Disclaimer: WEP owns Voltron.

Just two more weeks later, such laughter is very hard to find.

I thought Keith just being female was bad... I can’t wait til this kid is born! Pidge groans as he goes through the routine once _again_. Black Lion _refuses_ to obey anyone but Keith! And, pregnant, she’s even more irritable. And Lance isn’t helping... He’s getting ridiculously overprotective. I mean, c’mon! When she can still kick us around the training room, I’d say she can take care of herself. When she scores ‘kills’ on us at almost double the rate _Lance_ scores on anyone else, I’d argue further that Black is taking real good care of her... And the way Lance is carrying on, the meekest, mildest, most biddable female would take offense. Let alone Keith... She took it that once, but afterwards.. Pidge shudders. Maybe doing this routine is better than being in the castle, right now...

___________________

Four more months later, Doom has retreated in utter confusion, Zarkon and Lotor cursing Haggar as they flee the galaxy.

___________________

Two more months later, and most of the castle personnel tip toe around vicinity of the sleeping quarters of Keith and Lance. If they can help it, no one even walks anywhere near that hallway.

Pidge and Hunk have taken to sleeping outside, with their lions -- for ‘security reasons’.

___________________

One last month later.

I am never getting anyone pregnant. Ever. Ever. If this is what they have to go through... “Aaarrrghh” Lance is going to pay. He _owes_ me. “ARRRGGHG” I am never getting....

_________________

Crooning softly at the bundle in his arms, Keith sighs. Bittersweet. That’s what it is. It feels odd now, being male again after so long. And to change so fast -- the placenta barely had time to come out before I changed back.. And now, there’s no way Lance’ll be that close to me again.. Not unless I convince somebody to burn their energy into making me female once more... Well, I got what time out of it that I could. More than I expected, really. Lance was so -- caring. Even when I was larger than he was... I must have satisfied him, somehow, since he didn’t so much as flirt with anyone else the whole nine months.. Of course, my behavior probably had something to do with that... Enough. Humming softly, Keith tries to force himself to focus on his child. We never even picked out a name for you, little one. Guess we were too busy arguing... And then making up... For a moment, a wistful smile crosses his face. Ah, well. Lance couldn’t even force himself to stay around until I woke up. I guess I get to name you myself... Rocking the baby, Keith gently pulls back the fold of the blanket to look the baby’s face. So small. It’s hard to believe you came out of me.. Smiling softly, Keith really looks at his child for the first time. You look like Lance, with your eyes shut. I saw one of his baby pictures, once, and you look just the same. Bald head and all... Laughing sadly, Keith picks up a bottle to feed the awakening babe. The only piece of me I see is in your eyes... Good enough, maybe you won’t have the problems I had... Huge black eyes open, small arms start waving, searching for food. “Here you are...” Keith croons. “I think I’ll call you Ryo... What do you think?” Sucking happily, Ryo burbles and settles down. Keith laughs again, more joy in it than before. We’ll be fine, just the two of us...

Hovering in the doorway to the almost deserted medical bay, Lance arrives just in time to hear Keith name their child. Ryo. I like it, but I wish he thought to ask me... I guess he’s made up his mind about letting me be a part of Ryo’s life... Not that I can blame him.. Unwilling to approach when Keith has nowhere to retreat to, Lance watches for a moment from the doorway, caught by the soft laughter and the view. Keith is silhouetted against a dimming sky, cradling he -- _his_ child. I could almost pretend nothing changed. That it’s my right to be at he -- _his_ side... But I promised. This is _Keith’s_ child; if he’s willing to share, he’ll let me know. That I was allowed to be a part of the pregnancy was joy enough.. It was. Sighing softly, memorizing the picture as the light fades, Lance backs away.

____________

Keith finally has a chance for a breather, after the flutter of settling back in his room. Something feels .. off. As if something’s missing... Frowning, Keith looks around. But everything.. Abruptly, Keith realizes what’s gone, and shuts his eyes to indulge in a moment of despair. Anything that was Lance’s alone, is gone. Every single thing. He must have come by while I was recovering... Keith’s mouth tightens. I guess that’s the way it is. He’s probably wondering how he ever found me attractive in the first place. Before Keith can work himself completely into darkness, Ryo’s wail demands his attention.

___________

Surveying his room, Lance shivers. I want to be with the heat... Smiling ruefully, with a touch of sadness, Lance sinks to the floor, for a good long bout of remembrance. Hunk and Pidge would be shocked. Keith, as heat? No way, they’d say, Keith’s ice and control... That’s what I thought, until I finally got him to relax... That first time I saw her laugh... I can’t believe I’ve been ‘friends’ with him for so long, and didn’t realize that there was so much more to him.. Closing his eyes as tears begin to slip down his cheeks, Lance curls into a ball. It’s a good thing I got all my junk out of his room. Now that he’s back to normal, he must realize what a jerk I am. Even if he’s attracted to me, there’s no way he’d really want to be _with_ me -- not after the way I acted. I ignore him, hiding under the excuse that it’ll ruin our friendship, and then give her an ultimatum of ‘sleep with me, or suffer my lusting after you at inappropriate times’ the instant Keith, by chance, becomes female. Then, to compound it, I impregnate her through my idiotic assumptions.. If I was Keith, I’d never want to see me again... And I guess he doesn’t. He doesn’t look at me anymore. He hasn’t even invited me over to look at the kid. Maybe he’ll at least let me see Ryo, eventually, even if he doesn’t want me around anymore... Maybe if I give him enough time, he’ll get over this disgust of me...

_______________

I don’t believe this. Gods, I gotta find some way to get Keith to _relax_ already. When he was pregnant, he scared Doom clear out of sensing range of anyone in the Galaxy Garrison. And now he’s STILL obsessed with practicing. Sheesh. I’m glad Keith’s not female anymore. If he’s this irritable as a male with a new baby, I shudder to think of what Keith’d be like as a _female_ with a new baby... Pidge grumbles to himself as he painstakingly goes through the practice range for the tenth time that day. To make matters worse, now _Lance_ is moping around. I wish they’d just get laid and quit picking on the rest of us. Maybe it’s time to try to set them up... I bet I could recruit the whole castle to the cause...

____________

A social dinner goes horribly awry for the Green Lion’s pilot.

Afterwards while hiding from both Lance and Keith, Pidge wonders, What did I do wrong? It started off so well... I maneuvered placards until that stunning Lady Ambassador from Crelon was seated next to Lance, and that highly intelligent Lord Ambassador from Trohin was next to Keith. I figured, from the profiles, they’d all hit it off, and everyone would enjoy themselves, and for _once_ relax... Instead Lance and Keith just sort of cold shoulder their companions, and glare at me..! Sighing miserably, wondering if it’s safe yet to go into the halls, Pidge continues to grumble. It seems like it just made things worse... Maybe someday, I’ll learn not to meddle...

_____________

“Pidge!” I can’t believe he tried to set me up with that piece of fluff! Is my taste _that_ bad? And if I want to mope, I have the right. Just because it makes it hard on the rest of them... Lance sighs. Right. Maybe I ought to try talking to Keith, at least. We haven’t really talked since before the birth... Maybe I’m misunderstanding... Without much hope, Lance heads to Keith’s room.

_____________

Pidge, catching sight of an irate Lance, ducks into another hallway -- and runs smack into Keith (and Ryo).

Black eyes pin Pidge to the floor. “What were you thinking?”

Swallowing hard, Pidge manages to answer. “I was thinking that you didn’t want to be alone, and for some reason didn’t want Lance anymore, so I tried to set you up because, Skipper, you’re being really annoying...” Pidge, unable to free his eyes from Keith’s, turns bright red.

Startled, Keith’s gaze softens. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize I was being that bad...”

Pidge heaves a huge sigh of relief at this sign of rationality. “Actually, compared to how you were as a female, you’re not really being that hard. It’s just that we all expected, with no Doom, for practices to be at least a bit less grueling..”

Lips quirking up in a slight smile, Keith agrees. “Okay. But what do you mean, I don’t want Lance any more? How do you figure that?”

Pidge shrugs, surprised. “You never spend any time with him. He used to be glued to you, wherever you went, he went, before. Even if half the time, you were yelling at each other. Now, he sort of hovers around wherever you are, but you never invite him any closer. Or even seem to notice he’s there.. I guess he must have really offended you somehow, but Keith, I think Lance regrets whatever it was. In case you haven’t noticed, being caught up with the baby and all, he’s been kinda depressed...” Pidge trails off hopefully. Maybe they do want to be together. That would take care of two birds with one stone...

Startled, Keith stares at Pidge for a moment. “I see. I’ll talk to Lance.”

“Good.” Smiling happily, Pidge carefully checks for signs of Lance, before he flees into his room.

__________________

Hoisting Ryo closer to him, Keith watches Pidge scamper off. Pidge thinks Lance wants me. Lips twisting, he manages to squash the wonder and hope that begins to rise. Sure. Whatever. Sighing, he cuddles the baby. I’ll talk to Lance.. tomorrow. I’ll pretend, for tonight, that Pidge could be right. Then I’ll find out what’s really going on with Lance.

As he rounds the corner to the hallway to his rooms, he stops in shock. There, in the shadows, is Lance.

“Keith.” Very hesitantly, Lance moves closer. “We have to talk.”

Unthinkingly tightening his arms around Ryo, Keith studies Lance for a moment.

Lance’s heart rises to his mouth. He’s not even willing to talk..

Then, sighing, Keith nods. So much for enjoying a night of illusions... Holding the door to his rooms open, Keith gestures Lance in.

Managing to hold back his sigh of relief, Lance enters Keith’s for the first time since their child was born.

__________________

Carefully settling on the most uncomfortable seat of Keith’s collection, Lance watches in quiet wonder as Keith goes about settling their son for sleep in the next room over.

Eventually, everything finished, Keith comes back to the sitting room, and checks at the doorway. Of course he’d pick _that_ chair. He’s not planning to stay for any longer than he has to. Blank mask settling in place, Keith pads over to the nearest chair to Lance. Not because I want to be near him. I don’t want to wake Ryo. Forcing himself to painful honesty, Keith sighs faintly as he comes close enough to actually _feel_ Lance. Well, being close to Lance isn’t the only reason... “You wanted to talk?” At least my voice is under control. Keith frowns, ever so faintly. He can’t even stand to look at me any more...

If I look at him, I don’t think I’ll be able to control myself. “Um. Yeah.” Lance swallows dryly. Now, or never. Kami, where’s all that courage I’ve supposedly got? “I .. I understand if you... if you...” Shimatta! I just can’t. I can’t lose this hope... What if, if by asking now, I throw away any chance forever? Maybe if I wait a little longer, he’ll ease around me, and maybe... But what if I don’t have that kind of time? What if Pidge sets him up again... Lance’s hands start to tremble, and he shuts his eyes. “S-s-sorry... I-I guess I’m n-not quite up to th-this yet...” Swallowing again, this time to try to keep from looking absurd in front of Keith, Lance quickly starts to rise. Yeah, like a blubbering fool is going to convince Keith now...

Taking ahold of his will, Keith decides. I have to figure this out. We have to be clear, for once and for all. My _dreaming_ has caused the team so much damage already, I can’t let it go any more. Reaching out quickly, he fastens his hands around Lance’s wrists. “Sit, please. We do have to talk. If you like, I can go first.”

Shivering in reaction to the touch, after so long, Lance just nods. Taking a deep breath for control, he sits back down, slowly, treasuring the warm feel of Keith’s hands.

Licking his lips, Keith manages to look straight at Lance. “I love you. I have for years. I’m sorry for taking advantage of you, when I was female. I’m not sorry that I now have a small piece of you to call my own...” Mouth snapping shut, Keith looks into Lance’s eyes as he awaits his answer.

Stunned, Lance freezes. I thought it was just lust. I thought he just... Omgod, what did I do? What do I do? How can he possibly forgive me? Wait a minute, he thinks _he_ took advantage?

Keith begins to feel his heart cracking as the seconds tick by with no response.

Lance shakes himself partially out of his shock. “How can you think you took advantage of me? I was the one who turned you down until you became female...” He loves me. He _loves_ me. _He_ loves me. He loves _me_!

At the reminder, Keith’s face closes completely down, and he pulls his hands back. “I just thought you ought to know, since my feelings don’t seem to be changing, and also seem to be affecting the team. Pidge said you seemed to be lonely... Anytime you want to come here, you can.” Mouth twisting bitterly, looking away, Keith continues. “I would think it’s pretty clear now, that I’ll take as much as you’ll give...”

I don’t believe it. He really... All this time... How can I...?

“How about if I give you everything?” Deadly serious, Lance stares at Keith, hope kindling inside.

Keith’s head whips around, and he glares at Lance. “Don’t play games with me! You didn’t want me before --”

“We were friends. And I was too stupid to see how much _more_ there was to you, until the change into a female body loosened some of your defenses. I’d be -- most honored -- if you let me in once more.” Hope rising higher, taking the sight of Keith’s tears as the gift they are, Lance carefully reaches out to brush them away.

His turn to freeze in place, Keith locks eyes with Lance. Lance, awaiting the verdict, holds his breath and refuses to look away.

Everything he allows me... Keith slowly leans forward, tilting his head, to press his lips to Lance’s.

For a single moment more, they wait. Then, they move as one.

~owari~