driftfleet | Huntress Mingle!

It's not about that. But you are still getting a proper Valentine's Day gift sometime soon, and I won't hear any protests about it.

[He drums his fingers on the box now on his lap.]

So, you... You mentioned going to Shiro's room. And that it was empty. That you couldn't find his things. Or his dog. Or all the photos he took. All of which, of course, massively sucks. And I... I can't bring him back, or any of it. But I tried to do what I can. Here, this is for you.

[And he holds out the box to him.]

[Keith huffed a small sigh, almost rolling his eyes as he shook his head a little. Okay, fine...

He listened, lowering his legs to sit properly as he set his sketchbook aside, and then carefully took the offered box. What did Lance do? He opened it up, then went through the first few pictures to confirm it was what he thought it was. The noise Keith made could easily have been somewhere between a short laugh and a choked sob. He smiled a bit, but it was a little sad.]

You printed them out.

[They all had the pictures, really, because Shiro had been the type to share them all through messages. But Shiro had also printed copies for himself and posted them on his walls. They had some of those in their own room... the ones Lance had wanted to post, mostly. Keith had started printing and posting some of his own over time as well, but there were quite a few that Shiro had printed that Keith hadn't, yet. He'd been hoping to just grab those.

But this was just as good for what he wanted. He closed his eyes and leaned to the side, resting against Lance's shoulder.]

Thanks.

[Lance had done his best to print out everything that wasn't already hanging in their shared room. Most everything, at least, not wanting to burn out the printer. Maybe after getting more ink he'd print out the last bits.

He puts an arm around Keith's shoulder, drawing him in.]

Yeah. I know that not everything might be there, 'cause I can't remember every single picture he used to have in his room, but I tried my best. We can put these wherever you want. In our room, in the Lion's Den, in an album, anywhere.

[Keith nodded.]

I think... for now? Maybe just our room.

[Sure, they still had several people from the group not on their ship, but it was hard to think of the Lion's Den right now without thinking about the people they were missing. Though... album or wall... that was still a decision to come later.]

Part of me feels like I'm being silly about this... it's not like Shiro's missing or something. He just... he's just not in the Fleet. If we go home, he'll be there. But, it still hurts.

Our room, then. I'll help you put them up however you want them.

[Part of him was afraid he'd just end up more reminded of the hurt, knowing that he won't be seeing Shiro and Pidge here, but that was something he'd slowly get through.]

You're not silly, babe. I feel the same way. And you're allowed to hurt, okay? Even if he's just back home doing his thing, it sucks that we won't get to see him here right now.

[And Pidge, of course. Lance never knew if he'd ever fully patched things up with her, and it hurts for that lingering thread to still just be there.]

[Keith nodded.

Honestly, this one had been the worst out losing the others. After all, Shiro had been the one and only other person when Keith first arrived in the Fleet. Plus, he'd always been closer to him than the others. But Allura had come back, even if she didn't remember. And they'd been home a few times since Hunk had left. Keith had a feeling it would be the same with Pidge. He knew he'd see all of them again. He knew he'd eventually stop feeling so hurt about losing them.

But it was really hard for him to think about things without Shiro. The only times he'd ever been without him hadn't exactly been easy. The main reason he'd gotten through those two years (few weeks?) in the Abyss was because he'd been with his mom, and they'd been able to focus on healing each other from their shared past. But, leaving the team before that? Leaving Shiro? It had been one of the hardest things he'd done in a long time. Feeling that attached to them as a group overall had snuck up on him... and walking away from his brother had hurt, especially after the other two times of losing him.

He sighed a little and nodded.]

I guess so.

[He rubbed his finger across the edge of the box for a moment, staring down at it.]

It could be worse, though... I could have lost all of you and ended up here alone. So, there's that.

[He brought his hand up to grab a hold of the one Lance had wrapped around his shoulder, and gave it a squeeze.]

I don't want to lose anyone... and I don't want to lose us. As much as I know that we have to go home at some point, I want to enjoy this while I can.

Don't wanna lose anyone either. And definitely don't wanna lose you.

[It was his greatest fear, bar none. Keith--this--was too important. Given a door back home, Lance doesn't think he would take it.]

Just...just wanna enjoy this too.

[Keith looked over at Lance and managed to give him a small smile.]

I do enjoy it. And thanks. This means a lot.

Also... Ulaz knows how to make dog treats. I have no idea how he does, but he does. He gave me the ones he had left over from Procyon so we could give them to Kosmo.

He does?

[That gets a little smile on his face.]

That's pretty neat. Hopefully Kosmo will like them. Maybe we can even teach him some tricks.

Yeah... I think? I mean, he had some. I don't remember where he said he got them, but if it wasn't a planet, then he had to have made them.

[Keith nodded.]

Yeah. Maybe. I didn't really have 'treats' in the traditional sense in the abyss, so training him was a challenge. I had to find other way to motivate and reward him.

Oh, man. I wish I had seen that. That sounds really, really adorable.

[It still bothers him that he wasn't there for a whole two years of Keith's life. Sure, it'd only been weeks for him, but... Part of him worries that the two year disconnect was a big factor in the distance that seemed to be there again upon Keith's return.]

[It didn't help that Keith had started feeling disconnected even before he left, so that was very likely. But, either way, he managed a small smile at Lance's comment about Kosmo being cute.]

Well, now you've seen him as a pup, so yeah. He's pretty cute.

Not just Kosmo. You too.

[And he pokes his nose.]

But he really is totally cute. Maaaaaybe not as much as Oliver, but...

[Keith scrunched his nose a little and then rubbed at it in mild embarrassment. He rubbed Kosmo's ears, and-

Wait.

Did Lance just-?

Keith rolled his eyes.]

I'm not going to turn our pets into a competition.

You don't have to.

[He just. Smiles, and hums.]

[Keith narrowed his eyes.]

I don't, huh?

Nope.

[And he gives his hair an affectionate little ruffle.]

But you did.

[Ugh... hair ruffling... He reached up and smoothed it back out.]

I never said it was a competition. Just, you know, a statement.

[A totally true statement. Sorry, Kosmo. You're an adorable space pup, but to Lance, nothing compares to Oliver.]