keitor-month-2020 - Tumblr blog

[keitor-month-2020]

Little Blade Podfic

So thanks to several lovely people on the Discord, we really are doing this and it is all very exciting, so if you’re interested in being involved in this project as a voice actor then please fill out this form!

[keitor-month-2020]

Writer and Artist Sign Ups Are Open

Artists Sign Ups are here 

Writer Sign Ups are here

Please sign up whenever you can. Sign ups will officially close July 10th.

We look forward to seeing you.

-Keitor Mini-Bang Mods

[keitor-month-2020]

Writer and Artist Sign Ups Are Open

Artists Sign Ups are here 

Writer Sign Ups are here

Please sign up whenever you can. Sign ups will officially close July 10th.

We look forward to seeing you.

-Keitor Mini-Bang Mods

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Mini-Bang Schedule*

May 22th - June 10th: Interest Check

June 11th - July 10th: Artist & Writer Sign Ups

July 31st: Fic Summaries due

August 7th: Summaries posted

August 14th: Claims open

August 28th: Claims close

August 31st: Claims announcements

September 7th: Contact Check-in

October 12th: First Check-in

November 16th: Second Check-in

December 21st: Third Check-in

January 25th: Final Check-in

February 15th-28th: Posting

*dates may be subject to change depending on the needs of the participants

[keitor-month-2020]

Hello and welcome to Keitor Mini-Bang 2021!

We mods are excited to share this project with you and hear your thoughts about it!

If you’re interested in joining, please fill out this interest check. It will stay open until June 10th!

Thank you and we look forward to working with you!

-Keitor Mini-Bang Mods

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month is Officially Over

We would like to say thank you to everyone who participated! It's been a long month and now there's so much more content for this ship floating out there for anyone to enjoy. You've all done an amazing job, thank you so much.

Now, the prompts aren't going away and, while the event is over, you're still more than welcome to write for the prompts. The only difference is we may not reblog your creations. But if a prompt gave you inspiration for something and you didn't have time to complete, or even start it before the end of January, please do not hesitate to continue using that prompt.

Thank you for participating and have a wonderful 2020!

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month Day Thirty-One: Home

For Lotor, home was always a place of fear, sadness, and pain.

Lotor had never known his mother. He did know that while the witch lived within her former body, they were not the same woman.

His mother wouldn’t have ignored him until he was needed for experimenting on.

His father was never around, always too busy with running his empire to busy himself with pointless matters such as his own son.

And so, Lotor had been raised by his governess. She wasn’t... the kindest woman, to say the least. But she trained Lotor to be an intelligent and disciplined young man. She taught him to care about his subjects, and she taught him about the history of the Empire.

Lotor was sure that she was, in her own odd sort of way, fond of him.

When Lotor was put in charge of his own colony, he was ecstatic. His own planet! He swore to himself that he would run it well alongside their current ruler.

He was so proud when he told his father about how successful he had been at taking the resources the planet could supply while working with its inhabitants.

He was devastated when it wasn’t enough to please his father, and angry when the planet was destroyed for the sole reason of punishing him, with no regard for those on the planet.

Planets are for conquering, Zarkon had scolded, your subjects are for serving the Empire.

Lotor blamed himself for the planet’s death for a long time.

For a while after his banishment, home was the Altean colony. He had spent centuries searching for remaining Alteans, and was so happy to have found them. But staying there would endanger them, and he would be damned if he was at fault for any other innocent people’s deaths.

Then, his home was with the ragtag team of half Galra women he had found around the galaxy. Narti, Ezor, Acxa, and Zethrid were his best (read: only) friends and confidants. They understood him like no one else ever had. He trusted them. When he was with them, he finally had felt safe and loved.

Even still, when he was declared an enemy of the Empire, his generals turned on him. He didn’t hold this against them, but he did miss them terribly.

When he joined Voltron, he was given about as warm a welcome as he expected. A cell in the castle’s dungeon with glass walls and a security camera.

Despite Lotor’s cooperation, the paladins refused to trust him. It was frustrating. He had given them target after target, and they still handed him over to Zarkon in exchange for the Green Paladin’s father.

They said he only wanted them not to hand him over so he could ‘save his own skin.’ Upon hearing this, Lotor scoffed internally. Of course he wanted to stay alive. The green paladin acted as if he had made a ridiculous request.

He had warned them that Zarkon would double cross them, but of course they didn’t believe him. (The fact that they trusted Zarkon would keep his word, but didn’t believe Lotor would, was quite frankly, disturbing.)

Lotor won the fight with Zarkon. He killed his own father. He knew the Empire wouldn’t mind (most of the empire, anyway,) patricide nearly as much as they cared he was a hybrid. Under his father’s rule, non-Galra blood was considered weak. But Lotor was determined to change that once he became Emperor.

It was upsetting to find out that the paladins didn’t want him to be Emperor. After all he had done to help them, they still didn’t trust him. He tried to tell them that all the other options for emperor were far worse than him (and that he actually had a plan for bettering the galaxy.) but they wouldn’t listen.

To Lotor’s relief, the Champion (who went by Shiro now, and was a lot less violent than Lotor had assumed he would be based on the rumors he had heard,) (but a lot more identity issues than Lotor had possibly imagined. The whole way to the Kral Zera he talked about how he didn’t feel like himself,) took his side.

When a small Blade of Mamora agent tackled Lotor to the ground, Lotor was offended that anyone dared attack him. When he realized why he had been tackled to the ground, he was grateful to the small blade agent.

The Blade later identified himself as Keith, the former red and black paladin. Just like Lotor, he was a hybrid, and just like Lotor, he had no real home.

“Maybe,” Lotor had said to him, “We could make a new home together.”

Now, years later, home is bloody knuckles and forehead kisses. Porcelain skin and ebony hair. Play fighting with swords and knives turned into violent make-out sessions. The most adorable ears (human ears, despite what the princess said, are adorable,) and the softest lips.

For Lotor, home is Keith.

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

Home is not a place

For @keitor-month-2020 day 31: home

“let’s take a selfie!” cried Shiro while he took one of the human’s orange communicators from his vest. ‘take a what?’ thought Axca. “Ah yes,” said Lotor “the blue paladin has shown me a lot of this self-portraits on our way here” “Why are you making that face” she asked as Lotor pulled her close, everyone was getting close as a matter of fact, which seemed redundant considering the black paladin’s arm could stretch for several meters. “From what I gathered from Lance’s photographic gallery, it seems to be the most popular pose for a selfie” Axca heard a low growl, and from the corner of her eye, she could see Keith’s hands twitching.

Last image I managed to do for Keitor month! In this AU Lance is friendlier towards Lotor since they are not competing for Allura, and since Lotor wants to learn everything about Keith’s human culture, they hit it off quickly. Axca can’t have some quiet time because for whatever reason Lotor shows up when she least expects him, and wherever Lotor goes so does Keith, and wherever Keith goes eventually Shiro will show up. Needless to say Axca has more contact with the paladins in four months than in the last 4 years. You have to forgive Keith’s lack of food manners: he was raised in the desert with a pack of coyotes.

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month Day Thirty: Mamora

Notes: This fic is a prequel to Day 23: Trust, in which we see Lotor during the beginning of his alliance with the Blade of Mamora through Kolivan's eyes.

Kolivan didn’t trust this new Blade. He didn’t like how he had passed the trials of Mamora so quickly, he didn’t like how he was the son of Zarkon, and he certainly didn’t like the way he looked at Keith.

Kolivan had been friends with Krolia long before she had fallen in love with that human. They had grown up together, went on their first mission together, and had planned to lead the Blade of Mamora together once they were old enough.

That plan had gone out the window when Krolia had found the blue lion on Earth and chose to stay there to raise a kit (not that she had told Kolivan what was happening.)

Krolia had come back to the Blade far earlier than expected, down a knife and refusing to talk about what happened on Earth. He had sent her on a mission and they hadn’t spoken much since.

Then Keith had shown up with Krolia’s blade. Kolivan felt livid that this paladin had dared steal Krolia’s blade, and then lie about it.

Image his surprise when he found out that the paladin- Keith- Krolia’s kit- hadn’t been lying at all.

‘So that’s what happened on Earth,’ Kolivan thought, ‘Why didn’t she tell me?’

Kolivan hadn’t told Keith about his mother, choosing to feign ignorance lest he show weakness. Keith certainly didn’t seem to believe Kolivan was as unknowing as he claimed.

‘Good,’ Kolivan thought, ‘Gullibility isn’t good for Blades.’

And now Prince Lotor had joined, much to Kolivan’s chagrin.

“You are not a prince here,” Kolivan had told Lotor that first night, after he had passed the trials. “Your title will not grant you any special treatment.”

“I didn’t expect it to,” Lotor had responded, “But I passed your trials of knowledge or death. Surely I deserve some knowledge.”

“A good soldier knows that one does not always receive what he deserves.”

Lotor grinned in a way that Kolivan decided he did not care for. “Well, I think you’ll find that I am not a good soldier.”

Kolivan did not trust Lotor. He grew to trust him even less when Lotor began following around Krolia’s kit like a cat would a mouse.

Kolivan wasn’t sure why Lotor had taken such an interest in Keith in particular, but it couldn’t possibly be a good thing. Perhaps Lotor was interested in him because he used to be a paladin and hoped to use him for political gain.

Kolivan felt a petty sort of smugness, schadenfreude, if you will, when Keith was entirely uninterested in the former prince.

“Keith,” Lotor called out, “Would you perhaps like to get some dinner later? Just the two of us?”

Kolivan watched as Keith’s eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Why would I want to do that?”

Lotor seemed dumbfounded by the response. “A simple no would have sufficed.”

Keith looked even more confused by this. “I have some protein bars if you want them. I was saving them, but if you’re hungry...”

“I’m good, but thank you.”

Keith shrugged and walked away.

Kolivan felt just as confused as Lotor looked, but at something different entirely. What game was Lotor playing?

After that, Kolivan found himself feeling oddly protected of Krolia’s kit. He wasn’t sure why, it wasn’t as if Krolia cared about him. Maybe that in itself was why, because Kolivan knew that Keith had no parental figure to guide him.

Kolivan shook his head, mentally scolding himself. This was a war, and in war there was no place for foolish sentiment.

He told himself that he only cared because he distrusted Lotor, but he knew he was lying. Despite his best efforts, Kolivan had grown fond of Keith.

Because of this, Kolivan decided to approach Lotor. No one noticed Kolivan enter the room. They were all trained to notice tiny details, but he had been training to be unnoticeable for longer. He walked over to where Keith and Lotor were chatting.

“I should very much like to learn more about you,” Lotor said, leaning in closer to Keith, “We have a lot in common.”

The corner of Keith’s mouth twitched up in a way that showed he was repressing a smile. “A lot in common?”

“Indeed.”

“That’s-”

“Lotor,” Kolivan said, feeling disappointed when Lotor appeared unfazed by his sudden appearance.

“Kolivan,” Lotor responded, looking up from Keith, “Do you need something from me?”

“I require your presence.”

“For a mission?”

“You would do well to remember that this is a secret organization before you ask me about mission details in plain sight.”

Lotor gestured to the few Blades gathered in the room. “Everyone here is a Blade. Do you not trust your own men and women enough to disclose mission details in front of them?”

“Oh, he is so dead,” Kolivan heard an eavesdropping Blade whisper.

“It’s fine,” Keith told Lotor, although he too looked disappointed at the interruption, “We can talk more later.”

Lotor scanned Keith’s face for a moment. “If you’re sure.”

Lotor followed Kolivan into a spare room. “This... is not a suitable room for a mission briefing.” Lotor said, poking a sheet covered table with his foot.

“A keen observation,” Kolivan replied. “That is because this is an empty banquet hall.”

“Not good for banquet then, either. Why have you brought me here?”

Kolivan shut the door of the banquet hall, saying nothing.

“That’s a bad sign,” Lotor said. “Quite ominous. I applaud your knack for dramatic effect.”

Kolivan glared at Lotor, not appreciating the young blade’s blatant disrespect. Unless, of course, Lotor was serious about his admiration for Kolivan’s dramatic flare, which was arguably worse.

“You and I need to have a talk.”

“About....?”

“Your troubling actions. You’ve been chasing Keith around like a yelmor would a faunatonium spring.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” Lotor said, his tone gaining an air of frustration.

“You’re not a very good lier,” Kolivan responded.

“Really? I’ve only had 10,000 years to practice.”

“Tell me, Prince Lotor, what are your intentions with Keith?”

Lotor looked taken aback by the question. “My- intentions with Keith? Why would you care about-”

“Answer me,” Kolivan demanded.

Lotor righted his posture back into one of regality. “I believe I’ve made my intentions quite clear.”

Kolivan snarled under his breath. He hoped he wasn’t giving away his obvious familial infatuation with Krolia’s kit. It would do poorly for information about his personal life to bleed into his duties as leader of Mamora. And yet, Kolivan found himself not caring. If Krolia couldn’t be there for her kit, Kolivan would be.

“Keith is under my command, and I refuse to let anything happen to him. I will not let you brainwash him into joining the Empire. What I mean is-” Kolivan took a step forward. “If you do anything to hurt Keith, I will-”

“You obviously misunderstand,” Lotor interrupted, much to Kolivan’s chagrin, “Although I do wonder what Keith did to make you care so much, I’m not surprised. He’s quite charming.”

Kolivan remained stoic, still waiting for an answer.

“However, your problem is that you assume I’m interested in Keith as an ally for the war. You are entirely mistaken.”

Kolivan was glad for the years of facial training, or else he may have given away his surprise

Lotor leaned in closer, but not close enough for Kolivan to injure him without lunging (not that Kolivan would want to injure him,) “I do not want Keith as a mere ally,” Lotor cooed, “I want him as both an ally and a lover.”

Kolivan raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Lotor drew himself back to his full height. “I am not the evil mastermind you think me to be. You need not worry about what devious subterfuge I have in the works. Even if I did, and I say this with as much respect as possible, you certainly wouldn’t be able to decipher them.”

Kolivan blamed it on his surprise that he wasn’t able to think of an appropriate response (perhaps some sort of punishment for Lotor disrespecting his superior like that, or at least a reprimand.) He only stood there as Lotor began to leave the room.

“I will not do anything to him with out his wholehearted and desperate consent. And when he gives it to me,” Lotor said as he looked back to Kolivan with a mischievous glint in his eye, “I promise to make him scream.”

Kolivan stood alone in the banquet hall for a few moments before beginning to walk back toward his quarters.

“Kids these days.”

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month Day Twenty-Six: Power Couple

Arriving back on Earth had been an ordeal. Lotor hadn’t been able to be there, much to Keith’s disappointment. He had assured Keith that he would be there for meeting the people of Earth, he would just be a few days later than planned due to a particularly difficult Imperial colony.

Keith tried not to let his sour mood affect their goal of peaceful relations with Earth.

“It shouldn’t be difficult,” Lotor told him, “You all are, after all, from Earth. Surely they’ll hear you out.”

Keith laughed at that. “Lotor, Earthlings hate each other, remember?”

“I do remember you saying something about slavery and the American police system. But maybe things have gotten better since you’ve last been on Earth.”

Keith shook his head, smiling fondly at Lotor’s image. “When did you become such an optimist?”

“I’ve had a few thousand years to work on it. I need to go, Darling. I wish I could be there with you. I know how hard it must be for you to have to lead Voltron all on your own.”

“Yeah, because you’re not leading an Empire or anything.”

“I’m not leading it alone. I have my Empress to help me out.” Lotor winked, then added, “And several advisors.”

“I mean,” Keith said, “I have Shiro and Lance.”

“Yet another point against you,” Lotor responded.

“Just talking to you helped my nerves. Thanks, Lotor.”

“Good luck, my love.”

Watching Shiro and Adam reunite was incredibly sweet. It almost made Keith forget how sad he was that Lotor wasn’t there, but ultimately just made him miss the Emperor more than ever. Then he had to put up with the asshole Garrison officials interrogating everyone, making sure no one had been cloned (what an awkward conversation that had been.)

Then came the inevitable conversation about ‘how on Earth can we trust Lotor? He’s Galra and obviously all Galra are as bad as the ones you just told us about! That’s how it works, right?’

“And this ‘Emperor Lotor’,” Iverson asked, “Is trustworthy?”

“I sure hope so,” Lance said, elbowing Keith in a way Keith very much did not appreciate.

“Emperor Lotor has helped us rebuild a peaceful democracy,” Shiro explained.

“But how do we know?” Iverson asked, meaning ‘how does the Garrison know’ or more specifically, ‘how do I know?’

Keith rolled his eyes. He had been tired of this question since the beginning. The only thing that had changed since then was his answer.

At first, it had been ‘We can’t,’ meaning that Lotor was felt to be untrustworthy. Then, it had been ‘We don’t,’ meaning that Keith wasn’t sure how to know whether Lotor was trustworthy or not. This was followed by ‘We have to,’ meaning that they probably shouldn’t, but had to for the sake of the Voltron coalition, then ‘Because I do,’ meaning that everyone should just shut and and respect Keith’s decisions. After that it was ‘Because he’s earned it,’ meaning that Lotor had proven himself to be worthy time after time and it was insulting that there were still those who found him to be untrustworthy. But Keith’s current answer was by far his favorite;

“Because he’s my husband, jackass.” Keith said, glad to hear the gasps from the Garrison officials at his declaration.

“Yeah!” Lance said, “They’re a power couple! Black paladin/Blade of Mamora and hot Galra king!”

“Please sit down, Lance.” Allura requested.

“You and Emperor Lotor are married?” Ryan Kinkade asked from the side of the room.

“Not to be gross, but honestly, nice pull, sir.” James Griffin said from beside him.

“Thanks?” Keith responded, “Yes, I am technically the Empress. But what’s important now is that-”

“How does it feel knowing the kid you kicked out is the black paladin? And the Empress, and a Blade of Mamora?” Lance asked, kicking his feet up onto the table. “And how does does it feel knowing that Pidge snuck right by your noses with only one person on the inside helping them?”

“Who?”

“Doesn’t matter,” Adam blurted out. “They’re a paladin and whoever helped them find the Holts and Takashi shouldn’t be prosecuted for breaking the law by helping them. Let’s move on!”

“And how oh how does it feel knowing that I, the kid you called a failure and constantly compared to kid number one is said former kid’s right hand man now?”

“Doesn’t feel great,” James said despite the glares from officials, “I’ve grown a lot as a person and I’m still terrified.”

“You don’t have to be te-” Keith started.

“You should be,” Lance interrupted, “Keith‘s gonna have you executed!”

“I absolutely am not!” Keith said, slapping his hand over Lance’s mouth.

“You could if you wanted to, though.” Pidge said.

“That’s not important right now,” Allura said, “Let’s get back to the matter at hand.”

“Exiled, then?”

“I’m not punishing anyone in any way.”

“What about Lotor?” Lance asked as soon as Keith took his hand of his mouth, “In a kinky way.”

Keith immediately regretted removing his hand. “What Lotor and I do with each other in our bedroom is absolutely none of anyone here’s business.”

“So when will we be meeting this supposedly trustworthy Emperor?” Iverson asked.

Keith was glad for the subject change, and wondered if he still had Iverson’s eye somewhere. Maybe he could give it back to him as a show of their alliance. “He says he’ll be here in a few days. He had to deal with this colony wanting to bring back the old ways from when Zarkon was in charge.”

“Yikes,” Nadia Rizavi unhelpfully chimed in.

“But he’s solved the problem by reminding them that they have easily accessible healthcare now and they don’t have to live in fear of Zarkon anymore. He should be here the day after tomorrow.”

Lotor arrived precisely on schedule. Keith forced himself to be professional and not lunge into his arms. Lotor had no such concerns and began running toward Keith as soon as he saw him.

Keith buried his face in Lotor’s shoulder. “How was the colony?”

“Not to sound dramatic, but it was suboptimal. How’s Earth?”

“Suboptimal.”

“He’s way hotter than I thought he’d be,” Keith heard Nadia Rizavi whisper to James Griffin, “Here I was thinking Keith was a furry.”

“Are you saying you wouldn’t marry an Emperor for the sake of power just because he looked like a cat?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”

“That makes one of us.”

Keith tuned out the whispered debate about what constituted a furry and breathed in the scent of Lotor’s hair.

“I missed you, Lotor.”

“I missed you too, my love.”

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month 2020 Day Twenty-Five: Injuries

“What a fight!” Lance cheered, “We totally beat their butts!”

“Heck yeah we did!” Hunk agreed.

“And we had just enough healing pods,” Allura added, “Not too many and not too few.”

Keith smiled, hoping no one noticed the blood seeping from his side. “Great job out there, everyone! You guys should celebrate.”

“Yeah!” Pidge said, “Let’s get some nunvil up in this joint!”

Keith began to walk away while Allura was busy explaining to Pidge that they were far too young for nunvil, no matter what their IQ was.

“Yo, team leader,” Lance shouted, following Keith out of the room. Keith silently cursed. Wasn’t Lance supposed to be the least observant? When had he gotten so good at calling Keith’s bluff?

“Yeah, Lance? You need something?”

“Are you okay? You know you can join the party if you want.”

Keith nodded, leaning against the wall in a way he prayed looked casual and not like he had been grazed with a spear in the battle prior. “Yeah, I know. I’m just super tired, plus Lotor’s already in our room.”

Lance laughed. “Alright, lone wolf. Just know that you can join us if you want. Lotor too. Everyone will be happy to see you having fun.”

“Thanks, Lance. That means a lot. Maybe next time.”

Lance shrugged and walked back into the room.

Keith was grateful for Lotor’s absence when he entered their room. Hopefully he’d be able to shower and get dressed again before Lotor got back. Then he could just sleep off the injury and no one would be the wiser.

Unfortunately for Keith, Lotor was very efficient and was only out of the room for the time it took him to shower and put on underwear.

“Sorry it took me so long,” Lotor called out.

Keith grimaced. He crossed his fingers that he’d be able to put a shirt on before Lotor saw him before remembering that their room was small, and Lotor was standing a meter from him.

“I decided to get some of Hunk’s Earth cookies for us to eat, but he had locked them up since I kept taking them,” Lotor laughed as he locked their door, “It took me ages to be able to cut my sword through the lock. He will not be pleased with me, but-”

Lotor trailed off when he finally looked at Keith. “Keith Akira Yorak Kogane!” Lotor scolded. “What in the universe happened to you? Why aren’t you in a healing pod?”

Keith groaned. “Lotor, I’m fine.”

“Is that why you’re bleeding all over our sheets?”

Keith looked down. He was, sure enough, bleeding on the sheets. He stood up and walked over to Lotor. “I can walk okay.”

“You’re hobbling,” Lotor observed, “You need a healing pod.”

“No, for the last time, I’m fine.”

Lotor rubbed the bridge of his nose in frustration. “If you’re going to be stubborn, then I will patch you up. I’ll start with the lesser cuts and scrapes-”

Lotor picked Keith up (sometimes Keith loved how much smaller he was than Lotor and how Lotor could pick him up and toss him around. This was not one of those times.) and placed him back onto their bed. “Then work my way to the largest one, since that will be the most painful for you when I fix it.”

“I’m fine,” Keith insisted, but much to his irritation, Lotor still didn’t seem to believe him.

Keith felt Lotor’s eyes boring into him as he bandaged his wounds. “How did you get hurt?”

“During the battle earlier. Some jerk threw a spear at a villager and I pushed her out of the way.”

“That was very brave of you,” Lotor sighed, “But I’ve still got a right to be upset, you know. The love of my life just risked his life with no regard for his own safety.”

Keith glared at him. “I didn’t have a choice, Lotor. You would’ve done the same thing.”

Lotor ignored him, choosing to focus on the injuries on Keith’s arm. “And to make it worse, you didn’t even ask for a healing pod. You didn’t even tell anyone.”

“There were other people who needed a healing pod more than me. Hell, this is coming from the guy who dislocated both his arms without flinching! Who are you to criticize my- ow!”

“Sorry if it stings,” Lotor said, patting rubbing alcohol around a cut. “At least this one won’t need stitches like the one on your side.”

“Thanks,” Keith grumbled under his breath. “It’s nice of you to fix me up.”

“Of course,” Lotor said, placing a kiss on Keith’s forehead before moving to work on Keith’s side. He took a deep breath breath. “Keith, my love, it’s not that you risked your life. I know you have to risk your life often since you’re a paladin, and it would be rather hypocritical for me to be upset about that given all the danger I put myself in. I’m upset that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me you were hurt.”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Keith said. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Keith, I am your boyfriend. I want to worry about you. Take a deep breath.”

Keith did as he was told. A moment later, he was grateful for it, because he nearly yelled when Lotor started on the stitches.

“How is it that you can withstand a spear to the stomach but can’t handle a tiny needle? You are quite the mystery.”

“I’m handing it fine,” Keith pouted, “I was just surprised.”

“Whatever you say, Love. Luckily,” Lotor said, “The wound only needs three stitches and isn’t infected. It probably would have been soon, though, so it’s good I discovered them. And... that’s the last stitch.”

“Thanks, Lotor.”

“Of course. Hopefully this next bit won’t hurt, but either way, you deserve it.”

“Rude. Wait, what is-” Keith’s sentence was cut off when Lotor tackled him against the bed and began assaulting him with kisses. “Ack! Lotor!”

“I was so worried about you!” Lotor scolded, positioning himself so Keith was straddled beneath him. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“I’m fine, Lotor,” Keith insisted. “But you’re jostling my stitches.”

Lotor moved so he wasn’t touching the stitches, then pressed his lips against Keith’s. When he finally ended the kiss a moment later, he gazed into Keith’s eyes. “I’m just glad you’re alright. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

Bedside care

For @keitor-month-2020 day 25: injuries

“You shouldn’t have shielded me from that explosion.” He said as he dressed the larger lacerations. “Are you concerned over my wellbeing?” “As if,” Keith snorted, “if I let you die here, Kolivan will kill me” “Ah, yes, I’ve heard from the other paladins about the fearsome leader of the Blades; but,” he said he rested a hand above Keith’s “I’m sure your boss will agree it was a risk worth taking.”

Lotor got Keith out of the fire line and he got some burns and a cute nurse in exchange ;)

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month Day Twenty-Four: First Kiss

“So who’s this guy you like?” Hunk asked Lance as they sat themselves on the couch opposite to where Lotor was sitting. He and Lance both ignored Lotor’s disgruntled sigh at being interrupted mid book.

“His name is Gnarlak,” Lance replied, “He’s from that planet we saved last week and we’ve been space Skyping since then. I want to ask him out with my fly moves and hot flying.”

“Do you have a plan for asking him out?”

“I’m going to say to him, ‘Are you an alien? Because that ass is out of this world.’ And since he’s from a space and therefore an alien, he’ll say yes. Then, bing bang boom, I’ll have an alien boyfriend.”

“Really?” Lotor asked. Hunk and Lance turned to look at him. “Is that the best you can do? A lewd compliment about his rear?”

“I’d like to see you do better,” Lance protested, standing up and pointing accusatorily, “I’ve been practicing my technique for ages.”

Lotor rolled his eyes. “I’ve got far better things to do with my time than to compete in a flirting contest.”

“I never mentioned a flirting contest. But now that you did-”

“I was making fun of you.”

“Too late! The first one of us to make someone react wins the title of Suavest.”

“React positively,” Hunk added, “We don’t want any lawsuits against us because one of you found a loophole.”

Lance opened his mouth, about to comment on Hunk’s choice of words, but didn’t get a chance to speak because Hunk spoke again. “Or because someone made a joke about the word ‘loophole.’”

Lance closed his mouth. Lotor finally stood, putting a piece of paper into his book to hold his place. “Fine, I will participate as a way to get you to leave me alone. As long as I may chose the person with whom I ‘flirt.’ I don’t wish to flirt with anyone with whom I am not truly interested.”

“Nice!” Lance exclaimed. “Who’s it going to be? Allura? Me?”

That’s how Lance found himself crouching behind the Blue lion, watching as Lotor approached Keith.

“He’s slicking his hair back?” Lance whispered, “Who does he think he is, Brad Pitt?”

“Shhh,” Hunk shushed him. “I wanna hear what happens.”

“Ah, Keith,” Lotor said, “Just where I thought you’d be.”

Keith looked up at Lotor. “You were looking for me?”

“Of course. For whom else would I be looking? You are by far the most interesting person on this ship, perhaps the whole Empire.”

Keith laughed. “You hit your head or something?”

“Lotor’s got to be cheating, right?” Lance asked. “I didn’t know Keith could laugh like that. He’s all... giggly?”

“My head is fine, Darling.” Lotor said, “Though not as fine as yours. You truly are extraordinary, both in personality and in beauty. It’s always a pleasure to be in your company.”

Keith didn’t answer, looking shocked at Lotor’s proclamation of admiration.

Lotor leaned in closer. “Your eyes are like starlight, captivating as the night sky. I wish to never look away, and yet I fear that if I do not, I will become forever lost within them.”

“Woah,” Hunk whispered from beside Lance, “That was classy.”

“It was.... fine,” Lance replied.

“Keith certainly seems to think so.”

Lance looked back to Keith, whose face was considerably flushed.

“Oh. Thanks.”

“And that’s not even mentioning your incredible skill with a sword. Where did you learn to fight like that? Looking at your technique is like watching a limbowan dance in the wind.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“I assure you,” Lotor said, leaning in even closer, “It’s a compliment.”

“Lotor, what are you doing?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m flirting with you. Would you like me to stop?”

Keith shook his head. “I didn’t say that. I just wanted to make sure I wasn’t... misjudging things. I’m not great at reading emotions.”

“You are, just not human emotions. I don’t blame you. We hybrids tend to have a preference for one of our parents’ body language. Yours is incredibly Galran.”

“I didn’t know that. I guess there’s a lot I don’t know about Galra stuff.”

“I could help you learn, if you’d like. I hear that study dates are quite popular on Earth, and I’m never one to pass up a romantic venture to the castle’s library.”

“A- a date? Like, with you?”

Lotor placed his hand against the side of Keith’s face. Keith didn’t pull away. “Is this alright?”

Keith nodded and began to blush. Lotor chuckled at Keith’s flustered appearance. “You’re even more gorgeous when you’re embarrassed. I wonder what else I can do to make you blush?”

Keith reached up and kissed Lotor on the lips. “Why don’t you find out?”

Hunk and Lance looked at each other. “I hate to say it, bud, but I think you just lost.”

“I’m not even mad. I’ve got so many new pick up lines to try now. You wrote them down, right?”

Hunk held up a pad of paper that Lance hadn’t realized he was holding. “You know I did.”

Lance looked at the list and frowned. “These felt a lot cooler when Lotor was saying them.”

“They’re waaaayyyy less classy now.”

“Maybe if I say them with a British accent?”

“Try one on me.”

“Ooooooh, youh eyes arh like stahlight, captivating as the night sky. I wish to nevah look away, and yet I feayah that if I do not, I will become lost within them.”

“That’s the worst British accent I’ve ever heard.”

“I was going for Welsh.”

“Well, that was bad for Welsh, too.”

“I literally- wait. Where did Lotor and Keith go?”

Lance looked around and saw that Keith and Lotor had left, presumably together. “I think Lotor’s flirting worked too well.”

Notes: Lotor and Keith leaving to make out in one of their rooms while everyone is distracted is my aesthetic. 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month Day Twenty-Three: Trust

Keith was exhausted. He had been told the mission would take 24 hours, and it was supposed to, but there had been some trouble finding the base.

Keith did the math to figure out how long it had been since he had slept. It took longer than he’d like to admit, but since the mission had taken a so much longer than expected.... he hadn’t slept in 60 hours.

His mission partner was handling the lack of sleep far better than he was. He blamed it on his fully Galra heritage, and on the fact that he had consumed an unholy amount of Red Bull (which he was infamous for around the base.) That’s why Keith let him tell Kolivan how the mission had gone. Keith really didn’t want to make a fool of himself in front of Kolivan, or any of the other Blades.

‘I need some sleep,’ Keith thought to himself when he was finally back at the base. He looked around the room at all the people. In one corner were some Blades talking about something in an alien language. It didn’t look very comfortable.

In the room was a couch where his partner was sitting now that he had finished talking with Kolivan, but it just didn’t look comfy enough.

Keith looked at Kolivan. ‘No,’ he thought, ‘That man is not comfy.’

Then Keith looked at the person Kolivan was talking to. Once Keith processed it was Lotor, his sleep-addled mind locked into him. ‘Yes,’ he thought, ‘That is comfy.’

Lotor was aware that Keith had been sent on a long mission where he hadn’t been able to sleep, so he hadn’t been surprised when Keith had been exhausted after he got back. He had just stood in the corner with a blank look on his face, scanning the room in search of something. Lotor wasn’t sure exactly what Keith was hoping to find, but he didn’t think much of it. Keith was a wonder, and Lotor couldn’t possibly expect to to understand him in such a short amount of time.

He was about to go over and make sure Keith was okay when Kolivan sat down across from him. “Lotor.”

Lotor looked at Kolivan. “Yes?”

Kolivan handed Lotor a large stack of papers. “Would you mind filing these for me? It’s a report of Keith’s and Ryral’s mission.”

Lotor nodded. “Of course. Do you mind me asking why it’s so large for such a short mission?”

“Ryral wrote it, not Keith.”

“Ah.” Lotor looked over at Keith to see that he was walking toward them.

He watched as Keith walked over to the table Lotor and Kolivan were sitting at and pushed the papers on his lap onto the ground, much to Lotor’s confusion.

“Keith, what in the universe are you doing?” Lotor asked, reaching down and beginning to pick up his papers.

Keith didn’t answer, choosing instead to push Lotor back into a sitting position and curling up in his lap.

Lotor frowned, his mind going a mile a minute. Would it be improper to pat his head? Should he wake him up and tell him to go sleep in his room?

He looked up at Kolivan (feeling mildly fearful, as he knew the elder did not like him) tentatively.

Kolivan shrugged. “I’ve been in the Blade of Mamora for 400 years. I’ve seen stranger things than an agent sleeping on his boyfriend’s lap.”

Lotor nodded. “Alright, good. Perhaps I should take him t- wait, did you say boyfriend? Keith is not my boyfriend, not yet at least. He was quite unresponsive toward my flirting, so I assumed him to be uninterested.”

Keith made the most adorable snoring sound from Lotor’s lap. “Hm.” He murmured, voice full of sleep, “Boyfriend.”

“Keith seems to think he is in his sleep deprived mind.” Kolivan said, seeming more amused than Lotor had ever seen him. He decided he didn’t like the look. “Perhaps you should take him to bed. We don’t need delusions of love messing up a mission.”

Lotor nodded and stood, keeping Keith carefully wrapped in his arms. “I’ll take him to his bed, then.”

“I’ll find someone else to do the papers.”

Lotor carried Keith to his bed and laid him down. He pulled the blankets up to Keith’s chin like he wished his parents had done when he was little.

Lotor turned and began to walk away when he felt a hand on his own. “Lotor? Where are you going?”

“I’m going to go do some training.”

“You’re not going to stay?” Keith asked, sounding hurt.

“This isn’t my room... but I suppose there’s no urgency for me to be anywhere... and none of your roommates are here... so if you’d like, I suppose I could stay.”

Keith smiled and began to pull Lotor into his bed. Lotor was shocked at how strong Keith was for having such a diminutive stature. He wondered if his human half made him stronger or weaker. He would have to ask later, but for now, he snuggled up beside Keith and watched as Keith got some much needed rest before softly drifting into a sleep of his own.

Notes: There will be a prequel to this fic on day thirty: Mamora, but it can also be read on its own.

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

Keitor Month Day Twenty-Two: Library

Notes: Thanks to @lilflowerpot for letting me use some of their headcanons about Galra anatomy and culture for this fic. Also this features Kuron, not Shiro, but Lotor doesn’t know that. #notmyshiro

Lotor took a deep breath to calm himself. Coran had told him that the castle had a library, and that the library was on the left of this floor. What Coran hadn’t told him was how many doors were on this floor to begin with.

Lotor had already wandered into a room with a kaltenecker, a mistake he did not wish to repeat.

‘Maybe this is the library?’ He thought, opening the door. He was pleased to find that this was decidedly a library, but unpleased to see that the paladins were all gathered in the library, around a blazing fireplace.

Princess Allura was sitting next to the black paladin, Shiro. The green paladin, Pidge, typed on an old computer next to the yellow paladin, who Lotor was pretty sure was named Chunk.

Lance was sitting upside down, swinging his feet back in forth in the air. Not coincidentally, no one was sitting next to him.

“He’s just so damn stubborn.” Lance groaned. “It’s not like we wanted him to go and join a secret Galra army!”

“You know Keith.” Princess Allura sighed, “He always does what he feels is best. Never mind what others think.”

“I’m just surprised he took so long to come back,” Chunk said. “He won’t be back for the intel sharing thing until later tonight. I’m making this weird Altean recipe that seems similar to mac and cheese to celebrate. I hope he stays for dinner.”

Lotor was about to ask what ‘mac’ was when it occurred to him that the paladins didn’t know he was there. After a moment of consideration, he decided to see how long it took them to notice he was there without him saying anything as a way to test their observation skills.

“He probably won’t. He never joins in group activities unless it’s training.” Pidge said. “He just stands to the side with his arms crossed all emo and watches.”

“He doesn’t listen to anybody but Shiro.”

“Not even that, lately. Whenever I reprimand him during training he just ignores me,” Shiro complained, shaking his head.

“Are you really that dense?” Lotor chimed in, no longer able to contain his internal irritation at the team’s ignorance.

Everyone in the room jumped up when Lotor spoke.

The princess was the first to recover from the shock. “Excuse me?”

“Well,” Lotor explained, sauntering toward the group. “Either you’re terribly stupid or you’re purposefully judging Keith unfairly.”

“What do you mean?” The green Paladin piped up from their place on a couch. “Judging him unfairly? He straight up ignores Shiro.”

Lotor kept himself from rolling his eyes. “So at least you’re not being cruel, I suppose. Galra, and Keith by extent, will ignore you while being scolded as a sign of submission.”

“Submission?” Shiro asked, “But he’s ignoring me. He’s being disrespectful and sulky. Just like back at the Garrison.”

“Galra are different than humans, socially. I assume that the former red paladin, despite his mixed lineage, is the same. What you see as him being quote-unquote ‘sulky’ is him acknowledging your dominance and accepting the reprimand. By turning his back and looking away he’s telling you he does not wish to defy you. In human terms, it’s closer to an apology than a sulk. Not that you deserve the apology, based on your judgement of him.”

No one said anything for a long moment.

“Oh.” Pidge eventually spoke, “What about the other things?”

Lotor stride over to and sat down next to them. “Other misconstrued behaviors? Well, I assume you’ve misunderstood many of the former paladin’s actions.”

“Why do you assume that?” Lance demanded, looking about as defensive as possible for someone sitting upside down.

“Isn’t it obvious? There’s a reason he left your team and joined the Blade of Mamora.”

Everyone around Lotor grew outraged.

“Hey!” Chunk said, “Keith left for the Blade to find his mom!”

“Don’t assume good know things about Keith that we do not!” The princess yelled at the same time.

“Keith left because he was being stubborn!” Lance yelled a moment later, the same time as Pidge.

“He just wanted to be with other Galra!”

“I find it interesting that you all take such a defensive stance for being completely in the right. Although you are correct in saying I don’t know Keith as you do,” Lotor admitted, “I do what what it’s like to be a hybrid. To be forced into one box when you belong in two.”

“You’re not half human.” Shiro said.

Lotor mentally rubbed his temples, wishing that thinking about it would be enough to ward off his headache. How could the paladins of Voltron, the supposed saviors of the universe (a universe containing so many alien species,) know so little about the people in said universe.

He supposed that the Galra Empire hadn’t known much about hybrids either, but Lotor had, for some reason, expected Voltron to be less ignorant. Especially since they had a Galra hybrid within their own number.

“You are aware that there are more than just Galra-Human hybrids, no?” Lotor said, “I myself am half Altean.”

“You’re what?” Princess Allura all but screamed, shooting up from her seat.

“You’re Altean?” Pidge stopped typing.

“No way you’re Altean!” Lance stopped kicking his legs.

“What is it with you all and shouting things all at the same time?” Lotor grimaced, making a conscious effort not to cover his ears. “Yes, I am half Altean. My mother was Empress Honerva.”

“Your mother was Honerva? As in the scientist who experimented on Diabazol?” Allura asked.

“Indeed.”

Lotor could practically see the gears turning in Princess Allura’s head as she spoke. “I thought Coran and I were the only ones.”

‘If any of you had ever willingly had a civil conversation with me,’ Lotor thought, ‘You would know about all the Alteans.’

“If you’re Altean, why didn’t you tell us earlier?” Lance asked, obviously suspicious.

‘I would have told you,’ Lotor thought, ‘Had you only asked.’

“It’s common knowledge,” Lotor responded instead, “I thought you knew. And I’d remind you to at least pretend to trust me, for the sake of this alliance.”

“Can we get back to the matter at hand?” Chunk said, “We were talking about Keith. Lotor said he did Galra stuff.”

“Yeah,” Pidge said, “What do you mean about ‘misconstrued behaviors?’”

“Well,” Lotor began again, “I believe you were groaning about Keith never participating in activities, but standing to the side. He does this not because he would rather not take part, but so he can have all of you in his sights to protect you from potential threats. For lack of better phrase, he is keeping look out.”

“So... he’s not being a jerk?” Lance asked, resuming his vexatious kicking.

Lotor sighed. “Obviously not. You know, you really should learn more about different species if you wish to be a good advocate for all the universe.”

“What about when he gets all emo and ignores us?” Lance asked, “Since we’re asking questions about the things we hate about Keith. He always make me feel like I’m not even worth the effort it takes to argue.”

Lotor sighed. ‘I suppose I’m the expert on this.’

“Similarly to your misunderstanding about Shiro, Keith isn’t disrespecting you. By ‘getting all emo’ as you put it, he is attempting to de-escalate the conflict.”

“But how would it de-escalate conflict? It’s kinda dismissive in human culture to cross his arms and turn his head all snoody.” Pidge said, computer keys clacking loudly. Lotor wondered if they were taking notes of what he was saying, or if they were simply multitasking. Or perhaps they weren’t paying attention at all, which would explain how they kept asking such redundant questions.

“Crossing his arms makes him smaller, and turning his head, thus exposing his throat, is a sign of trust and loyalty.”

Lotor sat there at least another varga answering questions, some of which’s answers were almost too simple.

“Galra are excessively social creatures. Keith’s emotions bleed out in his every movement.” Lotor said, “It’s not his fault humans only pick up on the aggressive part.”

The paladins all looked to each other, looking for signs that they were somehow in the right. When they found none, everyone looked back to Lotor.

“So you’re saying that Keith is lonely and needs a hug?” Chunk asked.

Lotor sighed. “That wasn’t what I was saying, but I suppose it’s not incorrect. Keith is terribly touch starved.”

“I feel awful,” Princess Allura said. “We know so little about the Galra. I didn’t think our ignorance would affect Keith, since he was raised on Earth. But I suppose I was mistaken.”

Shiro put his hand on the princess’s shoulder. “We didn’t know. We’ll read up on Galra body language and then it’ll be fine.”

Chunk pulled a tablet from his vest. “Keith’s here! Let’s go give that touch starved buddy a hug!”

The paladins ran off, leaving Lotor alone in the library. He smiled to himself. “Oh, beautiful Keith. I do hope he gets the love he deserves.”

@keitor-month-2020

[keitor-month-2020]

@keitor-month-2020

This is my project for keitor month! Took like 3 month to do, and the colors aren't showing up very well in the photo, but it's done!

[keitor-month-2020]

It’s day 20 of Keitor Month! My second favorite scene (because I’ve already posted the first, I have no self control) from Little Blade by @lilflowerpot

@keitor-month-2020