Love Among the Stars- A Klance story

Chapter 1- Return of the Red Paladin

Keith knew he shouldn't be nervous. The Paladins were his family, and yet he couldn't ignore the somersaults his stomach was doing. He had just landed his ship in the docking bay of the Castle of Lions. He slipped from the Galra fighter ship he had stolen and watched as the bay doors split open, revealing the rest of the Paladins of Voltron.

There was Allura with her bright smile, and Coran beside her wearing an obnoxious green suit. Pidge grinned toothily at him, fidgeting with a piece of tech in her hand. She was always doing that. Hunk towered above her, his warm smile easing some of Keith's tension. Shiro stood with his arms crossed, smiling contentedly at Keith. His hair seemed whiter than ever, and Keith noticed the lines of stress running deep across his face. And next to Shiro...

Oh gods, Keith thought. He had gotten taller. How on earth had he grown taller? Lance McClain leaned against the wall and smiled easily at Keith, and Keith felt his heart began to thump harder. Here he was, the whole reason Keith had left Voltron, and he was just here. Keith couldn't ignore how painfully good Lance looked. His brown hair had grown longer and fell into his eyes. Keith could see the muscles rippling under his tight shirt.

'Hey guys,' Keith said, prying his eyes from Lance.

'Keith,' Shiro smiled, 'it's so good to-'

Lance had suddenly broken away from the group and rushed forward, throwing his arms around Keith, who nearly stumbled back in surprise.

'It's good to see you mullet,' Lance joked and Keith hugged him back, taking in the intoxicating smell of strawberries. Lance always smelled like strawberries. Keith's heart began to beat so hard he was afraid Lance would hear it. He could feel Lance's nimble fingers digging into his back. Lance pulled away a little, grinning stupidly.

How Keith loved that smile.

'Your eyes turned purple,' Lance remarked, 'is that a Galra thing?'

'Yeah,' Keith muttered, still painfully aware of Lance so close to him.

'I like them,' Lance replied.

'Lance, maybe let the guy breathe,' Pidge sighed. Lance shrugged, stepping back to the wall. Keith let out the breath he had been holding.

'Anyway,' Shiro coughed, 'it's really good to see you Keith. We all missed you.' They all took turns hugging him, but Keith could still see Lance smiling from the corner of his eyes.

'Keith I can't thank you enough,' Allura said as she let him go. 'I realised that while it's an honour to be a Paladin of Voltron, my talents would be better served spreading peace and progress, like my father once did all those years ago. And with you here to pilot the Red Lion once more, Voltron will be more powerful than ever.'

'You would make your father proud Princess,' Keith answered and Allura smiled. Their relationship hadn't been the best in the past because of Keith's Galra heritage, but they had grown from that, and become closer.

'Besides, I missed Voltron.'

'You did?' Lance demanded.

'Yes Lance, I just said I did,' Keith rolled his eyes. 'The Blade of Marmora was great, and it was good to get to know my mother. But I missed Red.'

'And us, right?' Hunk asked. Keith nodded.

'Well, let's go celebrate Keith's return,' Shiro said, 'Hunk made us some great dinner.'

'I'll be there in minute,' Keith said, 'I just want to see Red first.'

'She's been a bit irritable since I went back to the Blue Lion,' Lance offered, 'so like, be careful or whatever.'

The Red Lion had her forcefield up but Keith wasn't deterred.

'Hey girl,' he murmured softly, running his hands across the glowing red barrier. 'It's me, Keith. Your buddy.' Keith grinned as he remembered the first time he had laid eyes on the Red Lion. 'Are you really gonna make me do this again,' he asked. 'Fine. It's me, Keith! I am your Paladin!' The forcefield around the Lion shimmered and vanished.

'I always knew you found that funny,' he laughed. The inside was just as he remembered. He closed his eyes and curled his hands around the controls. Keith could feel the bond between them, like a thread of fate connecting them together.

'I'm sorry I left,' he whispered, 'I hope you know why.' The Red Lion answered him. He saw flashes of memories: Keith cradling Lance in his arms, Lance's ridiculous smile as they bickered over dinner, Lance cracking terrible jokes in the middle of battles that made Keith laugh no matter how hard he tried not to.

'Yeah,' Keith croaked, 'it was him. I'm sure you get it, since he was your Paladin for a while.' Keith liked that Lance had piloted Red. It was something that connected them.

'I just couldn't bare to be near him Red, when I know he'll never love me the way I love him. But I've gotten past that. I've accepted it, and I'm here to stay, Red.'

The Red Lion roared in approval.

Lance was a bit embarrassed. He hadn't meant to hug Keith all of a sudden like that, but it had just happened. He hadn't seen Keith in so long, and when he descended from that ship Lance realised he had missed him. Keith had grown bigger, but Lance still towered over him. But he couldn't get over the way his chest had grown larger and the thickness of his arms and legs. His Blade uniform had looked painfully close to tearing but now he looked comfortable in a red hoodie as he sat across Lance during dinner. Lance couldn't ignore the stark violet of his eyes either, or the way the dark of his hair made his eyes look twin nebulas.

Lance blushed suddenly, wondering why he had been thinking about Keith so much.

He's your rival, his mind told Lance, it's just the competitive part of you. Yes, that was it. That was all of it. Lance grabbed a pea and flung it at Keith's forehead and the other boy scowled at Lance and continued talking with Shiro.

Long after dinner ended, Lance made his way back to his room and saw Keith standing by the door next to his. They were neighbours.

'I'm going to kick your butt during training tomorrow, mullet,' Lance teased, 'you must be out of practice.'

'I spent the last months with a group of secret rebels and assassins. Keep dreaming, Lance,' Keith called back and opened his door.

'Hey Keith?'

'Yeah?'

'Goodnight.'

'Goodnight Lance,' Keith smiled.

As he sank into his bed, Lance couldn't help but feel a knot of fear and uncertainty in his stomach but he ignored it. Keith was back. Things would go back to normal. Lance smiled.