Closer to the Ground (Kidge One Shots)

Chapter 5: The Prince and the Pauper

     "Shiro? Keith? I haven't seen you in.....in well a long time. Come in!" Coran said opening the door. Shiro and Keith walked in and headed over to the kitchen island, where they sat down and started to talk.

    "Coran, do you know what is happening at the palace?" Shiro asked.

    "Of course! Young Pidge and Hunk come here to train almost every day! In fact when you knocked, I was half expecting it to be them! Why do you ask?" Coran said.

    "A man was just killed under Allura's order, even though Pidge was crying the whole time." Keith said.

    "Oh, that. Yes that is a but difficult to explain."

    "We have a while." Shiro said.

     "Okay. Well you saw how different those two girls were on the first day. Hunk and Lance said they noticed how Allura was too causal with the power she was getting, wearing expensive clothing, waking up late, skipping classes, that type of thing." Coran explained. "Pidge was the exact opposite. The first day, by the time Pidge walked into the throne room for training, she had had breakfast, willing got into her uniform, and somehow won the respect of the generals. The generals even listened to her suggestions."

    "Really!?" Keith said shocked. "I barely have their respect. Let alone have them listen to me!" Coran nodded.

   "Yeah. I know. Well anyway, one day, Pidge was at training and missed a prisoner call. So they gave it to Allura. She got one more after that, and she assumed it was another one of her jobs. So she took the power from Pidge."

    "That is....wow...to her own friend too." Shiro said. That moment, Hunk and Lance walked into the room. Suddenly a great bell rang from the castle, signaling for the actual Princes to come home and the switch to end. Shiro and Keith exchanged glances, then jogged back to the palace. The boys were panting as they opened the main doors. When the looked up, their breaths hitched.

     Asleep on the steps of the thrones, was Pidge in her green dress, wrapped in the arms of the queen. Both girls were fast asleep, but tears still traced down Pidge's face. The white and light green dresses of the girls seemed to melt into one another, and it almost looked like a mother cradling her daughter. 

    Shiro and Keith walked down the hall, and the two girls started to stir. Pidge looked up sleepily, her short hair unbrushed and messy. The queen sat up slowly, then gave Pidge a motherly look and whispered something in her ear. The boys were too far away to hear, but they saw Pidge nodded quickly.

   Pidge watched as Keith walked over. Her eyes were wide, as she still thought he thought she was a monster. Her eyes followed him as he sat down on the other side of her, gently putting his hand on her shoulder.

   The two locked eyes and Keith moved closer to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her into his lap. The queen smiled as she saw the two blush happily. Pidge is a good match for him. I can't wait to tell him I hired her as my new lady in waiting and Allura as my organizer/manager. The queen thought. He thoughts were interrupted however, as Allura walked through the door. 

   She was chatting loudly with Lance and Hunk, Hunk of whom seemed feed up with her. Shiro and the queen watched as Keith pulled Pidge closer to him, trying to protect her from Allura it seemed. 

    "Shiro!" Allura said walking over to the group. "So, how was life in the smithy with my dad."

    "Hard work, but fairly simple.  How about in the palace."

    "Piece of cake."

    "But cake can make others sick." Keith muttered.

    "What? Why do you sound like you hate me? It is not like I did anything!" Allura said.

    "Tell that to Pidge." Keith growled, hold Pidge tight. Pidge had fallen back asleep in Keith arms, still tired from the crying she had done that day. 

     "Is this because I wanted to help her keep up her other job? I was just trying to keep everything running." Allura said.

      "Is that how you see it? Not how it really is, how you took her power, then force her to kill an innocent man whom she would've saved in a heartbeat?" Keith said. The queen had also fallen back asleep, and had not heard Keith and Allura sharp exchange of words. 

      "Guys, guys. I know what happened was wrong, but let's just get this over with." Shiro said. So Allura grabbed her stuff, changing into her regular clothes, then left, glaring at Keith the whole way. "Keith?"

      "Can I just keep her for a little while longer?" Keith whispered looking down at Pidge. "Can I just keep my princess forever?" Lance looked at Hunk, and Shiro sighed, never hearing his brother sound like this.

    "Fine. But not forever okay?" Shiro said, then he left to go see what other mess Allura had made in the palace. Hunk followed Shiro and Lance sat down on the steps.

    "Soooo. You found one on your own, who would have thought!" Lance said, making Keith blush. 

    "Shut up."

    "Well you do like her. It is obvious!" Lance said laughing.

     "No I don't"

    "Yeah you do----"

    "I love her."

   

    A few days later, when Pidge 'left', a big feast was to be held, because thanks to Pidge and the other generals, they won the war. Lance, Hunk, Shiro, Coran, and Keith were all decorating the dining room in streamers and festive colors, not in formal clothing yet. Keith was in charge of the lower decorations, so he was kneeling on the ground. The queen walked in talking to someone small behind her.

     "Okay, so the invites are all good, we checked the food, so that is good. Decoration looks covered, well almost." The queen said looking around. The boys looked up to see whom she was talking to and Keith's heart almost stopped. It was Pidge in a cute maids uniform and a clipboard. Pidge and Keith locked eyes, both of their hearts beating fast. The queen saw the look on Keith face and smiled. "I am going to check the other rooms, how about you stay here and make sure these boys don't mess around, huh." the queen said giggling.

     The queen left and Pidge walked over the wall the boys were working on. Keith was right next to her, but she looked up at the others, trying to hide her blush.

    "Pidge! You work here now!" Hunk exclaimed. 

    "That is so cool!" Lance said.

     "Yeah!" Shiro added. Pidge was about to reply with some snarky comment, when she felt someone hugging her. She looked down to see Keith, his face pressed into her stomach, his arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace.

    "Uh oh. Boyfriend alert." Lance teased. Pidge's face went red, but not because of what Lance said. No, Keith had mumbled 'I love you' into her stomach. Pidge smiled then put her hand on his head, running her finger through his hair.

    "I love you too." Pidge whispered. The queen watch from the shadows of the doorway, knowing that her son had found the one. She walked away, her mind already designing the upcoming wedding.