Klance :: Not So Different

Pod

"Pidge?"

The small girl jumped and whipped her head around to look behind her, her eyes wide. "Keith? What're you doing up so late?"

Keith shook his head and approached her. "What are you doing in here?"

Pidge blinked, then looked down at her laptop. "Lance has always been a good friend. He's loud and annoying as hell, but he's a good friend. He jumped in front of me and took those shots. It's my fault he's in there."

"No," Keith murmured, sitting beside her. "It's not your fault, Pidge. He's the idiot who jumped in the way without his shield."

Pidge smiled up at him. "Yet you're still so worried about him." Keith blinked. She groaned and rolled her eyes. "Oh, geez! It's totally obvious you two are together, making out behind our backs! I didn't have to find out through the bond. Besides, why else would you come here so late?"

Keith glanced away. "Alright, you caught me." Pidge grinned. "But what's going on with you and Shiro."

"Nothing!" She jerked back as if she had been shocked. "Nothing's going on!"

The red paladin raised a brow as she shied away. "Mm-hm," he hummed.

Pidge kept up her guard for several minutes before gave in. She slouched and sighed, dropping her head. "Okay, I suppose there is something. I don't know what it is, but it's there. I really like him, Keith, but I think he only sees me as a teammate or a family member. I try, ya know, dropping hints, like, major hints, but he doesn't seem to notice them one bit! His stupidly adorable obliviousness and leader-y attitude!"

Keith smiled as she ranted and grumbled, her pale cheeks colored in a soft red. He placed a hand on her shoulder, quieting her. "I'm sure you mean so much to him, Pidge."

Pidge looked up at him and grinned. "Thanks, Keith. I know you mean so much to Lance." Keith paused as she smirked. "Lance used to always talk about how much he hated you, but I so knew it was a cover. I'd catch him watching you in that creepily-romantic way and he always waits so impatiently for you to come out of the pod when you're hurt." Keith looked down into his lap. "I really think that when he found you transforming, that urge to protect and care for you grew stronger and pushed him to actually show that he cares for you. I also really think that he likes it when you look like a cat."

"Hey!" Keith jerked back, eyes wide as she poked his side playfully. "I do not look like a cat!" She raised a brow. "Okay, maybe just a little bit..." He trailed as she nodded. "But how could he like my Galran transformation?"

"For one," she started, leaning on her fellow paladin's shoulder as she looked up at Lance encased in the pod, "it's your venerable side. It tells us that you're scared. Like right now. Your ears are twitching like crazy and your eyes are yellow. You're scared, but not terrified. When Lance was shot, you went through a full transformation."

"I did?"

"Yeah. Purple and furry all over." Pidge grinned, tugging her blanket closer around herself. "Lance also really loves the color purple. Maybe he likes that about your transformation. Lance likes your ears and how much more fluffy they make your hair appear." Keith patted the top of his own head in between his ears. "I think he wants to pet you, honestly." The red paladin blushed heavily, but didn't say anything.

The two then sat in silence, listening to the soft hum of the castle-ship. Both kept their tired eyes on Lance.

"Change of subject," Pidge then whispered after Keith had long-thought she had fallen asleep. He hummed in question. "Are you really considering it?"