Chapter Text
Breakfast passed by in a blur. You nibbled on the dried fruit and meat from Allura’s travel packs and stared dazedly at the fire. You didn’t even move when the smoke from the fire started drifting over to your side.
Shiro woke later than everyone else and finally wandered over. He had faint bags under his eyes but he smiled warmly, sat by you, and asked how you felt.
“Good,” you said, smiling back. “Really good. Keith’s awake.”
“I heard,” he said, before switching to thoughts. Keith, how do you feel?
Amazing, Keith gushed, and Shiro raised an eyebrow.
Wow, Shiro said. Sounds like you’re doing exceptionally well.
You didn’t like the way Shiro looked at you as he thought that. It was faintly cautious, almost worried. He had slight creases around a small frown and his eyes were darker than usual.
“Well he’s not dead anymore,” you said, trying to figure out why Shiro seemed cautious. “So that’s pretty exceptional.”
“Ah. Of course,” Shiro said, his expression neutralizing as he grabbed a piece of dried meat to chew on.
Don’t mind him, Keith said. He’s probably just worried about me getting a body again.
Have I done something to make it so he doesn’t trust me? you asked, peeling apart your dried meat to chew smaller pieces.
No. Shiro just worries. You’re smart and you can take care of yourself, so I’m not concerned.
You smiled at that.
“Hellooooo,” Lance said, waving a hand in front of your face. You jumped and leaned away from him. “You’re acting kind of funny.”
Shove off, Lance, Keith said defensively.
Lance stood up straight and put his hands on his hips, pulling a no-nonsense look. “Well, it’s true.” He looked over his shoulder. “Back me up here, Hunk.”
Hunk glanced between the two of you. “Well…”
“It’s because they’re in loooove,” Pidge sang, leaning closer to Allura to nudge her with an elbow. Pidge waggled her eyebrows at you.
You covered your eyes with one hand, wishing Pidge wasn’t so blunt. Keith’s energy shifted self-consciously, but he didn’t say anything. After a short breath, you attempted to assume an unaffected attitude and only looked at the fire. Further signs of embarrassment might warrant more teasing.
Except Shiro was looking more worried by the minute and it was hard to shake that off.
After breakfast and as you began tidying up the mound of blankets in your tent, Allura explained what needed to happen next. “We’ve pulled back from the war front far enough that we’re all safe, but staging an infiltration like that and not using the advantages from it would be a mistake. At the same time, Keith needs his body back. Keith needs a strong fire source to revive, something like a wildfire or active volcano, and there aren’t any around here or near the warfront. As you rested, we decided it would be best to split up.”
You stacked a blanket on top of the folded blanket Allura had just set down. What she said made sense, really, even though splitting the group felt…odd.
Who is going back to the warfront? Keith asked.
“I am. As well as Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge.”
Keith would have frowned if he could have. Everyone except Lance.
Which meant it would be only Lance and the two of you on the journey to find a place to revive Keith completely. While you got along with Lance fine, it might be a source of tension for Keith and Lance.
“We need to have as many people as possible at the front and doing this will help keep the attention away from Keith’s absence. They will have to focus on the dragons nearby instead of using their resources to go on a goose chase.”
But why Lance? Keith asked, fighting to avoid the edge creeping into his words. You could tell that he felt Lance was a valuable part of their team, but Keith got along easier with the others and had qualms.
“The nearest volcano is in the ocean. Not too far out, and part of an island, but Lance can navigate the ocean far better than anyone else.”
Keith pushed his doubts aside and you sent him a feeling of comfort and ease. Understood, he said. We’ll move quickly so we can join you as soon as possible.
“And (y/n),” Allura added. When she paused, you looked up at her. “Getting Keith a body again may complete and sever the lifeblood bond.”
You paused mid-fold and gripped the warm blanket tighter. The idea caught you off guard. At one point you’d really wanted that, but now…now you weren’t so sure. “Oh.”
You searched for Keith’s reaction, but he was desperately trying to think about anything and everything besides what Allura said to keep you from doing just that. A frown tugged your lips down and you did your best to shake off your curiosity. “We’ll…deal with that when we get there,” you said.
Allura smiled. You and Keith had come a long way since she’d first met you. “Of course.”
Just as everyone finished packing, a hand rested lightly on your shoulder. You looked up to see Shiro. He gestured to the side with his head and took a step to show he wanted to speak with you alone—or, as alone as you could be right then.
The flat land, covered with soggy grass and weeds, didn’t provide a spot to step out of sight for the conversation, but the two of you meandered out of hearing range.
“Shiro, I know you’re worried, but we’re really okay,” you said as soon as he began to slow to a stop.
He looked at you. “I didn’t want to embarrass either of you in front of the others, but I needed to make sure both of you understood your connection right now is very…intense and is likely amplifying both your feelings.”
You blinked.
“If a bonded dragon dies, they need to be able to get a body again even if their host is uncooperative or simply too dumb to assist—meaning animals, not you.”
“Thanks?” you said hesitantly.
“This means the connection is particularly strong at this point. Each of your needs become each other’s needs for the sake of survival. Both of you are extremely sensitive to each other’s emotions and desires.”
An awkward sensation rose from Keith. You could tell he hadn’t realized this himself and now felt bad. You struggled not to reciprocate the awkwardness.
“Why didn’t Allura say anything about this?” you asked. “She explained the bond to me ages ago. Shouldn’t she have said something then? Shouldn’t she have said something this morning?”
“We were hoping it wouldn’t reach this point and at first, it didn’t seem like it would help improve your relationship or trust by discussing in depth what might happen if one of you died. As for this morning, she wanted to speak with me before saying anything. We spoke briefly after breakfast and I offered to explain the situation to you two.”
You folded your arms and looked away. They meant well, but this made you wonder if they’d kept any other secrets from you. Granted, knowing that Keith could basically take over your body would not have gone over well back in Ovoshire, and it wasn’t sitting well right then either.
I promise I won’t, Keith said immediately, determination swelling like hot flames. I won’t abuse our connection like that.
“I believe you,” you mumbled. You fixed Shiro with a hard, questioning look. “Are you hiding anything else?” And could you trust your own feelings if they were so affected by sharing a body?
Shiro shook his head. “Nothing else. I just want to clarify I’m not saying your feelings for each other don’t exist.”
“Yeah,” you said, the word a little strained.
Shiro sighed, a dismal expression on his face. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” you said, even though it wasn’t. “We’ll get it sorted out soon enough.”
Shiro nodded. “In case you don’t come back to the war front, it’s been a pleasure traveling with you.”
You raised an eyebrow. “I’m not going to die in the volcano.”
That earned a grim smile. “No. But you might choose to go home after.”
Your stomach flipped. The idea of offering a final goodbye made you uneasy. “Maybe.”
After a brief, awkward silence, Shiro started back toward the others. “We’d best get going.”
Lance's dragon form, while perfectly streamlined for swimming in water, would not be as convenient for riding over a long distance. Extremely smooth scales and a snake-like body meant more chances of slipping off. You'd have to sit where his wings met his body, instead of where the neck met shoulders like where you sat on Keith.
Pidge provided a rope to tie loosely around Lance and secure to your waist and Lance laid complete flat to the ground so you could mount.
Ready, (y/n)? Lance asked, his question filled with excitement.
You tied the rope to your waist and glanced at the others, also in their dragon forms, as Lance lifted his head. You adjusted the pack straps on your shoulders, thinking of how they were ready to head back south—a completely different direction. Knowing you'd be separated from them left a hollow feeling in your stomach. It shouldn't matter that much; it wasn't like you joined them by choice in the first place.
But it did matter.
It's okay, Keith said. Warmth swelled inside of you. He didn't say it, but you could sense that he understood and he would miss them too.
You took a deep breath. “I'm ready.”
Lance spread his wings and took off. You held on as tightly as you could, alarmed by how easy it felt to start slipping and how close his wings were. Lance took off at a very low angle, though, and climbed slowly so you wouldn't lose hold. When he leveled out, you loosened your white-knuckled grip on the rope.
You okay? Lance asked. Sorry if I scared you.
“No, you're fine,” you said. He couldn't hear you over the wind, but you knew he'd catch the response through your thoughts.
Lance's wings flapped faster for a second and his head tipped up proudly. I'm the best at take-offs and landings.
Keith snorted.
“And the best at picking out good blankets,” you said.
Lance's throat rumbled happily.
Don't encourage him, Keith said. He's not supposed to hoard fabrics anymore.
You smiled to yourself and adjusted to a more comfortable sitting position for the rest of the upcoming ride. If you're jealous, I can praise you too.
I’m not jealous!
Except his feelings and thoughts said otherwise. With a self-satisfied giggle, you let it go—only because you knew that would irritate Keith more.
Stars curse you, he muttered.
It’s all right, Keith. I like your dragon form best and I think you are amazing with aerial maneuvers.
Keith’s energy swelled with pride and affection.
After nearly an hour of flight, the landscape switched from rocky ground and brush to trees. A half hour after that, the trees fell away and a sandy beach stretched across the horizon. Dark blue waves crashed against it, foaming against the wet sand and glittering in the sunlight.
Lance made a happy sound and dipped low to skim just above the waves. The smell of brine hit your nose and you took a deep breath. As someone from the mountains, the ocean was only something you’d heard about. It was every bit as beautiful and you’d heard—but something in it smelled kind of funny, honestly. Like fish…which you supposed was to be expected.
Ultimately, the view of the ocean glittering for miles around you and blending into the cloudy blue sky far, far ahead more than made up for it.
“It’s beautiful,” you whispered.
Lance, hearing your thought, roared excitedly. It really is! And it’s perfect at sunset.
After another three hours, a lush island came into view. Trees and bushes covered it, rising along with the volcano at its center.
That’s the place, Lance announced, dipping and rising in the air excitedly. I’ll drop the two of you off. Keith will be drawn to fresh lava flow from there.
He touched down on the sandy beach and you slipped off his back, the small pack on your shoulders thumping against you lightly.
See you soon! Lance slipped into the water.
The sand gave way under your feet in a strange way you’d never experienced before. It was comparable to shale on mountainsides, but not quite. Thankfully, it changed to rich dirt and lush plants before long.
To the northwest, Keith directed. There’s fresh lava there.
You frowned, but followed his directions. “Not dangerous though, right?”
Not at all. This lava moves very slowly. You’ll just have to be careful where you step, since it cools on the outside first and you don’t want to break through to fresh lava.
You cringed.
Don’t worry, Keith said, a tenderness in his words. I’ll keep you safe.
The island didn’t seem occupied by much of anything, so you had to forge an entirely new path to reach the destination. As you got closer, the ground turned hard and dark. Burned. You stepped carefully.
Almost there, Keith said. His anticipation was obvious, and a warmth swelled inside of you.
Then you spotted the lava. It flowed incredibly slowly, so slow that it was mostly blackened on the outside and only tips of bright red-orange lava swelled free. It crackled and sizzled as it moved. Waves of heat in the air blurred your view of the rocks and lava beyond it.
Stop, Keith said. Here is fine.
“Okay. Now what?”
Um…I’m going to need my clothes.
You blushed and yanked your pack off your shoulders. “Right.”
Set the clothes closer to the lava and step back a bit.
After doing as he asked, you set the pack on the ground and sat on it.
Close your eyes. I’ve never done this before so I’m not sure how this works exactly, but I already feel stronger just being near the lava.
You closed your eyes, breathing in feeling the heat from the sun and lava around you.
Keith’s presence swelled—but this time, it felt more physical than energetic or emotional. Your heart thumped and your chest constricted. You opened your mouth to say something about it, but suddenly the pressure lifted.
And you felt incredibly cold.
Shocked, you opened your eyes. “Keith? Keith, are you—”
“Let me at least get my pants on!”
You threw your hands over your eyes. “Stars! Sorry, sorry, I totally forgot, I—but you have your body back, right?” You shivered, despite how warm it was.
Your mind felt…lighter. No one else’s thoughts or feelings mixed with your own. It was almost too quiet.
“Yes,” Keith confirmed. “Okay, you can open your eyes.”
You peeked between your fingers. Keith was still pulling on the shirt, but he gave you a questioning look when he finished pulling it on.
“What, you didn’t believe me?” But then he was smiling. Smiling bigger than you’d ever seen him.
You leaped to your feet and threw your arms around him. “You’re alive again!”
Keith seemed shocked by the sudden display of affection, but he managed to hug you back. “I mean, I wasn’t completely dead, but…are you crying?”
You tried not to sniffle again and held him tighter. Tears leaked out.
Keith slowly tipped his head to rest on yours and rubbed your back softly.
The connection was nice, a closer physical one than ever before, and it made you feel a little warmer. But something still felt off. You pulled back, wiping at your tears. “I can’t hear you in my head. I can’t sense you anymore.”
His dark eyes were soft. “Yeah. The bond broke.”
Your feelings for him weren’t as…intense anymore, either. You thought back to what Shiro said.
“Do you…want to bond again?” Keith asked quietly. He looked hopeful but nervous.
You hesitated. You did care about him, you weren’t stupid not to recognize that now that it had been made so obvious, but…
“Can we take it slower this time?” you asked.
Keith’s gaze slipped away from your face and he took a step back. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked. You didn’t want to be bonded in the first place, and you just got free when you thought you might n—”
You caught his hand in yours. “That’s not what I meant.”
He hesitated, searching your eyes.
“I do like you. I swear I do. But…let’s just take it easy for a bit. Get to know each other better before we make any big promises. Is that okay?”
You wished you could read his thoughts. Your heart pounded nervously. He’d offered to bond again, so he wouldn’t think your request was stupid, right? He’d still want to get to know you better, right?
Keith intertwined his fingers with yours and his free hand reached up to cup your cheek. “Yes. That’s okay.”
You leaned into his hand.
“But can I kiss you?”
You blinked. Honestly, it didn’t take that long to answer.
“Yes,” you breathed.
Keith’s hand slipped into your hair. You let go of his hand to wrap your arms around his neck and he let you, holding onto your lower back to keep you close. His lips inched closer and you looked into his eyes for a moment before letting your own slip closed.
His lips were soft and warm, careful as they met yours. Everything about it was gentle, as if he was testing the waters, and you appreciated that. You’d asked him to go slow and he wasn’t pushing you.
You kissed back a little stronger than he was to show that it was just fine, you liked it and you liked him, and you felt his lips spread into a small smile.
It made you feel warmer.