Snow's Savior (Keith Kogane x Reader)

Unexpected Reunion

There was rarely a time when the paladins could rest against their fight against Zarkon. The life of a paladin almost never allowed for leisure, and the Alteans, especially the princess, doubled down on that mindset. Their days were filled with gruelling fights and the constant pressure of saving the universe from the Galra, and when there was no fight to be held, there was training to be done. It was like every step they took had to include a battle in between.

But as rare as they were, breaks in their duties did happen.

And currently, Keith was taking full opportunity of it.

He was sitting on one of the couches in the common area, one arm draped over his eyes and the other over his lap. His head was tilted back to lay on the head of the couch near Shiro's arm, close enough that he could feel the heat coming off of it. God, it made him drowsy. After the intense training session they had completed a couple of hours ago, Keith wanted nothing more than to let temptation take over and get some much-needed sleep. In fact, he would have fallen asleep then and there if it hadn't been for his teammates' voices jolting him back awake every few minutes.

"...nd if it hadn't been for Hunk, I'd've blown up his kitchen," Lance said from opposite Keith's position on the couches. He knew that Lance had laid his head on Hunk's lap while Pidge had wiggled herself under Lance's legs and had placed her laptop on top of them. The sound of clicking from the keyboard mingled with the trio's voices.

Lance was telling tales of his childhood as a way to pass the time, and Keith had to admit that some of his stories were pretty entertaining. They were currently listening to a story about Lance trying to cook his first meal without adult supervision at the good old age of six.

"I'm telling you, guys, it was a disaster," Lance said. "Sauce was literally everywhere. And I mean everywhere, like even on the ceiling."

Hunk chuckled. "Yeah, and don't forget about the time you tried to make pancakes and ended up setting the kitchen on fire."

"Wait, seriously? How on earth did you manage to pull that off?" Pidge asked with a snort.

"I have no idea!" Lance exclaimed, frustration making his voice so high pitched he was starting to resemble a kettle. "I just got distracted and completely forgot that the stove was still on. Next thing I knew, flames were shooting up all over the place."

Shiro couldn't help but laugh. "You know, Lance, I'm starting to see a pattern here. Maybe you should stick to ordering takeout."

Lance spluttered. "Hey, I resent that! I'll have you know that I'm a great cook now. I just had a few bumps along the way."

"Sure, Lance," Keith replied, his tone tinged with sarcasm as he rolled his eyes, even though nobody could see it from under his arm. "And I suppose I'm a unicorn."

"Oh, haha. Make fun of six-year-old me. Just so you know, my inner child is crying buckets right now," Lance huffed.

The group dissolved into soft giggles at that. It wasn't that funny, but the air was teeming with good vibes at the moment. Even Keith let himself sport a grin.

"Oh, that reminds me of the time Matt and I tried to make breakfast for mother's day one year," Pidge announced, bringing the attention to her.

As they settled in to listen to Pidge's story, Keith found comfort in the company of his team. It didn't matter that they were lightyears away from Earth, engaged in a war against a brutal empire. They were simply friends enjoying each other's company, forgetting the troubles of the universe for a little while.

The tales being recounted stirred up memories of his own - memories of racing around a kitchen, playfully wielding a spoon covered in batter. The room filled with the sound of laughter, which turned into shrieks as they were caught. Keith remembered warm hugs and gentle smiles and a fuzzy feeling in his chest that he wished would never go away.