now, he would never get a chance to love Keith like he wanted. Looking back at his last meeting with Keith now, he saw all the sighs. Keith had a thing for him, he didn't know how long and now realizing he would never get the chance to learn how long. Now with the fact that Keith hid Amora from him. It completely shattered him. Did Keith really not trust him enough to help raise their daughter together? Did he think Lance wouldn't want anything to do with them? Now he will never know.

Lance was now pacing his house quietly to not wake her. It was six in the morning, and the sun started to rise. He hasn't even started his normal farm duties he was assigned to do in the morning; he wasn't going to leave her alone. He had avoided his phone all night, hearing it rings and go off but never walking over to it. None of his family will know how hard he had just been crying. That was something he wanted to keep till his grave. This time when it rings Lance goes over to it and picks it up. "Thank god you picked up," Marco spoke, beating Lance to talking. "Where are you? Don't tell me you slept through the ship crashing into our field last night," Marco sounded the next between upset and relieved, the same tone his older brother gave him when he was in trouble. "I've been calling you all night, me and Luis was about to come down there and look for you." He said it like it was a joke, but it wasn't and they both knew that. Lance will always appreciate that while upset with each other they are, that his family had a silent agreement to always take care of their own. It reassured Lance so much just knowing he was loved. "I'm alright, calm down for a second. You're right, I didn't sleep through it. I'll explain when I get down there, give me a few hours."

"Fine, but if you're not here to explain yourself by nine I will kill you," Marco said. "One more thing, can you or Luis or whoever is awake feed the goats? I have something really important to do right now and I wasn't able to do my morning duties. I don't want them getting too hungry and it's going to be hot today," Lance said, keeping his phone up to his ear and heading to the kitchen. Marco makes the loudest and most annoyed sigh ever, one that told everything. His older brother was going to fold. “Fine, only because you have to be home as soon as possible,” Marco huffed out. Lance starts to make breakfast while talking, nothing too big. Eggs and sausage. “Thank you so much, I owe you big time. I love you, kay bye," Lance hangs up before he is able to reply. Lance was almost done making eggs when he heard footsteps, small and quiet. He turns around and sees Amora standing there in the yellow night dress. Tiredness still in her eyes as she looks up at him. 

Lance couldn't help but smile to himself. “Morning mija, sit, sit. I'll make you a plate,” Lance said, he was trying his best to be a good father. Just like his own father, who he rarely saw now. His father had been in the military and refuses to retire, he only sees him on holidays now. Lance wanted so badly to have kids, he had wanted three or four. After losing Allura and never seeing Keith again, he hasn't gone out on any dates and just felt like he had missed his opportunity, but now that he has a kid he feels a bit lost. Like he will miss up and completely ruin her emotional state more than it already was. Amora sits down slowly at the table and keeps looking at him. She was making the same face Keith makes when he first wakes up. He had missed that face, he had missed everything about Keith. She doesn't speak while he plates both of their food, pours two cups of ice tea before putting a plate down in front of her. He sits across from her, wanting to be closer to her. “So, you're got a birthday?” Lance asked nervously, not knowing what else to speak about with her. “Daddy said it was May 30th; I'll be 10 then," she picks at her food a bit while speaking, unsure about the new food in front of her. 

Lance does the math quickly in his head, numbers had always been seconds natural for him. From the timeline he mapped out in his head in seconds, Keith would have gotten pregnant the second month he stayed last time he saw him. Around August or so, if she was born at nine months. That would be ten years ago next week. Thinking back on it now, he does remember a very long and very sexual day the two of them had. One where they went at it for about six rounds, the third round their condom broke. They both knew it had broken but kept going anyways, they were adults and they knew the risks but at the moment they didn't think. Everything matched up, lance had not a single thought of doubt in him. Amora was his, she was basically a copy paste of him with purple eyes. Amora's eyes lit up as she took her first bite of earth food. A small smile crosses Lance's face with a hint of pride from her liking his food. "So, this planet you two were on?" Lance asked, he wanted to get as much information about where Keith had been for the past tenish years as he could get.

Amora looks up at him again, her smile fading slightly, changing into one that was forced and uncomfortable. "It was called Thermé. Me and daddy lived in the castle, in the maids quarters. We had our own room, one bed," Amora didn't go into more details about it, she just went back to eating. Now slightly shaken up and still forcing herself to smile. It was clear from her body language that she did not want to be having this conversation. So, Lance drops it and doesn't ask more. Lance had never heard of Thermé before, but he hasn't been to space since Voltron. It wouldn't feel the same without his whole team. Allura was dead. Coran was on Altea. Shiro was somewhere with his husband. Hunk had a family. Pidge worked on technology for the military with her brother. Keith was dead. Lance was here. He couldn't imagine going into space now. He will have to ask Pidge if they know anything about the planet.

After a few more bites Amora speaks again. "He's probably not dead. Thermians like to torture criminals for a few years, wont let them die until they apologize," she spoke like she didn't want to say it out loud, like the thought of her father being tortured scared her more than him being dead. It scared Lance also, the type of terror that crawls up your skin and leaves you breathless. Wanting to scream for help but unable to move let alone make noise. Keith was one of the strongest and will powered people he has ever met. If Keith had killed someone, he had to have a very good reason, they had all agreed not to kill unless absolutely necessary. Keith also wasn't the  type of person to get his hands dirty, he was all bark no bite when it came to killings. They both didn't have to say it, it was clear why they looked at each other. They both hoped he was dead. That the thought of him being tortured for years was something they both couldn't accept. They didn't want it to be true, they also knew that Keith would not apologize for a kill he clearly wanted. They finished their food in silence, the whole time Lance couldn't get what she had said out of his head. A single thought crosses his mind, Keith was being hurt at that second and here lance was, sitting her with their daughter without him. He needed to be there. It filled every part of him with bittersweet rage. Yes Keith left and never came back like he promised and yes he ran off to another planet when he was pregnant without telling him. But his heart already forgave him, something kept telling him that Keith must have been scared and that all these years Keith has been alone. What was he supposed to do with that information? Was there anything he could do? 

If you get into any trouble. I will go out there and save your ass. 

The promise he had made to Keith before he left. He still remembers the smirk on Keith's face after he had said it. No matter what, Lance kept his promises to his loved ones, but without proof and Amora with him now, he couldn't do stupid things like running off again. If this was a few months ago when he didn't know he was a father, he would do it in a heartbeat. No say anything to no one and disappear to find him, the only reason he hasn't after all these years was the promise that Keith made about him coming back. He still heard him clear as day, he spoke softly and firmly, a hint of sadness on his face. A promise that comforted him for around a year, then haunted his dreams at night for nearly ten years.

I will be back.

After eating their food and lance washing their dishes brings her into her room again. "I am going to check out your shipwreck, while there you're going to go with our family. First we need to get you into something," Lance pulls out a shirt and some pants for her, they were his nieces but he didn't think she would care. He was going to give her privacy but instead she gets dressed not caring about him being right there, lance shrugs it off and takes the yellow dress she wore to sleep and tossed it into the laundry bin. "When we get there, you will be overwhelmed. You're allowed to be overwhelmed. No weapons though," lance adds the last part seeing that she had a long piece of glass on her nightstand. It looked like it was from someone thick that had broken, most likely a part of the shipwreck. This must have been what she was holding in her pocket last night. "What if they attack me?" She asked innocently after finishing getting dressed. "Then, I'll kill them."

It was a joke, but Amora's face turned serious, like she was about to scold him. It was another expression Lance recognized as one of Keith's. One that he would make before immediately telling him he wasn't funny or that he was stupid. He couldn't help himself and pulls her into a loving hug, she tenses up a bit before giving in and hugging him back. "Every single person you are going to meet today, I would trust with my life. I am not expecting you to do the same, but just know you mean more to me than they do already," Lance spoke honestly to her. When he lets go, she still clings to him tightly, tears rolling down her cheeks. He wasn't fully sure if she was sad or extremely glad that Lance cared about her. Lance didn't think he could ever love someone he just met, like maybe, but love was another thing. He didn't genuinely love many people outside his family and teammates. From the moment it clicked in his head that she was his daughter, he had loved her. 

Family being everything was something his parents had drilled into his head. Toxic as it could be, it was something Lance agreed with on the most part. Amora finally let go of him after a minute of calming down. Lance then takes her to his car, turns it on and heads to the main McClain house. The whole car ride, Lance tried his best to have a conversation with his daughter, only ending up in her barely saying a word. Once there Lance got out of the car, helping Amora do so as well. He takes her hand but walks in front of her while opening up the door. He is greeted by his niece Mira, his older brother Marco, and his youngest sister Julia sitting down in the living room talking. They were talking before Lance walked in but the moment they looked at him their conversation died. Marco gets up first and wraps his arms around lance, letting out a loud sign of relief. "We thought whatever was in that ship got you," Julia said, getting up and hugging him as well. Lance chuckles a little bit, because in fact, whatever was in that ship did get him. Just not in the way they were worried about. 

"It did," Lance said, using one arm to pull them off. Lance steps back and gently pull Amora in front of him, he stands behind her and looks up at his siblings and niece. Amora stood there, leaning against lance, scared and most likely already overwhelmed. "This is my daughter Amora. She's that whatever that crashed into our field," lance watches all their reactions. Mira gets up from where she was sitting and stands closer to her aunt and uncles, wanting to say something but stopping herself. Julia's eyes widened, then squinted to get a better look at her. Marco looked at him shocked, he spoke first, "Daughter? Who.." Julia cut into him before he could finish his sentence. "Keith!" Julia smiles and speaks again. "She's Keith's daughter isn't she?"  Julia had to have been eight or nine last time Keith was over. How could she remember him enough to know small details about him that could lead her to the answer. "Yes, Amora is mine and Keith's daughter. Please don't other her," Lance let's go if Amora so she wouldn't be clinging to him. He wanted her to not be overwhelmed but he also wanted to signal to her that he trusted them. 

"Other her? I would never other one if my sobrina and especially not one of my best friends' kids," Julia walks over to Amora and gently grabs her hand seeing that Lance had let go of her. Joy and excitement all over her face. That's when Lance remembered. The first time Keith had showed up, he was able to break down Julia's walls. She had never talked to outsiders before because she would refuse to. It was a habit that their parents thought would go away when school started but didn't. She used to respond with, I don't need other people when I have my family. Keith had found a way to convince her to talk to not only him, but anyone. He had changed her life enough to still be considered special to her as well. If it wasn't for Keith, Julia most likely would have gone to college in another state where none of her family lives. She wouldn't have friends and most likely would have left the farm like many of her siblings didn't leave. "Let's get you bathed and into something beautiful," Julia spoke a lot softer to her than she had just been speaking. Amora turns and looks up at lance, fear clearly across her face. Lance kneels down to her level, gently places his hand on her cheek to try and comfort her. "She's not going to hurt you." 

Amora leans into his hand before closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, letting go of lance and going towards Julia. They walk away. Lance watches, worry fills him for a few seconds but he is snapped out of it. "You really are going to be a great father, I mean I never doubted you for a second. But knowing how stupid your brain can be, you need to hear it," Marco said. Lance looks at him, getting up from where he was kneeling. It was true, Lance's brain was mean to him often. Even though he had saved the universe he still felt like he wasn't enough, he was just a background character that did barely anything for his team. Still a seventh wheel. "Come with me to look at the ship," was all Lance could think to reply. "We went out there yesterday, none of the animals got hurt." Lance starts to walk towards the door almost in a hurry. "Some of Keith's stuff could have survived the crash. I want them. Knowing you guys, someone will be here to take the ship soon. If you won't come with me I'll go alone,"  Lance opens the door up and starts to head towards his car. Marco follows him out, runs in front of him and stops Lance from leaving. "You're emotional, it's all over your face. Let me drive," Marco spoke to him like he was a child, for a second he wanted to yell and scream at him. He was not emotional. He was just angry and depressed. But that wouldn't make sense, he was being emotional. 

"Fine," Lance finally huffed out. Marco guides him to the passenger door. Like any moment Lance would turn on him and get into the car without him. He wouldn't, not that now he realized he was being emotional. Lance sits down, before even getting the chance Marco puts his seat belt for him. "I'm not five," Lance mumbled out. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But mi hermanito not going to die if we crash, plus you're still just a baby," Marco patted his cheek like he used to when Lance was young and got into the front seat. Marco was like Lance in many ways, he was eight years older than him, and they both knew Spanish fluently but rarely used it. Mainly because when it was spoken to them when they were younger, it was when they were being scolded by their mother. They were very bad children. Marco always chose to treat him like a baby even after Lance had fought in a war and saved the universe. To Marco, Lance will always that baby in his mother's arms that he was told to protect with his life. He treated all his younger siblings like this, the only one he did was their eldest sister, Sophia. Who was two years older than him and lived in Arizona. Marco starts the car after putting his own seat belt on. "We aren't going to crash, it's a straight road from here to the field." Lance replied, not knowing how else to defend himself after being treated like a child for the millionth time. Marco ignored him and kept driving. Clearly there was nothing he could say that would convince Lance that he wasn't still a child. The message was clear; they would not be having his conversation again.

Chapter Text

Amora walks a few feet behind Julia. Her heart racing with fear and nervousness each step she takes. Julia had let her hand go while heading up stairs, so she took that as an opportunity to stay back without being grabbed again. The more people she met, the more she realized she doesn't actually know anyone here. Lance was the only person her father had mentioned that she could remember. He used to look at her with his distant stare before stroking her face, mumbling something about how she had her father's face. It used to bother her, until she realized that the distant stare he would give was filled with a mix of happiness and sadness. It was a feeling she had never felt before, she hoped to never feel that way towards someone. She never got to ask him why, why did he feel that way towards her father. She had no doubt that he had clearly loved Lance at one point, if not until his death. So why were they stuck on that planet when they could have been here. They could have been a family.

Amora didn't understand it. She hated that she didn't understand it. That there were things Keith would now never be able to answer for her. Things that Lance cannot answer. The way Julia had lit up saying her father's name must have meant that he was very important to all of Lance's family. They didn't even question how they could have a kid, just immediately recognizing and accepting that he did have one. Confused, sad and terrified. Maybe Keith didn't want her around Lance's family because he didn't trust them like he trusted Lance. It was a thought that made her heart feel like it was going to explode, nothing but pure panic. She began to look around for another way out, but they were walking down a hall and the only way out was back. If she ran she wouldn't know where to go or who she would trust. She had no choice but to follow behind Julia and try her best not to show her panic. Hide her emotions and just act like everything was okay. 

They arrive in front of a door painted the color of the sky, she watches as someone opens the door from the inside. A girl opens the door, unlike the people she saw in the living room, she was about the same age as her. She had blonde straight hair and light blue glasses. She stood in a dress about a shade darker than her glasses and white slippers. “Moring Monica, you wouldn't have anything that she could fit?” Julia says motioning to Amora. Monica, who she assumed was her name, turns to her before smiling wildly. She had a look that immediately felt trusting and friendly, it made her calm down a little more. “A friend?” Monica asks, grabbing Amora's hands and pulling her closer to her. Monica smelled like flowers. This made her feel less nervous and more welcomed. If there was someone her age here, in this house, maybe they wouldn't hurt her like Lance had promised. 

“Ella es tu prima, en realidad,” Julia said with a small smile. Amora had no idea what that meant, it was a language she had never heard before but whatever she had said made Monica light up more than she was naturally. “Really? ¿Tío Luis o tío Juan?” Monica asked while looking at Julia, she didn't let go of Amora, only holding onto her tighter. Like Amora would disappear if she let go of her, which she probably would. Even though she had calmed down a lot she still wanted to run. She didn't want to be there. “Tío Lance,”  Julia said. “He brought her in a few minutes ago, she doesn't have any clothes.” Monica pulls away from the hug just enough to look at her again. Like she was studying her face for a moment. That she speaks again. “Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Monica Oliva McClain,” Monica let go of her finally and stood in front of her waiting. They are silent for a second before Monica speaks again. “And you are?” She asks with another smile, welcoming and full of excitement. 

“Amora Ao Kogane McClain,” She half whispered to her, she wanted to hide any emotion from coming out of her. “Where are you from? What's your favorite color? Do you like music? Do you like movies? We should watch a movie together, do you have a favorite? My favorite movie is Alice in Wonderland, that's why my favorite color is blue. You would look good in blue, let's get you a blue dress." Monica talked so fast that Amora couldn't keep up with half of what she was saying. She just stared at her and allowed her to pull her into her bedroom. The walls have a weird texture of what Amoura thinks are flowers. The color of the wall was baby blue. When she touched it, it felt like some type of fabric. Most of the room was a shade of blue or white, toys everywhere. Julia opens another door which is filled with dresses of multiple shades of blue and white. There are a few pink and purple but most of them are blue or white or blue and white. Monica walks over to Julia and the two talk to each other. Look at the Amora and then look back at the clothes. Amora stands there quietly. She doesn't know how to feel right now, she hasn't properly grieved Keith. 

The only person who cared for her other than a few times Rune took her out and around the castle. Her father might be dead because of her, while she's just standing here with strangers who claim to be her family. They are treating her kindly but she just wanted Keith. She wanted to be in her fathers arms cuddling and being reminded how much he loved her. She had spent three months in space alone, eating whatever dried food Keith had packed years ago. Her first night on the ship was her first time falling asleep with Keith with her or by her. And when she had nightmares, no one was there to tell her everything was alright. At first she thought that she just wanted someone to comfort her when she got off the ship, but now she wants Keith. But Keith wasn't there, no one she knew was there. She didn't realize she was crying until Julia gently touched her cheek and wiped away a tear. “Chiquita?”  Julia said softly before getting down to her level. Amora leans into her touch and starts to cry more now that she is aware of her own crying. 

Julia's hand was warm and if she closed her eyes, for a second she could imagine them being her fathers hand. “It's going to be okay,”  Julia says softly while slowly letting her face go and pulling her into a hug. “I want my daddy,” Amora says weakly into her while starting to completely ball. She grabs onto Julia, who hugs her tighter after she says that. “I know,”  Julia pats her head softly and lovingly. After about a minute she pulls away enough to look at her but not enough to let her go yet. “How about we put on this red dress? You know red was your dad's color when he was a paladin.”  Amora just nods, tears still falling down her cheeks which were now red and slightly swollen. Monica comes over and hands her a red dress. puffy at the bottom with matching puffy shoulders. Amora smiles a little bit when she sees it and grabs it from Monica. “Bath first,” Julia says. 

They walked towards the bathroom which was only across from Monica's room. Monica waits inside her room. Julia gives Amora a bath, helping her wash her hair and helping her whenever she needs help. Which was a lot since Amora didn't know how to use this type of bathtub and she had cuts all over her from the crash. She had been too nervous to take a bath on her own this morning and had been too shy to ask Lance for help. Afterwards Amora got dressed and Julia helped brush her hair. It was knotted a lot, her hair had matted in one spot so bad that Julia had to cut it off. After pulling and brushing her head felt lighter but a headache was already forming. Julia brings her back to Monica's room, Monica stands straight up smiling. “You look so pretty!” Monica said smiling at her, she grabs her hand and pulls her to a mirror. Amora looks at herself in the mirror. She looked beautiful, the prettiest she's ever seen herself. “I'm pretty,” She whispered out while smiling more than she has in months.

Lance is standing outside a few feet away from the shipwreck. Marco had stayed in the car to give Lance some privacy. This was Keith's ship, the one that he had left in the last time he had seen him. Now it was beaten and burned so bad that only the small room his bed was in survived. Lance walked in and looked around, everything was here, in the same spot or near the same spot Keith had left it. It was like walking into a school you used to go to, everything was the same, yet things seemed different. He had memories here. Lance picks a few things up that have survived, a few notebooks that Keith used to write in before, during and what looks like after Voltron. He had always claimed it to not be a diary, but when he opened the one labeled Amora, it clearly was. Pages on pages of secrets and things that have happened but in Keith's point of view for years sat in front of him. The one he picked up had to be at least six hundred pages. The first page he read was dated two months after Keith had left Lance.

Nothing right now scares me more than having Lance reject our baby. Him rejecting me I can handle; I have handled it. But our daughter? As much as I love him, want him, need him. He has no choice but to accept her. Because if not, I don't know what I'll do. Will he...

Lance stops reading there, in the middle of a new sentence leaving the two whole pages after that abandoned. “He was coming to earth,” Lance mumbled to himself, he was trying to put together what had happened. Keith was heading to earth but instead he chickens out and landed somewhere else. Somewhere Lance would never go looking. Keith had wanted Lance to be in their daughter's life; he could tell from just the few sentences he read. He wanted him, in what way he wasn't sure about. Lance takes a deep breath, a huff coming out of him, sits down on the bed and takes out his phone. His hands had started shaking at some point, he couldn't recall when. It could have been when he saw the ship and realized it really was Keith's or when he started reading. The writing looked too much like Keith's not to be his. Either way he just now noticed it. He didn't wait for his heart rate to go down, instead he called the only person he knew would be able to help him find more out about Thermé.

Pidge answers the phone after a few rings, they sound exhausted, like they had just run a marathon. It has been over a year since they have talked. No other reason other than Pidge being too busy and Lance not wanting to bother them. Pidge was an important communication specialist in the military, working both in and out of space. He didn't even know if Pidge was on earth or not at this moment. “Lance? What's up man? It's been forever,” Pidge asked, trying to sound not tired and out of breath, but Lance could tell they were both. Lance takes a second to take another deep breath before speaking, “you have a minute?” he could hear them sit down over the speaker. “Yeah, I'm on vacation with Matt and his wife for the month. So you better call me again,” their voice cracked as they threatened him. “Keith,” he felt his name come out of him like a breathless whimper, he didn't want Pidge to hear the desperation in him but he was sure they did. Thankfully they do not mention it. 

“You've heard from him?” Pidge asked, a similar desperation and worry came out of them as well.  “We have a kid,” Lance said, almost whispering, "What?!” Pidge asked, more surprised than he was when he found out. Though it did relieve him that Keith did in fact, not tell anyone. A part of him thought that there was a possibility that Keith had told Pidge some way, that Pidge didn't tell Lance that they had heard from him. “A daughter. Pidge, she looks about the same age that would fit the last time I saw Keith. Plus, we did have a condom break on use,” Lance didn't go into more details about that. Their sex life was something he wanted private. “Shit really? Is Keith?” Pidge didn't need to ask, they wanted to know if Keith was there with him. “Amora said that he had her on another planet, Thermé, he was a servant," almost as soon as he said it Pidge spoke. “Thermé? As in ‘we don't take in outsiders’ Thermé?”

Lance tells Pidge everything he knows so far, from what Keith did to what Amora said his punishment could be. Pidge fell quiet and listened, he heard them typing something. When Lance finished speaking he realized his leg had been bouncing on the floor, he did not force it to stop. “With all you have given me, that has to be Thermé. I just don't get why they would take in Keith. Especially if he had gone there clearly pregnant or had told them. They have only taken in one other documented person to live among them, but when she tried to leave they shot her. Whatever happened for Keith to get there, he definitely didn't stay there by choice,” Pidge spoke in a worried tone, still typing as they talked. Lance hated that this possibility had relieved him more, because in this possibility Keith would have still come home. “I'm going to look into it, maybe send a ship close to the planet to see if we are able to hear anything about if Keith is dead or not.” 

“Put me on the ship,” Lance said, not even thinking it through. If there was any chance Keith was alive, Lance wanted to go. He had promised him he would go if he was in trouble and no one was going to stop him from breaking that promise. “Don't do anything stupid now, you have a kid that just lost her only parent. He might not even be alive anymore, if he is alive then we can go from there. I will head over to your place as soon as I can, just call Shiro and tell him. He will want to know, plus he will be able to get to you before I can. I'll call Hunk,” Pidge said without a hint of hesitation. “Okay, you're right... Just, get back to me. You said call Shiro?” He asked. “Yes, call Shiro, immediately Lance. I don't know what went on between you two, but he's been really stressed about Keith, since Krolia told him he disappeared a few years ago." Pidge paused for about a half second before they continued talking. “Which, if he was pregnant and disappeared after finding out, then that checks out. We both know Keith flees the second he thinks he is an inconvenience.” Pidge sighs loud and dramatically. “But,” before Lance finished what he was about to say, Pidge cuts in. ”Okay, I'll text you after my call with Hunk. Call Shiro. I love you,” Pidge waits for Lance to reply. Like they already knew Lance had lost his train of thought by being cut off. “Okay, I love you too,” Lance replies, Pidge is the one who cuts the call.

Lance was not ready to speak to Shiro. Last time he spoke to him, he had screamed at him about knowing where Keith was and not telling him. He accused him of many things. Mainly that Lance didn't actually believe at all, like how he was keeping Keith from him because he was in love with him. Which, Shiro immediately shut down by saying that he was like his little brother and that most importantly he is happily married. That he loves his husband more than life and if he knew he would tell him. It has been seven years since then. He didn't even know if Shiro had blocked him. He also wasn't good at apologizing. He wished he knew where Shiro lived. Before chickening out, he goes over to Shiro's number and calls him. It rings until the very last ring, then Shiro answers. “What do you want?” Shiro said, sounding tired and annoyed. A loud crying infant in the background. “Are you still in Texas? This would be better said in person." Lance did not like apologizing over the phone, it always felt fake without seeing someone's face. “It's about Keith,” Lance added when he heard nothing but crying. “I know where he is, or well, I know where he has been,” Lance only spoke when Shiro didn't respond. “You've heard from him?” Shiro asked, sounding relieved for a second. “No, but our daughter crash into my field on his ship last night,” Lance said, he was about to start to explain to him. “Daughter?” Shiro moves out of the room crying and into one where the sound was muffled. He was listening now. “Yeah, she's definitely mine. You can tell by looking at her. That's not what I'm calling you about.” Shiro lets a small laugh out. Then he speaks. “I'll send you the address, bring your daughter. I want to meet her. I have two you should meet as well,” Shiro ordered him almost like he did on Voltron. “Tonight?” Lance asked, hoping he would say no. Shiro on the other line just humbled out, “mhm.”

Chapter Text

Lance stands in front of Keith, a disgusted look on his face. “Why didn't you tell me? What makes you think that I would ever want to have a kid with someone like you? Let alone take care of the bastard," Lance spoke to him in a tone he has never heard come out of him. Pure disgust and rage. Hearing it come out of Lance was like he was being sent back in time to the Garrison. A time in his life where everything and everyone was horrible. A time where Keith was still fighting for control over the littlest things and losing. Keith wanted to yell back at Lance, explain the whole story to him and try to beg him for forgiveness, but he cannot move or speak. He just stands there looking at him, trying his best not to cry. He could feel the burn in his throat, like he was holding his breath for longer than he should. He wanted it to stop. Lance moves closer, almost faster than he should, grabs his wrist and pushes him back. 

Keith only moves along with him, trapped and helpless. Fear and panic running through him. “I sent her away, she's the government's problem now Keith.” It's what Keith didn't want, he didn't want his kid to end up in foster care like he did, she's around the same age as he was when he went in. Will they throw her around too? Will she be forced into the military like he was? Told and convinced that no one loved her, that she wasn't good enough of a kid to deserve a stable home. Will she be felled with the same not belonging feeling that Keith had felt for years? The feeling that he tried his best to not pass onto his daughter. He could not save her from that type of pain. “You deserved everything that has happened to you, no one cares about you. Your mom hates you. Shiro has a new family that doesn't include you. Voltron doesn't need you anymore, we never really did. Now Amora is going to hate you as well for abandoning her,” Lance said into his left ear, he felt his hate for him run down his body. Deep into his soul. 

“Oh poor ###, you're going to die in the body you hate so much that you chose to change.” Keith shook his head to this, hoping to physically get the thought out of his head, he tried again to say something but nothing, but a soft cry came out. This was not Lance, Lance never knew his deadname and if he did, he would never in a million years use it. Lance would never say these kinds of things to him and Lance would never throw their daughter into foster care. Lance was too much of a good person to do that to a child. Either way Keith could feel his tears burning his cheeks as they poured out. Lance moves his leg in between Keith’s and when he looked up to look at him all he saw was King Kazimir looking down at him. Blood poured out of his neck where Keith had slashed with his Blade Of Marmora. His skin was a disgusting shade of yellow, almost like an animal that has been walking in a dirty cage for too long. Four nasty green colored eyes stared at him lustfully, paralyzing Keith even more than he already was.

Kazimir wraps his hand around Keith's throat and pushes him harder into the wall. He watches as Keith gasps for air with a hunger that Keith could not escape. The same look he gave Keith while forcing himself onto him. “You always look so pretty gasping for air,” Kazimir smiles at him right before his vision goes black. When he opened his eyes a loud screaming sound was coming out of the speaker. It was Thermé anthem, loud and horrible. Whatever instrument that was used, sounded like a woman who was screaming out for help. He hated every second of it because they insisted on playing it every day since Kazimir’s death. Another way to torture him, to try and get Keith to apologize. Keith grabs his throat, looking around. 

Rune has snuck into his father's office, which according to the laws was his now. Even if his mother has convinced the court that he is too young to rule at seventeen, if he is caught no one would argue that he isn't allowed in there. That is, if Rune told them what he was doing. Which wasn't going to happen. He is more likely to marry that disgusting Princess Larkspur, who has refused to leave him alone for the past three years, before giving up what he was doing there. He walks over to the communication device all the kings before him have used to connect to other planets. It had sat long unused since the last big war on the planet 200 years ago. They did not interact with other spices and almost all the other kingdoms except two more have been killed off. Each kingdom ruled a different side of the planet. He sits down in front of the device hoping it still works and pulls out his notes. Everything was neatly written; he had to go through Keith's stuff to find the information. Most of it had been scattered around in his notebook, it took him days to find everything. He did not ask Keith if he could do this, not directly but for what he was about to do, he didn't think he would really mind. His stuff was getting thrown out in the next few days anyways. There was no other way to find this information that Rune had access to. the first page of the notes said:

Keith Akira Kogane, 29. Red Paladin of Voltron in the war. Earth, Texas. Amora Ao Kogane McClain, 9. Born May 30th, at 7:48AM earth dating and time. 

Contact in order:

1. Lance Charles McClain, 28, contact Number #9267027.
2. Pidge Holt, 25, contact number #9267039.
3. Takashi Shirogane, 35, contact Number #9266206.  
4. Tsuyoshi Garrett, 27, Contact Number #9267026. 

Rune looks over his note one more time, upset about how similar the symbols are before contacting each number carefully with the same message. He needed to get his message out to these people before Keith gave up. He needed Keith off his planet and somewhere safe with people that love and care about him. He could not stop the torture, begged for so long but his mother still refused. She had loved his horrible father too much.

Good afternoon. My name is Prince Rune of the planet Thermé. Currently my mother has the red Paladin, Keith Akira Kogane. He has been sentenced to whipping for the next 5 years, around 10 on your planet, he then will be allowed to die. I have been asked by Keith to contact you all. Keith wants me to contact you all and ask about his daughter Amora Ao Kogane McClain is okay and safe with Lance Charles McClain. Then he wants me to stop his healing and allow him to die early. Keith is too stubborn to apologize for his crime. I do not want him to die. Keith is very dear to me, he saved me when my family had left me to die. I would like to return the favor and beg you to send someone to come save him. I will be able to tell you all the information you need and sneak you in. Please contact me only through this. If I am caught I cannot help. My mother nor the court will allow Keith to be returned into your care. In case you do not believe me, here is a video of proof.

Rune uploads and links the recording of today's whipping with multiple different cameras. Along with a video of Keith killing his father after throwing Amora into the ship. It cuts to Keith being pulled away and taken. He needed to show them how serious this actually was. A part of him did not believe they would believe him without proof. After Rune sends the message he starts to pace back and forth. Anxiety filled every part of him. He had to keep telling himself that it was worth it. He is doing the right thing by helping Keith, this is worth losing everything and everyone he cares about. Keith's family needed to know where to look for him and he wanted to confirm that Amora got to earth safely. He owed this to Keith. The video sent was one he recorded on a hidden device. Only when Rune saw the sun starting to raise did he sneak off and head towards his own room. Inside a slave girl laid in his bed, he didn't pay her any mind. He already knew his mother wanted a reason to trap him into marrying someone.

The truth was, Rune didn't really want to marry anyone but Keith. But Keith had a family and was far too old for him.  So he has decided never to marry and to only sleep with men he cannot get pregnant. He never wanted kids, the universe was too unfair to bring life into it. He will allow his mother to rule until she is gone. Then allow his bloodline to end with him. He waits a few minutes before walking out of his room and into the hall. Now the hall was filled with servants, doing their daily mourning work. None of them gLanced at him longer than two seconds, just moved out his way so he would beagle to walk by. Instead of heading to breakfast like he was supposed to do, he walks down two sets of stairs and towards Keith's prison. The kingdom anthem starts to play, he had shown up just in time for Keith to be woken up. Inside Keith was sitting up, his hand on his own throat. “Why the fuck is it so loud?” Keith yelled, just enough for Rune to hear him. 

Rune goes over to the fridge and uses his fingerprint to open it up. He takes out a plate, it does not look or smell appetizing at all. Cold purplish thick soup with a glass of water. When he turned to Keith, he looked like he was going to pass right back out again. His skin was paler than normal and he had dropped half his body weight almost over night. A sick feeling grew in his stomach. Keith would not live another whipping. Even with the healing, he just didn't have enough body fat or will to. “Im going to talk to my mom, you're going to die,” Rune was about to put the food away and head out. “Let me,” it sounded more of a beg than anything. Rune turns back to Keith who was staring back at him. Even with his hair in his face Rune could see Keith's eyes were bloodshot and the heavy bags under his eyes. “No,” Rune replied before taking a deep breath and speaking again. “No. I contacted your people, you said it yourself. You want to know if she got to earth safely before. Your punishment isn't over so if you're so sick you will die, they will stop and give you a few days. Just hang on. I need you to hang on Keith,” Rune knew his voice was shaky but he was sure they would allow him to heal. It had been done before and for how big of a crime Keith did, they wouldn't want Keith dead after just a few weeks. Keith didn't reply, he just stared at him before laying back down. “Im going to talk to my mom and get you some proper food,” Rune didn't wait for a reply, he knew he wasn't getting one. Instead he left Keith there.

Chapter Text

Lance makes it to the car, where Marco was still seated in the front. He was blasting music before turning it off when he spotted Lance. “Hermanito, are you alright? You look like shit,” Marco said out his rolled down window. “I feel it,” Lance replied, heading to the passenger side of the car. In his hands he had four of Keith's notebooks, all labeled differently, Galaxy Garrison, Voltron, Blade of Marmora, Amora. Only Galaxy Garrison had been completely filled up, the other three were either nearly full or had half the book ripped out. Lance wanted them, he wanted to know what was going on in Keith's head. “Got all you need?” Marco asked, turning not just his head but also his body to look at him. “Yeah, I called Pidge and they said they will look into where Keith was. See if maybe he's alive,” Lance tried to not show the hope, but he already knew Marco saw through that. “Don't get your hopes up too much,” Marco replied, Lance haven't even told him the full story, but he must have said enough for Marco not to question him.

“I'm not, it's just, if Keith's alive. I could go get him. We could be a family,” Lance looked out the window while Marco started to drive. “And if Keith doesn't want to be a family with you? Are you really going to go back into space for a guy you slept with? I get that you two must have this trauma bound or whatever thing you two have because of the war but seriously? You two didn't even date,” Marco sounded somewhat annoyed while he talked, he had never shown any outwards hatred towards Keith before. Marco and Keith seemed cool when they talked. “Then we will go from there. We can still be a family without Keith wanting me romantically. I owe saving him. He birthed my child; don't you feel that way towards Kimberly?” Lance knew he sounded defensive but did not care. And he also knew bringing up Monica's deadbeat mother was not a good idea, but he did anyway. “For all you know the bastard could be anyone's," Marco scoffed, holding himself back from showing how upset he actually was by Lance's comment. But Lance saw straight through him, he knew Marco did not like when people brought up Monica's mother. “You better not be suggesting what I think you're suggesting Marco. Keith is not like that," Lance said, turning his body to look at him. “I'm just saying you should take a DNA test before jumping to conclusions. Bitches lie and I don't want my hermanito to get his heart broken again. She may look like a McClain but that doesn't mean anything." Lance takes a deep breath, he wants to punch him in the face. But they were driving and he really couldn't risk dying right now, so he picked the next best option. “Pull over,” Lance demanded. “What? Come on man, I just don't want you," Lance cuts in again. “Pull over Marco, please. Before I jump out." Marco pulls over and turns his body towards him, before he said anything Lance got out of the car and started to walk. 

Lance starts to walk towards the main home, Marco drove slowly behind him and was trying to talk to him, but Lance just ignored him. Lance knew for a fact that Keith was not the type to sleep around, it took him forever to even let Lance kiss him while they fucked. Plus, Keith wouldn't have had time to see away the last time he was on earth. Lance makes it to the house halfway by foot, he walks into the house and towards his mother's room before Marco even has the chance to catch him. When he walked in, he saw them, all his nieces and nephews that either lived on the farm or were staying with his mother for the summer. Daniel is half asleep while playing with Estrella. Ashley is playing with blocks with her mother Melissa; Ana is trying her best to get her mother Melissa's attention away from her younger sister and onto her. Mira the eldest, is playing on her phone. Lastly Monica, Ellie and Amora are talking to Lance's mother Elian. Julia is nowhere to be seen, but his mother and Melissa seem to have the kids under control. “Mama,” Lance says softly and leans against the door, she looks up at him and stands. All three of the girls turn and look over at Lance. “Hijo mío, te mueres de cansancio.” Lance lets her grab his face gently, she gives him the same worried look she always gave him when he seemed overly depressed. Lance leans into her hand and relaxes for a second, his eyes still open to look at her. He can already see the worry running through her. “I'm okay mamá.” Elian gives him a gentle smile before turning to Melissa. “You have them while we speak?” she asks Melissa, who doesn't even look up from her youngest daughter. “Yeah,” Melissa replied. Elian lets go of Lance's face and gently grabs his hand, he takes him into the hall and then into Lance's old room. Which now had only baby supplies in case one of his siblings had another child. Lance sits the notebooks down on a changing table while Elian closes the door. Once the door is closed, the first thing she does is pull Lance into a hug. 

Lance accepts it without questioning. He would never turn away a hug from his mother. “Keith,” Lance mumbled into her while closing his eyes. “What happened? Julia only told me that Amora is you and his kid. To talk to you. Are you okay? Is Keith okay?” She asks before pulling away. Lance doesn't let her go though. So Lance tells her what he knows. Trying his best not to sound sad about what has happened, but it failed. By the end Lance was on the verge of tears and his mother looked horrified. “I have to go back out there,” Lance finally let out, he didn't know how she would react to this. Lance had promised her he wouldn't disappear into space again. Now, nine years later he is breaking that promise with just the possibility that Keith could still be alive. He didn't even know if he was actually going to go or not, but it was better to warn his family now than say he was going to go back out there and that would be a lie. Elian frowns at him, he did not like that idea at all. “Do you love him?” She asked. It was a stupid question, of course he still loved him. He didn't realize how much he actually loved him until it was too late. Until Keith was miles away in space and wanting nothing to do with him. “Of course I love him. That feeling never went away. Not like the grief I had when Allura died,” Lance admitted, he still had a very special place in his heart for his ex-girlfriend, but she would have wanted him to move on. Or at least that's what he hoped she had wanted for him. “When Allura died, I knew what happened to her. I knew why she was never coming back,” Lance didn't like talking about Allura, a part of him missed her more than anything but the other part of him knew he had to move on for his own good. “When Keith disappeared mamá, no one knew where he was. If he was alive or if he just wanted to get away from us all. You didn't know him like I did. Keith is strong, brave and loyal to his team. But he never felt like he fit in, no Matter how much convincing you tried.” Lance signs loudly and closes his eyes. 

“He thought he was a burden to his team, which made him reckless with his life. Now he's possibly in trouble. Mamá, he could be in trouble, and I just know he would go out and get me if I was in his position. I miss him so much,” Lance felt broken and hurt, he couldn't let Amora see him like this. But his mother was another story, she would know what to do. “But if I die trying to save him, he would never forgive me for orphaning our daughter,” Lance almost whispered the last part, he did not add that he would also never forgive himself. “Well, hijo, sounds like you should go,” Elian said before taking his hand gently in one of hers. “Amora would still have a family that loves her and will take her in if anything happens to you. Just promise me that you won't go off for a few years again. I cannot lose you to space again not knowing where you are.” Lance knew this already; his family wouldn't abandon Amora even if they don't know her yet. She was still family and the McClain's always took care of family. He knew that if he were to die then one of his siblings would immediately adopt her. It was somewhat comforting to know, but he still didn't want to leave Amora. He's already been an absent father. “Im going to take Amora to Shiro's house for a bit. Tell the family we are having dinner this weekend to welcome Amora the proper way.” Lance goes and grabs the notebooks and heads out.

Amora is seated inside Lance's car; a song she has no understanding is playing. She doesn't exactly know where they were heading, just that Lance had told her they were meeting Keith's brother. Which was weird since her father had never mentioned anything about having a brother. He never even mentioned anything of his life before Thermé besides how he saved the universe before she was born. Amora used to not believe that, but now she was starting to with all she didn't know about him. She knew he had a family somewhere, but she never thought too much of it. But now, sitting in a car on a planet she knows almost nothing other than it being the planet both her parents were born on. She was scared. She wanted to trust her Lance; she wanted to trust him as much as she trusted Keith. Keith had told her to trust Lance and that he would take care of her the same way he did. But she still didn't know anything about him. Other than him being her father. A small bit of panic runs through her while riding. She was with a stranger. "You okay?" Lance asks, stopping the car and looking at her. The road was empty as far as the eye could see, fields on both sides of the road. "Yeah," she mumbled the lie and leaned back. Lance must not have believed her since he signs with a frown. "You don't have to lie to me mija, you're allowed to not be okay. But I have to know to help," Lance spoke softly, she could tell he was sad. A deep sadness that she didn't fully understand, a similar one to how she feels whenever she thinks about how Keith is gone. She wasn't sure why but she could just feel it, she wasn't even sure if she was allowed to feel it. "You're sad," she pointed out, trying to change the subject. She didn't know how he would react if she told him she was scared, she wanted to keep that to herself. "Of course I'm sad mija," he admitted to her, not a hint of shame in the statement. "Someone who I love and care about hid something big from me, and disappeared on another planet, now there is a chance I will never see him again." 

Lance didn't raise his voice or look away from her. "I didn't get to be in your life, I didn't get to watch my only kid grow," he looks like he's about to cry but he doesn't. He is holding it in but it is clear to her that he was about to cry. Lance was not good at hiding his feelings like Keith was. "I miss him too,” she said, staring at him, Lance gives her a weak smile, one that looks forced. Lance then turns back to the wheel and starts to drive again, this time with the music off. Amora doesn't know how long they had been in the car; she just knew that it was long enough to fall asleep and open her eyes to the sun setting. When he sat up and looked around, Lance was not in the car, instead he was standing outside the car with a male older than Lance with a metal arm and a young baby on his arm. She watches the two of them talk from inside the car, unable to hear them. When she is finally noticed Lance opens the door for her. “Youree awake,” Lance said now with a real smile on his face. “Come meet your uncle Shiro.” Amora gets out of the car and with her foot half asleep she stands there. Shiro looked down at her, he had a look that sent fear through her. Like he was a very important person and someone you didn't want to upset. “Hello, Amora, right?” Amora only nodded her head; Lance lightly placed his hand on her shoulder. “It's alright, Shiro might look like he's all mean and scary but inside he's just a big softie,” Lance said trying to comfort her.

Chapter Text

Keith was in the practicing room sparring with Xavier, someone he had been assigned to take care of while going around space. He was younger than Keith, around the age of fifteen or so but Keith did not ask. He was another half human and half Galatran like him, purple hair textured hair and dark skin, his eyes were a similar shade to Keith's but that was the only physical similarities they had. His mother had told him while assigning him to Keith, "I don't know what to do with him. He wasn't supposed to be born." Like him, Xavier was just like him. Orphaned and seen as a mistake, no one else would take him and help him become a soldier. Which Xavier had no choice to but to be unless he was willing to try and make it on his own. But they also wouldn't even let him clean messes, not unless he proved himself to be strong. So Xavier had been assigned to Keith as soon as he got back after visiting earth. Making him fully Keith's responsibility.

Keith was showing him how to fight with a blade similar to his own. While Keith was trying his best to dumb down his fighting to be able to train him. He wasn't exactly the best at teaching someone who was scared to even pick up a weapon and try and use it. Right when Keith was going to give up for a break he felt a hint right where his uterus was. A stab that felt completely not normal, worse than any cramp he had ever had. Something was wrong, and Keith knew something had been wrong since leaving earth. He had been so physically tired and drained, like everything in him was screaming to take it easily and rest. He also hasn't been able to properly eat for about a week now. With his strict wake and sleep schedules and the extra work of training someone from the bottom up. He had just assumed that he hadn't fully settled in yet. Things that Keith had done early without breaking a sweat now left him almost gasping for air. 

Xavier drops his blade seeing Keith and comes to help him, letting Keith lean on him for support. "You okay?" Xavier asked, genuinely worried about Keith. Who, unlike everyone else, had treated him kindly. Keith dropped his blade that he had been trying not to let go of and placed a hand over where it was hurting. Closing his eyes and trying not to whine from the pain, he was so uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than he would like to admit. "Yeah, just cramps," Keith breathed out, not believing that himself but not wanting to tell him that and scare him. To Keith, Xavier was innocent and needed to be protected, even though the universe had already gotten to him by now. But Keith knew this wasn't his period, he hadn't had a period since coming back to space. Which wasn't completely out of the normal, he didn't have them often and when he did they didn't hurt as bad as he felt now. 

Keith knew he was about to pass out when he started to see little stars dancing around him. Allowed by the dizziness that comes with passing out. The moment he felt this he put all his body weight onto Xavier in case he did pass out. Keith weighed about a hundred more pounds than he did but Xavier was strong. And if his weight was too much for him, he wasn't showing it at all. "Let's get you to the infirmary. Maybe they will have something," Xavier wraps his arms around Keith and before he knew it everyday went black. 

When Keith woke up, he was in the infirmary, his mother, Krolia, stood above him. Beside her was the infirmary doctor Kaden. "Mom?" Keith asked while sitting up slowly, that's when he noticed some type of device was attached to his stomach. The sinking feeling of dread came over him, he did not like this at all. He wanted it off of him immediately. So he turns to Kaden with her long lilac hair and a serious look on her face. "How do you feel honey?" Kaden asked softly but her face didn't change at all. "I’m okay. Just got cramps. Nothing to worry about, I just need to lay down" Keith said, trying to not let the fear of whatever was going on out. "Just tell her," Krolia said, obviously upset. She had never misgendered him, ever since he told her. So hearing that he knew something was wrong, he had done something wrong. The only bit of blood family he had was upset with him. He was alone again and no one was on his side, he moved his eyes away from Kaden and onto his mother's face. A cold and unloving face. He wouldn't normally cry about something like this. He would just correct them and move on. But he couldn't help but feel hurt, he didn't understand why he was more sensitive. 

"What did you call me?" Keith asked, trying to convince himself that he was hearing things. That his brain was doing the thing again where it mixes people's words around to mess with him. Trans people among Galatran’s wasn't uncommon and openly accepted. It was across almost every planet. Kaden looked at her and frowned. "Be nice to him. He's still young," Kaden's tone was stern now, like she was close to curing her out for Keith. Krolia rolls her eyes before turning to him, disappointment on her face. "You got yourself knocked up while on earth. Get rid of it. That's an order." Keith's eyes widened and in seconds he was filled with rage. How dare she speak to him like that. How dare she act like she has any say in this when she wasn't there for him. He might have been a mistake that she regretted, but that didn't mean she could talk to him however she wanted. "No," Keith said before taking a deep breath. He couldn't wrap his brain around pregnancy or if he even believed what he was being told. It wasn't impossible but Keith hadn't really thought about there ever being a chance he could. Not when he has always had a horrible period cycle, sometimes only having two periods a year. 

"I will not. I have to talk to Lance first, see how he feels," Keith is cut off by Krolia. "I know more than anyone how this will go. If you keep it, you will only give them to the father on earth and come back. For years you will wonder, was it really worth it? Was the love I felt for a human really worth the load of knowing you had a kid you could never see? It's not Keith, it's not worth it," Krolia was angry now, keeping her tone low but clearly on the edge of yelling. Keith took in what she said, like he thought, she regretted him. He wasn't worth it for her. How could she say that when his father loved her to the very end. It had the tears that built up starting to pour down his face. Nausea starting to build up as well. "I didn't ask to be born Krolia. I get that I was your big mistake that you can never get rid of. If im such a big mistake why did you take me in? Why not act like you didn't recognize me?" Keith wanted so badly for his mother's love. He wanted to win her over and thought he did, but she always had side comments about mix species that always stung Keith. All he wanted now was to be comforted. To be held in the arms of someone who truly loved and cared about him. But no one loved and cared about him. Kaden steps in before Krolia could speak. "Let's give each other some space and talk about this tomorrow. Emotions are high right now.” Krolia signs loudly, whispers something to Kaden before leaving without a word to Keith. Keith then let it all out, all the tears and all the pain he was in. He wasn't sure what he would do, he didn't regret it at all. 

Having a part of Lance that would forever connect them. It didn't sound horrible at all. On top of that he would finally have a family that would love him. Someone he could say loved him back without that slight chance that he could be wrong. It was a selfish reason that he knew wasn't good enough to have a kid. But he wanted to be selfish, do something for himself for once. Kaden turns to Keith and pushes him back onto the bed, Keith didn't fight it. He was so shaken up that the fight in him wasn't coming out. "You wanna look at your baby dear?" She asked softly. Like she already knew Keith wasn't changing his mind on this and she wasn't going to try and convince him otherwise. Keith didn't answer, he just looked at her unable to speak. Kaden turned the device on and after a few seconds, a hologram image of Keith's whole uterus was on display. Kaden types something and it shows inside. Small and human shaped already. Keith stared at it, tears still running down his cheek but now a small part of him amazed. 

"She's a girl. About 15 earth weeks if I'm not off. I had to pull out a few human pregnancy books out since your uterus doesn't look Galatran or really human, but the baby looks more human. Human organs and features. The only problem I see is that your uterus doesn't look right. Something could go wrong. You're very high risk already. I am surprised your body didn't warn you beforehand." Kaden looks at Keith, whose face was completely red from crying. He had never seen anything like this. He didn't grow up around girls let alone pregnant people. "She's going to be okay though?" He asked in a whisper after a few seconds, moving his eyes to look at her. "She's not who I'm worried about right now. I would put you on bed rest but I cannot. Go to earth and meet with a military human doctor. They will know what to do. I don't suggest giving birth vaginally, but they won't approve it here. I've been ordered to remove her in your sleep," Kaden says knowing this would get her in trouble, but she only smiled at him and wiped his tears away. "I don't believe in forcing patients to do something I know they don't want. That goes for any surgery or medications I give out. You want this right? You're sure you won't regret this? It's your choice Keith but it will be hard." Kaden speaks while staring at him. “I won't, even if her father doesn't want her. I will love her, I'll give her the love my father gave me,” Keith said, he was sure he knew what he wanted. He wanted someone to love and someone to love him. She had said nothing was wrong with the baby and he trusted what Kaden said about anything going wrong would be on his end. Kaden then turned the device off and took it off Keith gently. "Go. don't tell anyone where you are going and don't look back. Get to earth as fast as you can."

Keith packed his bag back at his room, fast and shaking. His body had truly given up on allowing him to move without pain. He hears the door open and looks to see Xavier. The two of them had been assigned to do everything including share a room together. So seeing him wasn't that much of a surprise. Xavier looked at him, shocked before smiling. "You're back," Xavier walked over to him and that's when his frown appeared, seeing the bag. "You're leaving?" He asked. "I have no choice," Keith said, turning back to his bag and continuing to pack. Xavier moves across the bed and puts his hand down on Keith stuff so he would stop. "What happened?" Xavier asked. Keith looks up at him again and signs loudly before speaking. He only tells him because he knows that Xavier will not tell on him. and if he did, no one would take him seriously. "I'm expecting, Krolia doesn't like that so I have to go." Xavier moves his hands. It was a good enough reason for him.

"Let me come with you. Honestly Keith, you are the only person here that treats me with any respect. I have no place here. They are going to work me until my death." Keith starts to pack again. He did not care if Xavier came with him or not, but having an extra set of hands would definitely help with the travel. "Start packing then. We are leaving now," Keith says, somewhat relieved now that he would have someone with him while riding to earth. Xavier gets up and grabs a bag. He hasn't fully unpacked since getting here anyways. "Never unpacked my normal clothes. I need nothing else." Keith nods and as soon as he finishes packing his bag he grabs it and starts to walk out. Xavier follows him down to the ship dock. Keith entered his ship with Xavier behind him. There was enough room for the both of them, they would just need to take turns with the bed. Keith quickly puts earth's coordinates in, watching to make sure they were actually going in the right direction. Once away enough and definitely going the right way, Keith gets out from the front. The ship was on autopilot so there was nothing to worry about. 

"So,” Xavier said sitting on the bed. “Where are we going?" Keith sits down beside him and signs. "Earth," Keith turns his head to Xavier. "Have you been?" Keith asked. "Nope," Xavier replied. He had been born in space to a Galra mother, so it wasn't shocking news. "So, you're pregnant? That's what expecting means right?" Xavier said awkwardly, not knowing what else to say. The two of them weren't close. "Yeah, Kaden said it's a girl. I hope she looks like Lance," Keith smiled to himself when he mentioned Lance. Xavier knew a little about Lance. Enough to know about Voltron and him being part of it. Keith didn't talk about Lance much, not to anyone. He did this to not show his pain when it came to his feelings for him. It was hard to hide how he felt now, Keith has changed so much from before Voltron. "Lance? Is he your boyfriend?" Xavier asked with a small smirk on his face. Keith shook his head, his cheeks burning up. "He is not my boyfriend. We're just friends," Keith's voice went up as he talked. "Friend? I didn't know friends got each other pregnant," Xavier pointed out. Making Keith's face burn up even more than before. "Yeah well, he was depressed and I.." Keith stops himself from speaking, gets up crossing his arms. 

"And you what? Felt bad? That's kinda shitty man," Xavier said. "No, it's even worse," Keith admitted, then sat back down. He wasn't sure if he should tell him this or not. He was still a boy. But when Keith looked at Xavier he stared at him waiting, Keith had to remind himself that Xavier had grown up in space and war. Any innocence in him had been stolen. So he decided to tell him the truth. "I did it because I'm selfish, Zay. We used to hook up while on the Voltron, but he started dating another one of our teammates, Allura," Keith takes a deep sharp breath. That fact still cut deep, that Lance had him and still chose someone else. Someone that loathed Keith’s very existence the moment she realized he was half Galra. Deep down he knew if she ever gave Lance a choice he would pick her, so when it happened he felt so horrible. The only guy, only person, he has ever shown ever part of him too picked someone else over him. He didn't even notice any of the hints he threw out at him. Jealousy filled every part of him, even now. "She was the most beautiful person I've ever met, smart and brave. She didn't like me much but still," Keith said, trying his best not to trash the dead. He didn't want to admit to himself how much he believed what he just said. "When he started dating her we stopped. I thought I was okay with it but I wasn't. I realized I had feelings for him so strongly that I wanted him not even sexually but romantically, I was too late," Keith turns to look him straight in the face. Xavier stared at him intensely. 

"When she died, I felt nothing," Keith admitted, he has never admitted this to anyone let alone out loud. He signs again, this time somewhat relieved that he let it out. It was so messed up that Keith didn't even want to believe what he felt. "So, while your friend was still grieving, you took advantage of his sadness for your own sexual desires?" Xavier said with disgust in his tone. "Yeah you're right. That is worse," Xavier said quietly before continuing, "What are you going to tell your daughter? That you and her dad made her with love. When in reality you two made her with greed and sadness." Keith frowns hearing him say this, he didn't even realize that he has started to tear up again. It did come off weird when he put it like that. But that is not what happened. Xavier didn't have to say what he was truly thinking, Keith knew. "I didn't get pregnant to make him love me. I cannot make him love me, I tried, I tried so hard. He doesn't want me like that." On top of not knowing if he could get pregnant, he would never do anything like that. “You are too young to understand the complex feelings of love. I had sex with him again not because he was sad. He chose to. I didn't force him into anything he didn't want. We are both adults that can make our own decisions on how we handle grief. It wasn't even my idea, it felt good though. To have someone you love and care about come to you after being hurt. My daughter was made out of love, even if it wasn't the love you would think of, I do not regret it.”