#Keith's propriety

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Miridiana getting after Keith for breaking propriety would be fun, especially since he'd probably assume that she would have approved of his methods up to that point. Maybe she finds out when they have the Princes over.

In theory, there should be a chaperone, but unless he were requested to be so by Miridiana or Luigi, Keith being the "younger" sibling due to the months between their birthdays would make him a less likely candidate for chaperone, so that would be a good reason to get after him.

Interestingly enough, if the idea is supposed to be that Anne is the chaperone (which could be implied by her being present at almost all times), Geordo is also behaving in a rather unbecoming manner, given that he has implicitly abused his position to get Anne to lie on his behalf in the past, meaning that they'd have cause to approach the King about the situation and Geordo's actions, but that has little to do with Keith.

Back on topic, however, assuming that this happens before the kidnapping arc, that could potentially head off that scene long before it happens.

“Keith Has Been Doing What?!”

This is sort of a companion/sequel to A Talk Between a Duchess and a Prince but can be standalone.

Millidiana Claes is not aware that Keith interferes with prince Gerald’s attempts to court Katarina by inviting himself to their outings. When she finds out, she’s not very pleased with her son’s actions. 

Millidiana may not support her daughter’s engagement to the third prince but she definitely does not approve of Keith’s behavior as it’s unbecoming of a future Duke.

Keith is about to find out the reason why Katarina fears their mother’s warth.

[waugh-bao]

[lilflowerpot]

Imagine Keith coming back from a really intense mission and he’s super tired and he just wants to go to bed but nowhere looks /comfy/ enough... except then he spots Lotor and decides yes, that is comfy, and goes and sits on his lap and immediately falls asleep cuddling with him

I adore the concept of Keith’s sleep-addled brain locking on to Lotor like “ah yes…… comfortable” and deeming it not at all inappropriate to just plop himself down on the Prince’s lap irrespective of what Lotor might be doing at the time (or even who he might be in the middle of talking to) and passing out without a care in the world.

Meanwhile Lotor suddenly finds himself with a lapful of Keith which isn’t at all an objectionable situation except for the small issue of him having been mid-conversation with Kolivan of all people, and now he’s just a little bit frightened to actually look back to Marmora’s Commander and find out what sort of expression he’s pulling at the littlest Blade’s shameless display of affection.

[violettduchess]

Hello Violet!! How's your day been?

If the kiss request prompts are still open, may I request a kiss with Keith, please? Thank you so much <333

A/N: This is Sweet Keith. Alter!Keith would have to be his own request (I thought of doing both in one but that would have been really long for these kiss fics)

Sweet Keith x Reader

WC: 510

He usually asks before he kisses you. His golden eyes are downcast, his soft angel-down hair a riot of wan sunshine curls on his head. The request is quiet, shy. And even when you give your consent, he takes a moment, as if readying himself.

Down he leans, up you rise until your lips meet in the middle. Nothing but your lips touch. His are stiff at first, unyielding to the invitation in the softness of your kiss. You take a step closer, boldly placing your hands on his broad shoulders, your body curving towards his. 

Then you feel it. The first hairline crack in his composure. His mouth relaxes, his lips becoming more pliant at the insistence of yours. One hand hesitantly wraps around your waist, just above your hip and you're thrilled at the contact, at the feel of how his large hand fits perfectly into that indentation of your body, as if you were two puzzle pieces clicking into place.

He breaks contact a moment, drawing in a breath that quakes with soft desire as he presses his lips together, imprinting the feel of your mouth into his. His forehead touches yours and you close your eyes, wrapped in the protective grasp of his hands, the rhythm of his breathing in time with your own as you wait, suspended in time like a glimmering raindrop hanging on the knife's edge of a leaf, trembling before the fall.

And then he tilts his head, his hands sliding around your waist to your back, pulling you against him and capturing you in a kiss, fierce as a sudden wind over golden plains. Your arms lock behind his neck as you return his kiss, your heartbeat drumfire in your ears. He tastes like salted caramel, so very sweet but with a subtle, underlying bite that you can’t ignore. One that sends a thrill spinning through your body. His hands slide down your back, down until he hooks his arms under you and lifts you up, holding you above him. He tilts his head upwards as he continues to kiss you, a man chosen by the Heavens to receive a divine kiss from an angel descending just for him.

You cup his face in your hands reverently, feeling the muscles of his jaw move under your palms as he meets you, lips on lips and tongue on tongue. The winds have turned into a tornado, sweeping up everything in its path, laying you both bare to the storm tearing through your veins.

But Keith is a gentleman and a prince. Before you are swept away, before the storm can truly eradicate every semblance of propriety, he breaks the kiss. Tearing himself away from you is painful. He wants so much and he sees the fire in your bright eyes, feels the way your fingers clench as he lowers you to earth once again. One hand runs over your hair, gentle, almost apologetic. And then it catches your chin, his thumb soothing over your kiss-reddened lips.

Soon, that touch says. Soon.

💋

Tagging: @aquagirl1978 @atelieredux @alixennial @alexxavicry @queengiuliettafirstlady @rhodolitesroseforclavis @somekidnamedkai @ikemen-prince-writers-posts @bellerose-arcana @thewitchofbooks @ikehoe @redheadkittys @themysticalbeing @dear-mrs-otome @firestar-otomeobsessed @curious-skybunny @leotoru @ariamichel @kpop-and-otome @queen-dahlia @moonstruck-writing @scorchieart

[one-thousand-and-one-fandoms]

Opps, my hand slipped:

Lance stared at his father, speechless, for a minute.

"Marriage?" Lance asked, his voice an octave too high. For this conversation, his father had taken Lance to one of their coziest lounges, and they were sitting on the couch.

"Yes, to a Galran knight. Or, well, half-galran," Alfor replied.

"Wait, half-galrans are a thing?" At Alfor's raised eyebrows, Lance shook his head, "sorry. Back to... this... marriage thing? Why me?"

Alfor shrugged and said, "I thought he might be your type?"

"How do you know I have a- no, nope, we aren't having that conversation. As far as you know, I don't have a type," Lance replied, blushing to the very tips of his ears. His father had the gall to chuckle.

"Your romantic tendencies aren't quite a secret, son. Sorry to burst your bubble," Alfor laughed.

"Does that mean mother..."

Alfor grinned wickedly, "Your mother told me."

Lance brought his hands to his face and groaned loudly. "Please, kill me now!"

Alfor laughed harder this time.

"In any case, Lance, think about it. You don't have to meet him if you don't want to, but I think I'm on the right track with this one."

"I really don't want to know how you reached that conclusion," Lance moaned, still hiding his face.

Alfor laughed and left after leaving a rectangle of paper on the table. Lance plopped bonelessly on the couch as soon as he heard the door click. His hands fell on his side.

"This is so embarrasing!" He exclaimed to the room.

It wasn't that he was subtle about his advances or that he didn't know about his own reputation as a flirt. He knew. He revelled in it, even. He just thought that it was the kind of gossip that was kept, purposely, by all members of the court, out of the king and queen's ears.

His eyes drifted to the table. The piece of paper taunted him. He would be lying if he said he wasn't intrigued. But marriage?

"Quiznack," he mumbled under his breath and grabbed the paper. In it was a picture, and as soon as Lance's eyes fell on it, he felt his heart stop. The boy... man in the picture didn't look Galran at all. In fact, if it wasn't for his ears and lack of markings, Lance would have thought he was Altean.

The man had a square jaw and deep violet eyes that stared at the camera with an intensity that wasn't necessary for a picture. His gaze was so intense, it felt as though he was watching Lance. He had black hair that reached his shoulders and Lance wanted nothing more than to touch it because it looked so silky.

He was so his type. Ugh! Alfor would never let him live it down, would he? At least Lance could wait a day or two while he "thought" it over. Father couldn't know how good he got Lance just yet.

~~

Keith was proud of his achievements. Being part of the Galran court as a half-human was difficult: it wasn't a secret that a lot of nobles looked down on him for being a half-breed bastard and his mother for being a whore. Not that either of them minded all that much: Keith became one of the best knights and was quickly climbing through the ranks, in great part to spite the court and his mother was the closest advisor to Queen Honerva.

However, as her friend, Queen Honerva despised how the court treated them and so she came up with this idea to "help" them. She invited them to her sunroom for lunch and dropped the marriage bomb on him. Clearly, his mother was in on it and Keith was unimpressed.

"No," Keith categorically refused, "I'm not something you can just sell to the highest bidder."

"Keith!" Krolia exclaimed, looking scandalized.

"Is that what you think this is?" The queen asked, unfazed by his lack of propriety.

"Why else would you try to set me up with a prince?" Keith asked, frowning.

"If aything, it's him who is being, as you so crassly put it, 'sold'," the queen replied, "as the one initiating the courtship, you would be the 'buyer,' so to say."

"That doesn't make it any better," Keith huffed, "I have enough people who barely tolerate me. I don't want to add a future husband to that list."

The queen raised an eyebrow, looking severely unimpressed by Keith's tirade.

"I don't think you understand how this works," she said.

"Of course I know how this works. You sign an agreememt or treaty or something and as proof of loyalty, I have to marry a prince and-"

"Sir Keith, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do," the queen interrupted.

"Huh?"

The queen sighed, and continued, "King Alfor, King Zarkon and I are old friends. King Alfor has a lot of children. Princess Allura is the heir to the throne. They have a powerful armada and are economically stable. Believe me, Sir Keith, they don't need an alliance through marriage."

Keith felt as though the rug was pulled out from under him and he floundered, "Then why...?"

"I won't deny that I'm thinking of how to improve your stand in front of the court," the queen admitted, "snagging a prince, even one who is low on the line of succession, is one way of ensuring that."

"But I don't want to marry just to spite the court!" Keith exclaimed.

"Isn't that why you became a knight?" The queen pressed.

Keith was stumped, "Partly, yes, but also to prove to myself that I could do it."

Krolia decided to intervene then, because at this point they were going in circles.

"Keith, let's put aside all the political aspects of this issue," she said and he glared at her, but she persisted, "I have seen you stand on the sidelines during balls and official functions. Finding a partner is always difficult, but as a half-human in a Galran court..."

"Nearly impossible," Keith petulantly agreed.

"It has nothing to do with you as a person, but..."

"But I'm not attractive to Galrans, is that what you're saying?" Keith nearly growled, "Well, I don't need them. I'm just fine on my own."

That was a lie and everyone in the room knew it. Keith craved intimacy with another, someone to love and who loved him, but he was keenly aware of how other Galrans looked at him. He was aware that to their hairy, purple standards, Keith was very ugly.

"My point is that we thought looking for a match in the Altean court would be better for you, because they look remarkably like humans," Krolia continued.

"So we asked King Alfor if he had anyone in mind for you, and he suggested Prince Lance right off the bat," the queen interjected, "this is a picture of him."

Defeated by his own curiosity, Keith took the picture. In it, there was a breathtaking man with sun-kissed skin and the bluest eyes he had ever seen. His brown hair was windswept and mused as he grinned at the camera as if he was sharing a joke with it.

Keith felt his face flush. This man was handsome... and hot. Keith found himself unable to look away from the picture. Krolia and Queen Honerva shared a knowing smile.

"So, there's a ball next month for the Juniberries Harvest Festival. Should I tell Alfor to expect you, then?" Queen Honerva asked.

Keith gulped. The picture seemed to draw him in. If this was Prince Lance in only a picture, what would he be like in person? He cleared his throat.

"Yes, please. Tell his majesty I'll be happy to attend," Keith answered.

The queen, delighted, clapped her hands, "Wonderful!"

Keith looked at the picture again, unable to help the butterflies that began fluttering in his stomach. He smiled.

I really need more fanfics of Arranged/Assisted Marriage AUs where both parties get consulted and agree to the match, which ends up in a successful marriage. Or, alternatively, where both parties are allowed and able to not go through with anything they don't want.

[logo-comics]

Fortune Lover DLC: Princess Katarina

Welcome to the Sorcier Academy of Magic, Maria Campbell! So many nobles of varying rank await you, from the lowest Baron's youngest child to the three children of the King!

Wait, THREE?!

You read that right, three, Prince Geordo, Prince Alan, and Princess Katarina Stuart! Yes, Katarina Claes is here reimagined as Katarian Stuart, the youngest child and only daughter of the King and Queen of Sorcier! Then who is Prince Geordo's fiancee? None other than the frequent nuisance herself, Noelia Flores, the second-string villainess!

Keith Claes, for his part, is romanceable, as well, though this DLC makes use of Lady Charlotte Vulcan of the Friendly Rival DLC in place of Katarina as the obstacle to romancing him!

Katarina, for her part, is still a villainess and an obstacle for Prince Geordo's route, and even that of Prince Alan in that she is obsessed with propriety and stopping the breaking of her brothers' betrothals as a result!

But that's not all! With Katarina still the greatest menace of the school, tormenting Maria due to her viewing Maria as a commoner who simply got lucky, Maria does have an advantage over the situation: Katarina is romanceable.

Yes, Katarina fans, Princess Katarina is unattached to anyone in a betrothal in this setting, and her heart can be won!

Get Katarina to help you end the relationship of Geordo with his horrendous fiancee peacefully! Learn more about the political system of Sorcier and the tentative positions of the heirs to the crown! Romance Katarina, if you'd like (and we know a lot of you do)!

All of this and more are possible in Fortune Lover's Princess Katarina DLC!

[hqfanaticism]

Hmmmm, thinking about a Sheith omegaverse au…

In this au, omegas are very highly regarded. Omega mates allow alphas to be more even-tempered and healthier. They are also able to stimulate healing in their chosen alpha. Because this phenomenon can’t be replicated by force, alphas go through great pains to try to win over an omega.

Keith lives in the outskirts of a kingdom in the Marmora Manor and is his mother’s heir. Because he lives so far from the capital, not many of the kingdom’s nobility even know he’s an omega. He’s grateful for this, as the few times an alpha had visited the manor to try to win his favor were nothing more than a bother.

This respite comes to an end when a new queen (Allura) is about to be crowned, meaning all nobles are expected to be present at the coronation.

He regrets leaving the manor as soon as he gets to the castle. He’s a fresh opportunity for all the alphas there and the incessant fawning makes him want to leave, propriety be damned.

Then he meets someone while he tries to find a moment of quiet in one of the castle gardens. An alpha, scarred and without his right arm. To Keith’s surprise, the alpha doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity to try to woo an omega. Instead, he apologizes for disturbing Keith and leaves. That’s the first time Keith meets Shiro.

The next time Keith sees Shiro, he decides to speak with him. There are few tolerable people at the castle and Shiro seems like he might be one of them. So, they end up spending quite a bit of time together in the weeks leading up to the coronation.

Others notice. Other alphas in particular. And they’re not happy that Shiro is monopolizing the omega that no one else has had the chance to woo. A few of them try to warn him off. After all, a broken alpha doesn’t deserve an omega. Shiro refuses. He won’t leave Keith unless Keith tells him to go. And he reminds them of how he had gotten his scars. They leave him alone after that.

Keith hears the confrontation. That’s the moment he realizes that he has chosen his alpha. But he doesn’t tell Shiro. He knows that no alpha would dare to refuse an omega’s choice. He wants to be sure that Shiro wants him in the same way.

So, he starts to shift closer to Shiro, initiating physical contact whenever possible. And he observes Shiro carefully each time, trying to note his reaction.

Unfortunately, Shiro is a perfect gentleman, allowing Keith into his space but never encroaching on Keith’s.

The coronation comes and goes and Keith starts to get worried. They’re set to leave soon and his chosen alpha hasn’t shown any sign of interest. His instincts can’t help but interpret it as a subtle rejection. Maybe that’s why he reacts so strongly when a notices another omega eyeing Shiro. He can’t help it. He bares his teeth and hisses, his scent exploding out in a possessive cloud. The omega gets the picture and leaves, muttering that he hadn’t known the alpha was taken.

Keith realizes the implications of what he did once the other omega is out of sight. He’s horrified at having acted like Shiro was his alpha when the alpha hadn’t given any indication that he wanted the same. He turns to apologize but stops when he sees Shiro’s expression.

Shiro’s cheeks are flushed, eyes wide with a dazed wonder as he looks at Keith with a fragile hope. Keith drags in a breath and smells Shiro’s scent, a scent he had only caught snatches of prior to this due to Shiro’s careful control. It tells him everything he needs to know.

He doesn’t waste any more time and asks Shiro to go back with him. Shiro hesitates. He knows how the world sees him: a broken alpha whose feats in war had been undercut by the toll it had taken on him. He loved Keith but hadn’t dared to even hope that an omega would ever see him as worthy.

Keith makes sure that Shiro doesn’t have any reason to doubt. He leaves the castle a mated omega.

And they live happily ever after at the Marmora Manor!

Idk if I’ll write this, I might at some point just so the idea will stop plaguing me lol

[masterhandss]

Forbidden fruit ask time: Keith x Katarina. I know people in western fandom are understandably wary of this ship, but apparently it's one of the favourites for the Japanese audience and based on what I heard it actually has some decent foundation in novels (not as much as GeoKata, but still). Since you read novels and are #1 hamefura blog on Tumblr and know so much I wanted to ask you to tell us how KeiKata is doing in novels if it's okay owo??

owo!! lmao, I don't know about being the "#1 hamefura blog on tumblr" (I-I... I thought I was an art blog... :')) I mean I just like to ramble about hamefura lmao but I'm always happy to answer questions!

Yeah... Keith x Katarina is a hard subject to talk about considering how violent reactions can be depending on who you're talking to. I remember when Season 1 was airing, people really doesn't like Keith as a romantic option for Katarina due to them being siblings, and I'm honestly waiting for those people to react to the S2 OP and S2 in general. I've talked to a few people who don't like KeiKata at all, and they have the absolute right to dislike any ship that they want, but it did make me sad to know how much Keith is hated by the EN Fandom considering how loved he is in the JP Fandom. He's pretty much the most favorite male character and the second most shipped with Katarina.

-> hamefura x(s2) & ln spoilers ahead <-

A lot of people's issues with Keith stems from the fact that he and Katarina are step-sibling and that it's really weird for Keith to be romantically interested in Katarina (a person who sees him as a little brother completely). People are accusing him of taking advantage of Katarina's trust in him to keep her to himself and that pursuing her romantically would destroy the familial bond that they've had for years. The thing is that Keith treasures Katarina as a person, not as a sibling. Yes, Keith sees her as family, but he also sees her as more than family. To him, being able to be together with Katarina doesn't mean that he'll have to love her differently, but that he will be able to love her even more deeply and honestly. You can even headcanon that the reason Keith calls Katarina "big sister" is because he's asked to do so, and because it's a symbol of his acceptance into the family, but maybe not necessarily how he sees her.

Some of the material that will be covered in Season 2 is about Keith, so I don't know how much I want to talk about that since most fans will be able to see it themselves. Keith has it the hardest because his position makes it so that he's the least likely to get his feelings across to Katarina due to their relationship. In one of the upcoming arcs in the anime, Keith will be able to break Katarina's baka shield in the same way Geordo does: by using actions instead of words, and by just literally finding the courage to take the risk and tell her.

That's where one of the interesting things about hamefura comes into play: one of the reasons why people dislike KeiKata so much is that they feel like the reveal of Keith's feelings would awaken disgust and betrayal in Katarina. Few fanfics of hamefura portray it that way, that Katarina would be weirded out by his feelings and reject them immediately. Maybe it's because Katarina is aware of Keith as not only a sibling, but also as a romance-able character in an otome game (also because of the nature of this series lmao), that in canon, she doesn't take his confession negatively and is flushed/embarrassed by it just like Geordo's confession. I know the "weirded out" reaction is the most realistic, but maybe Katarina also understands that their relationship doesn't have a clear label. They care for each other very much and whether that bond is romantic, familial or friendship isn't something they bothered to really name, maybe? Lmao I don't know, that last bit is just speculation on my part, I can't exactly get into Katarina's head and pinpoint what she thought of Keith's confession.

If I'm being honest, she forgets about Keith's confession more often than she does Geordo, mostly because nothing really changed after he made his feelings clear. I wouldn't say that she dismissed it, it's just that she's forgetting it because in her perspective being loved as a woman and as family by Keith both means that he'll take care of her and shower her with attention (aka no difference).

When I think about how "KeiKata is doing in the novels", for some reason the first thing that comes to my mind is the line "how they treated Geordo in the anime, from a JP perspective". I know that sounds confusing, but what I mean is that a lot of Arc 2 - FL2 scenes with KeiKata is kinda fanservice (aka the thing they tried to do for Geordo in the anime which worked for JP fans but made him hated by the EN fans) (not me trying to insert Geordo in a post about Keith hehe :V). Excluding all the Keith scenes that are coming in Season 2 of the anime and the current arc of the manga, the story really likes to test Keith's self-control when it comes to seeing Katarina as a woman.

Keith's scenes with Katarina aren't necessarily "hot and spicy" by any means, but people nowadays tend to be quite bothered and annoyed at typical japanese romance tropes being played out in modern anime series (such as bed-pining, surprised kisses and kabedons). I mean yeah I'd be bothered too if someone pulled those moves on me in real life, but for the japanese audience this is what their fanservice is like so that's the kind of stuff we'll see in hamefura. Just like Geordo, Keith is given a few scenes where he's put in a romantic spot with Katarina after he confessed, but it always just ends with him backing out and hoping that it at least could remind Katarina of how he sees her (like bed-pinning in LN6 & affectionate touches from Katarina in LN8). A lot of hate towards Keith stems from these scenes because people sees this as a disrespect towards Katarina and the familial relationship they have. These scenes helps reinforce how Keith sees Katarina as a woman and not as a sister, but depending on who you're siding with, you're either gonna be disgusted at Keith or extremely pissed off at Katarina's lack of propriety & density.

Like, people are getting angry at Keith for being a teenage boy who is being bothered by affectionate touches from the girl he likes who is also always approaching him with only a nightgown? I mean blame the author or Keith all you want but at least put some responsibility on Katarina as well :V People are really saying "well, he shouldn't be bot and bothered by it in the first place, they are siblings! that's disgusting!" well again, Keith sees her as a woman and Katarina needs to be aware that she shouldn't be so touchy with the opposite sex regardless if it's family. Keith kinda blames Katarina for the way he feels given how she acts around him despite being unaware of his feelings, which is also the cause of some hatred towards Keith.

People are saying that Keith is dumping *all* the responsibility onto Katarina because she acts in such an affectionate way towards him, but in reality Keith feels really bad & also hates himself for being so attracted to her when she doesn't even know about his feelings. He puts a lot of blame onto himself and thinks he's just as bad as Geordo sometimes (not saying Geordo is bad, more like Keith's "idea of Geordo" being bad lmao). Keith always walks on eggshells around Katarina because he doesn't want to disrespect how he feels about her and how she feels about him. It's just sad to see people hate him for the few moments where his self-control breaks so that he can act on his honest emotion, and accuse him of abusing Katarina's trust :((

Just like Geordo, Keith has made it clear how he feels and strongly desires to pursue her romantically, but his problem of being the step-sibling is still there. I haven't gotten my own copy of JP Volume 10 yet, I feel like I just wanna wait for the EN version instead of using GT, but multiple spoilers have noted that while Keith hasn't made progress in getting approval of his feelings from Katarina's side, he's at least able to get an approval from his family. Well, by that I mean Keith has already confessed his romantic feelings about Katarina to their father Luigi, and he replied by saying that he approves of whoever Katarina chooses for herself. Keith realizes that all he needs to do is get Katarina to return his feelings. When he does, his family wont hate him, but instead he'll be able to love them and be loved in the same, yet different way.

TLDR; a lot has happened to Keith throughout the light novels. He's progressing slowly and steadily just like Geordo, and is leagues ahead compared to the other characters. He has confessed his feelings and got reassurance of his relationship with his parents. Keith and Katarina's relationship itself hasn't really changed though, but it's nice to know that Keith is at least laying the foundations for his hypothetical future with her. Katarina doesn't really think about Keith enough to be able to tell how she feels about his confession or if her opinion on him has changed at all though, so take that as either an L or a W for Keith.

Thank you for the ask! I'm sorry if this isn't as elaborate as you wanted, anon. I like Keith and Katarina but I guess it's because they aren't my bias that I don't pay too much attention to the tiny details of how Keith is written in the books qwq

[sgtjamesrogers]

ok i desperately need to hear more about the his dark materials vigilmaker au

WELL... the first sentence is-

Keith’s daemon never gets the chance to settle.

So we can count on me to use this au as an excuse to cause as much pain as I possibly can. :) Right now I'm deciding exactly how I want Chris' daemon to go, I have about three options and I'm doing the pros and cons of each. I briefly considered if it should be Eagly but I liked the concept of Eagly and Chris' daemon playing around way way more. The bulk of this fic feels like it'll be concerned with Adrian's daemon's lack of propriety and personal space, since unspoken social cues and rules, the breaking of in HDU aus are my FAVORITE, but I immediately knew what Adrian's daemon would be, I picked his specifically so that people in universe would look at his sweet, unassuming face and then his apex predator of a daemon and be Unsettled, lmao.

Thank you so much for asking!!

[ko-chan-the-blueberry-donut]

Requiem 3

Here’s Chapter 3 guys! Hope you enjoy!

---

Duchess Claes and Anne stared at Katarina’s attire. Keith had come running in, red-faced and wheezing, saying his big sister had thrown propriety out the window.

Of course, the two women went to go inspect and there they found Katarina looking nervous at her mother as she wore a very short skirt—well at least too short for their society—and a sailor type of ensemble.

Katarina looked prepared for the worst. After all, it was Duchess Claes who was staring at her daughter wearing something “improper”, but a storm was brewing in Duchess Claes’ mind from other reasons.

Was this something she’ll never understand? Was this part of Katarina’s phase? Was it really a phase? These odd things have been happening since she was eight, ever since she fell and hit her head…

“Katarina,” Duchess Claes began and Katarina stiffened. She feared her mother would want to burn her old uniform. She wouldn’t know what she would do if she had to dispose of it. She didn’t really think it was a big deal, but Keith seemed to think it was, from the amount of leg she was showing.

‘I miss the days when it was more acceptable to wear plain clothes…’ Katarina mourned.

“Did you hear me, Katarina?” her mother’s voice broke through her thoughts.

“Y-Yes!” Katarina quickly answered, not wanting to make her mother angrier. Duchess Claes sighed wearily.

“Good. We’ll be leaving in a few days. Please…” here her mother looked at her sadly, and Katarina couldn’t understand what troubled her so. “Please try to rest, okay?” her mother asked, and Katarina nodded dumbly, wondering what was wrong. Anne and Duchess Claes left the siblings alone, and Keith glanced at Katarina worriedly.

“Sister… do you know why Mother is taking you to the Ministry of Magic?” Keith asked, a little worried. Katarina blinked.

“Ministry of Magic?”

“You… weren’t listening at all, were you?” Keith sighed, shaking his head. “Mother says she wants to take you to the Ministry of Magic in a few days. She didn’t say why though…”

“Wait… she doesn’t want to burn my clothes?!” Katarina was more focused on the survival of her old school uniform.

“Apparently not. She just looked at you and said she was taking you to the Ministry of Magic. Though Sister, those clothes are really improper—Sister?”

Katarina dropped to her knees, hugging the fabric of her uniform tight, relieved. She was so scared her mother was going to want to take them away! Tears of relief escaped her eyes and she laughed.

“Thank goodness! Thank goodness!” Katarina laughed, tears falling down her face. Keith watched her, and he worried even further. Something was wrong.

“Sister…” he kneeled in front of her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. He stared into her eyes intently, as if he was searching for something. “Are… are you okay?”

Here Katarina smiled bright, and Keith knew it should’ve relieved him, but all it did was make the pit in his stomach deeper.

“I get to keep these as far as I’m concerned, and that’s enough for me.” Was all Katarina said, and she had a far away look in her eyes, as if she was recalling something he wasn’t privy to, and it made him envy whatever had her attention so.

A part of him wanted to demand her to get rid of the clothes himself. He didn’t like his sister acting so strange, so distant, but he saw how they made her smile, and he couldn’t bear to be the one to break her heart.

“Sister…” he voiced, and he smiled then, embracing her as she too, grinned.

Something was wrong. He knows it.

---------------------

Luigi Claes finds his wife in their bedroom, and frowns worriedly when he catches sight of the wine.

“Darling, I thought you wouldn’t overindulge again after Katarina was born.” Luigi chided, but you could see he was greatly concerned. He took a seat next to his wife, taking the bottle from her so she couldn’t pour herself anymore. “Miri…”

“I remember when she was born…” Miri began, her eyes clouded, either by memories or the wine, Luigi didn’t know. “I had a difficult pregnancy—the doctors said we shouldn’t have anymore children, that maybe even Katarina wouldn’t even survive, but she did. She was resilient even as a baby. And when I held her, I knew I loved her.”

“We did have a lot of trouble having her, Miri, but you know I wouldn’t change you. I’m happy with Katarina and Keith.”

“If it wasn’t for Katarina, I would’ve thought you had Keith with another woman. Because I could no longer… I thought you didn’t think me and Katarina were enough…” Miri started tearing up. Luigi embraced his wife tightly.

“Katarina has done a lot of good things for this house. Our home is happier. Our staff loves her. Keith loves her. I couldn’t ask for a better daughter and a better wife. You all are my world.” Luigi reassured her. Miri sniffled.

“I wanted to cry looking at her today, Luigi.” Miri confessed. “She was wearing something so strange, and she looked like she would die if I took it from her. I didn’t want my daughter to think I was a monster, so I couldn’t say anything at all.”

“We always knew Katarina was a strange child, Miri. Ever since she hit her head.” Luigi tried to comfort his wife.

“Luigi, please don’t pretend to be blind anymore. Ever since that accident, she’s been strange, but there are times when she’ll be distant—like she wants to flee and go somewhere we can’t follow. I remember when she was little, and she had that fever after her fall, and she would cry for people named ‘Okaa-san’ and ‘Otou-san’ and ‘Nii-san’ in a strange tongue. We thought she was possessed. And then she was so different, but she was happy, so we let it go. And then… the night terrors.”

“Yes, I remember.” Luigi said gently. He remembered feeling so helpless every time Katarina would scream in terror. He remembered when they would wake her, she would scream “Torakku wa  totemo itai!” hysterically, and they would hold her, trying to calm her. They didn’t know what she was saying, but they knew it was something that terrified her and brought her pain. She would say other things in that strange tongue, and later, when she was calm, they would question her what she was talking about. She would always pause then, gaining that faraway look in her eye, and say “I had a scary dream where I died.”

And they would comfort and reassure her she was alive and well, and no one was going to hurt her, but Katarina never looked reassured. She appeared to be haunted by something, and Luigi and Miri continued to feel helpless.

To be honest, these were factors when bringing Keith into their home. Katarina needed someone her age to talk to, to bond with, and it appeared to have worked. Katarina stopped having night terrors, or at least that is what they thought.

Looking back on all the odd things their daughter has done over the years, Luigi was sure perhaps Katarina had just gotten better at hiding things.

Wordlessly, he lifted the bottle and took a giant swig.

“What do you want to do?” he asked his wife at last.

“Whatever we can. Whatever the High Sorcerer who examines her says to do. I just want her to be happy.” Miri said. Ades hugged her close.

“Me too.”

-----------------------------

There you go! Chapter 3!

the translation is for Torakku wa totemo itai is “The Truck hurt so much”

[mercuriallycooperative]

Doom flags at her heels, Katarina really has a lot going on

(slight arc one spoilers, slight arc later spoilers, lotta long rambling thoughts)

So I’ve been keeping up with the manga for quite awhile and then remembered the light novels exist and then discovered the anime is existing and then realized “oh this is popular enough people are writing fic for it!” and then read a good fic and then I realized that this was a chance to articulate a thought that’s always in the back of my mind whenever I reread the manga and now that I’m watching like four let’s-watch youtubers as the anime goes on but like-

It has always struck me that like- as much as Katarina has a lot of sparkling happy fluffy moments and people she cares for a lot in this life, people that certainly I think she does love perhaps more deeply than even she realizes, and the audience is reminded so often "ha ha she still thinks she's doomed, she doesn't realize literally everyone has fallen in love with her and she's become crucial in their lives and hearts"- there’s also the other side of that-

That is that all the preparing she's been doing since she woke up with her past life memories at 8 years old- she's spent all that time running from a looming shadow at her back.

She's spent 7 years with a lot of excellent friends, capturing hearts and being a bright light in the world, but she's also spent all that time living with the fear that some of her friends might kill her, someday, or that she'll be made to leave them, or be discarded, and have to start a new life in a strange place for a third time- this time, alone. And she's been running from that all this time. Even for a slightly one-track mind with a bit of a blind spot for things too close to her, how much fear and worry do you have to be carrying, to be still as Concerned as we see her when she's 15, to keep up preparing for such a doom for 7 years?

And there are moments like when she’s visiting Sophia and is reminded of Acchan, that we see she does still have some wistfulness for her life-that-was. Heck, even when she’s fighting her way out of her magical coma thing. Wistfulness for the world that was. And she doesn’t seem to have spoken to anyone about any of this past-life stuff. Even if this is her world now- she lost a lot, when she died the first time.

Even if she’s usually more focused on either things right in front of her, or her looming doom (hardly an enviable distraction), that has to be a lot to bear and never breathe a word of. A lot to miss, and people she will likely never see again.

And of course she's considered very simple and direct and incapable of guile or scheming by even her dear beloved friends- and often times she is- but there is also is the fact that in 7 years she hasn't let on about the secret of her memories, or what she's preparing for, or what she's afraid of. She hasn't ever let on those fears of getting killed or exiled by people close to her, or the fact that all this preparing is just in case she has to leave them all forever. Just in case they make her have to leave them all forever. She does a lot of off-the-wall things, but nobody has ever gotten a real hint of what they're for. The most anyone has really gotten is a refrain of “just in case!”

(I went back to check- she's mentioned "In case I'm exiled," in some material. She has not mentioned "In case you exile me." There's something of a difference.)

Also like. I know she’s really memetically, uh, got a bit of a blind spot about how people feel about her (I’m pretty sure she just doesn’t care about the whole rules of society thing except when they make immediate trouble for her, which she’s in a position to mostly ignore- that’s less her lack of sense, I think, and more her contemporary sensibilities and a certain amount of unselfconsciousness coming just as much from not caring for some of the more implicit rules as it does not noticing them) (not that she doesn’t also have the sense of a single turnip sometimes, but like. still.).

But like, in the first episode’s worth of events, she has like three different head injuries, two of which result in unconsciousness, one of which results in getting a load of past life memories dumped into her head. It’s not unlikely that this happens, not frequently, but more than just the times we’ve seen, over the years. That can’t be good for her- especially because if she’s visibly fine there wouldn’t necessarily be any reason to apply any handy-but-rare healing light magic that could mitigate any medical repercussions of head injuries. Certainly, I would not be surprised if this affects her attention span or ability to put together some things, just a little.

Take that, along with the fact that given what we see at least about her parents in this life, pretty sure some of the obliviousness is genetic- and also the whole ‘preparing for her doom for seven years’ thing... When we’re afraid of stuff, our limbic system, our fight-or-flight-etc, goes all “yeet” in our brains and it does actually affect our ability to think things through. Like. We had a seminar at work about it and stuff. And constant stress, even constant low-level-mostly-in-the-background stress, is known to cause issues with both memory formation and retrieval. Which can’t be helping anything else happening here.

What I’m saying is, Katarina has a lot of actual potential physical reasons to have some of the really increasing amounts of obliviousness that sorta seem to show later in the light novels.

(Also, in fairness, some people just aren’t great with the subtext of the goings on around them, even if they can read the pattern fine in words on a page. I’m like that myself. Uh, not nearly as much as Katarina, given, as far as I know. But that’s a way that one can be, too, and it’s not mutually exclusive with the rest of this or anything.)

Aside from those- from what we get about her reflection on her life in the last world, it doesn’t seem like all of this is totally new to her character; I definitely feel like she was Like This last lifetime too. (Actually, yeah, went back to check, and in the light novel, in Acchan's chapter, Katarina was indeed Like This last time too.) But I think it’s possible that aside from new circumstances in this life accentuating these characteristics, that they’re the sort of thing that produces more, uh, pronounced reactions to situations, the bigger the situation is. Last life, she was a normal schoolgirl who didn’t expect anything life-threatening. This life, she’s been living in the shadow of her doom for 7 years, and she’s in the upper strata of Very Important People, With Harem Hijinks.

I think some of Katarina’s determination just really has this flavor of- “Well it just can’t be helped! I just gotta do the thing!” A sort of.... taking all the weight of the things that really are chasing her, and also some of the subtext-laden everything in a lot of her close relationships, and a little willfully going “well this is kind of a lot. you know what was also kind of a lot? preparing for my doom for 7 years! you know how I dealt with that? just getting on with it as best i can, blithely moving past all the things i wasn’t really equipped for, with twice as much energy as life threw at me!” Not consciously, necessarily, but there’s certainly an energy of eliding past the whole mass of situations down to the brass tacks of an action plan. Gonna get murderlyzed? Learn to fight back against being murderlyzed, with a sword! Lonely brother set to fall in love because of healing loneliness? Guess he’s not gonna be lonely anymore! I stole some relationship flags from people? Well they’re great folks, I’m sure they’ll be fine!

There’s a certain resilience to this particular response to the whole state of affairs that keeps the story of Katarina’s life in this world from being dragged down into the implications of all the little bits and troubles that come with both her getting isekai’d into doom flags, and also all her friends’ troubles in their youths. It’s part of what makes her so interesting, I think, that she’s able to just go along being herself, doing her rather erratic best, genuine, honest, loud and enthusiastic and kind, and producing very direct responses to the happenings around her. And people respond to that genuineness and directness and kindness.

Whether we’re reading it on the page or the characters are seeing it in person, I think there’s something very charming about that. Taking ‘wow this is a lot. life is... a lot.’ and getting down to ‘but being nice is simple, and being enthused is simple, and scowling at mean people is simple, and now it’s not as a lot anymore!’

The origins of Katarina’s directness and charm aside, in this life she has very much been rewarded for Being Like This. Here, I’m speaking a little more in response to how I’ve seen people getting exasperated at the increasingly pronounced amount of Bakarina-ness that I’ve seen so far in at least the translation of the later light novels that I got a chance to read; she’s... still quite oblivious.

But her life and the narrative has always rewarded that. Her good-natured kindness to people with sorrows has made her happy friends; her determination to go the direct and simple path through things has always cut to the heart of matters (even if she’s sometimes missed how she’s now rather at the heart of a lot of people now); her blithe disregard for a number of proprieties has been protected by both her noble parents who love her, rather a lot of overprotective friends, and her royal betrothed. Worry has only ever gotten her to an action plan and a drive to proceed with it; after she’s got those to work with (e.g. her “train in swords and magic to not be murderlyzed, keep Keith from being lonely, make a field to train in magic, make a romance novel friend” plans), she’s always had to learn to take her actions and then live her life pushing that worry out of the way.

If she’d drowned in worry about her doom instead of letting it propel her to action and then disregarding it in favor of living in the moments produced by her choices, then I don’t think her life since waking up with her old memories would have been as happy as it was.

(Actually, I have this theory that the ‘original’/no-memory Katarina was running in a similar way as our Katarina, only she responded to the worry with sharp eyes and teeth, instead of brushing it aside with a determined smile. But that’s an analysis for another time, possibly after more of the Verge of Destruction spinoff is out and I’ve reread it a bit more.)

So, all that being the case- why should she be less blithe about things? Why would she be more cautious? Why would she start worrying any more about things beyond her newly-lifted worries about her doom? Her determination to charge facefirst through situations with a good nature, direct problem-solving, and some slightly-suspect assumptions that have always been close enough to the heart of things before- that’s always seen her through.

(Also, like. After everything, when she’s finally, finally able to stop worrying about her doom flags- enjoying all the people and things she loves without digging into the bits and troublesome bobs of it all, getting in a sense a second new lease on life- she can be forgiven for wanting things to be as simple as she’s always tried to make her one most looming problem in the past.)

(Also also, she did have to go through the stages between “you’re all adorable but you’re all 8 and I’m like 16 and I literally cannot be attracted to you, that’s weird” and “well I guess you’re all the same age as me-in-this-life but a large part of me is still 16, so it’s still weird” and “I haven’t changed much over the years because living through the same years twice isn’t really growing up so much as it is being 16 for an extra year or four and then being 12 again and then 13 again and then 14 again and then 15 again and only then finally getting a chance to grow older than 16- and in the meanwhile wait shit now you’re all the same age as me for real. now you’re not just breathtakingly cute or beautiful like a freaking artwork, now you’re making my heart skip a beat, uhhhhhh”.

It’s not particularly surprising that after years of thinking “yeah but I’m older than you, you’re like 8″ that it’s going to take being blindsided multiple times for Katarina to get into the swing of “wait, you’re my age or older and now, suddenly you’re able to be hot. wtf.”)

I don’t really have a conclusion to all this, exactly.

Just that- Katarina may have the sense of a single turnip sometimes, albeit a very good-natured turnip, but while some of it is absolutely just How She Is Even At Peace, some of it’s most likely a response to quite a few environmental factors over the years. And her life has rewarded her for the type of resiliency that she’s used to face her doom flags- the doom flags she’s been politely carrying and deflecting the stress of for seven years.

Direct and simple and kind and uncomplicated in nature she may be- and a bit slow on the subtext sometimes- but Katarina Claes should not be mistaken for lacking in willful resolve where it counts, nor mistaken for lacking fears, nor mistaken for lacking in ability to plan and analyze. I’m pretty sure she just... concludes that kindness is best, people are good, and that this life and the people in it are worth it.

She’s got more to her than just “oblivious harem protag is oblivious and really nice”. And honestly, I think if you look at her closely, she’s a lot more reasonable than people make her out to be.

[ao3feed-klance]

In The Shade Of The Apple Tree

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3fdoJMV

by staymagical

1830s England:

Nearing poverty, Keith has little to his name and even fewer prospects change his lot in life. He has a knack for writing and putting eloquent words to paper and wants to make something of himself so when Shiro recruits him to assist on his political campaign, he knows it just might give him the opportunity to be something.

As the son of a prominent politician, Lance has always want for naught, had everything and yet not what he truly wanted; freedom. With his father's reputation and family name to uphold, he's lived life on a tight leash but pushed the boundaries every moment he can. He's used to a life of status, of parties and frivolous fancies and does not want to jeopardize that and yet, he longs for something more. Something different.

They're from two very different worlds, the norms of society deeming their paths should never cross. And yet, fate can be a fickle sometimes.

Words: 1594, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Voltron: Legendary Defender

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Keith (Voltron), Lance (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron), Veronica (Voltron), Hunk (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt

Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Historical, 1800s England, Propriety and Decorum bullshit, Period Typical Attitudes

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/3fdoJMV

[waugh-bao]

The Stones Make a Second Attempt at An Ad in Catalan Inviting Fans to a Concert in El Ejido (2007/Attempt One)

[zonerobotnik]

In an AU where Sanda’s orders were ignored and Adam did NOT die, he was there waiting when the Paladins came back to Earth to hold Shiro in his arms. and James and Keith wasted no time in tossing off their helmets and passionately kissing in front of everyone, propriety and PDA be damned.

[eiralucia]

Left Unspoken

Shiro is still learning to live with the prognosis that his earth doctors gave him. Part of that means learning to love while he can.

We’re not promised tomorrow. Shiro knows this deep in his soul. After all he had suffered at the hands of the Galra he would never doubt this. Even before then, Shiro lived in so much pain and fear of what his tomorrows held. Adam promised to be there. Through every painful doctor’s visit; every angry meeting with Admiral Sanda; every pain-filled night; he promised. Shiro forgave Adam long ago but that didn’t change the agony of loss.

Loss was what Shiro was afraid to suffer again. Though Coran tried his best to slow the progression of Shiro’s disease nothing came close to curing him. Shiro was willing to give his all until then. He would defend the universe through his very last breath. Beyond that, he would devote what time he had left loving those who stood by him.

Every moment spent with his fellow paladins was a moment longer than he expected even a month ago. He refused to let them pass unappreciated.

Pidge could hide away all they wanted but Shiro hunted them down daily. He made sure they were reminded of their worth. Regular visits with Hunk to thank him for the generous care put into feeding the endless stomachs they all carried. Maybe a reminder to save a snack for Pidge when they surfaced late at night. Daily sparring with Keith came to include Lance and their now friendly banter. Shiro dedicated those hours to helping their friendship grow stronger. They would need each other no matter what tomorrow held.

Even while Allura trusted him to help in the building of the coalition, Shiro focused on reminding her of her own strengths in the matter. He praised her, yes, but more importantly he critiqued her methods. They had come so far together and he would never leave her alone without giving her all he had first. Voltron was the hope of the universe, and she the hope of Voltron. He knew that Coran would help her remember all that Shiro gave her and for that he was eternally grateful.

Above all, Shiro would not rest until he knew that Lance was well provided for. He refused to love on him in all the way he deeply wished. If Shiro gave his all to Lance it would only break the blue paladin to pieces in the end. Shiro could not do that knowing what that heartbreak felt like. Lance was strong and could weather nearly anything but Shiro would not add to his already heavy heartache. Instead, Shiro became determined to leave Lance with all the best he deserved.

Shiro gave more to their training sessions. Lance steadily became more accurate in his aim, faster in his piloting, and stronger in his hand-to-hand combat. Shiro’s heart ached to give him greater praise each day. To wrap his arms around those wide shoulders and breathe in the scent of Lance at his best. Shiro longed to end their sparring with tighter embraces and whispered words of devotion. Shiro was left with only platitudes of encouragement and lingering smiles. Those couldn’t touch Shiro’s desires but he hoped they would build Lance up to be a formidable foe to those who stood against him. His smiles grew brighter with Shiro’s attention. His confidence blossomed. Shiro became hopeful for Lance’s safety. Once he was no longer there to protect him, Lance would hold his own.

Then came the broken nights. The nightmares that plagued them both. The fear that rampaged through their breaking minds. The oppressive silence of the occasional defeat. Shiro was programmed to suffer these moments alone. There was never anyone to hold him through his fear when he fought as the Champion. The one place of safety, in Adam’s arms, long gone. However, Shiro saw Lance stumble more and more under his own burdens. He couldn’t let him suffer alone. There would come a day when he could not comfort his beloved paladin but until then he would show Lance the strength that came from leaning on a friend. He took to finding Lance after his nightmares woke him in cold sweats. Lance, in turn, began to seek him out for comfort as he continued to struggle with homesickness. This led to regular nights of all the paladins coming together to support one another as even Voltron could not always be victorious. Shiro knew he would leave Lance in the caring hands of their chosen family.

They grew closer even as Shiro sought to restrain his affections. Lance was never one to pay heed to personal boundaries, but even he began to cross lines Shiro knew could break them. Careful touches as they passed in the deserted halls of the castleship; shy glances at diplomatic banquets; even gentle voices exchanged as they talked through their sleepless nights. Shiro felt the shift. He saw the writing on the wall. He just couldn’t shake these moments. Maybe he grew selfish after all he suffered. Maybe he was in denial of the pain that would come. Shiro simply could not let the guilt take this brief joy from him.

Lance was starlight in a vast empty sky. He gave Shiro hope and joy in places he never expected. Through their constant battles and death-defying adventures, Lance became the constant in Shiro’s life. He became the one Shiro went to first, the one Shiro trusted beyond all others. He fell heart first without further thought of tomorrow. After all, he wasn’t promised any tomorrows so he would take what today gave him.

Only today didn’t give.

Shiro had long since loved Lance deeply, passionately, and fully. He never gave in to his most intimate desires. He never told Lance in explicit terms. He never stepped out from his mask of propriety. He regretted that with his whole being as Lance lay in his arms upon the dusty planet surface.

The battle had raged more viciously than most they faced before. Voltron was unable to break into the planet’s surface to flush out the Galra defending their base. On foot, the paladins separated into teams and gave them hell. Shiro, Keith, and Lance settled into their well-practiced pattern of hand-to-hand and sniper synergy. Shiro and Keith led countless sentries into Lance’s range while he picked them off and defended his team with deadly efficiency. Upon one last turn far beneath the surface, Shiro called back to Lance just as a Galra soldier collided with their sharpshooter. The strike was too quick to defend. Lance collapsed in the same breath it took for Keith to race into the soldier with deadly retribution. Shiro ran to him calling out in desperation. Long worn habit of treating wounds in the Altean healing pods guided Shiro’s arms to scoop up the blue paladin’s lanky form.

Blood pounded in Shiro’s ears as he vaguely heard Keith calling through the comms for Allura to meet them on the surface. It didn’t matter what stage their siege was in, Lance needed a healing pod immediately. Shiro called to Lance over and over again, begging him to be okay. Shiro was meant to go first. It was always going to be goodbye, but Lance was the one meant to live a long life. Shiro could not face a tomorrow with any other outcome. He ran faster than any other time in his life. He fought harder than even in Zarkon’s gladiator ring to keep upright. They were still in the heat of battle and so far from the entrance to this damned base. Shiro paid no heed to where Keith was or what danger he was running toward. His whole existence was to get Lance to safety.

Voices called out through the comms asking after the beloved sharpshooter but Shiro could spare no breath. Allura was crying out how she was pinned high above the planet by a battleship that had entered the fray only moments before. Keith was calling out for Red to help transport Lance, panic clear in his voice. Hunk and Pidge were trying to battle their way to the surface on the other side of the base to reach their own lions. Shiro could only settle into the dirt and hold Lance close. Tears streamed down his face as he cradled the limp form of his dearest companion.

After all he gave they still ran out of time.

on ao3 eiralucia

[alluran]

be the one tonight

a/n: idk why it’s taken me this long to put in an adventure time reference a/n like two years later: idk what adventure time reference i used is there even one here

(10:45 p.m.) lance: go outside

(10:47 p.m.) keith: no?? it’s almost 11 o’clock, lance. go to sleep (10:47 p.m.) keith: or bother hunk

(10:48 p.m.) lance: I’ll have you know Hunk is out with Shay and I have enough common decency not to interrupt. you’re zero fun, you know that? where’s your sense of adventure

(10:54 p.m.) keith: your sense of courtesy and propriety is truly unprecedented and biased. I’m busy and my sense of adventure only adheres to regular adult hours.

(10:55 p.m.) lance: yeah okay, grandpa. but last I checked the old folks’ home has a 9 o’clock curfew and, judging by the amount of time between your responses, I know you’re doing dishes. you’ve been doing dishes during regular, adult sleeping hours since the sophomore year of college, so your argument is invalid. (10:57 p.m.) lance: we’re 25 and you’re doing dishes at 11 p.m. on a Friday night and you’re going to stop right this second and go outside, keith

(11:01 p.m.) keith: who’s keith?

(11:01 p.m.) lance: har har that works exactly two times and you wasted your shots three years ago. you’ve held onto the same cell phone number since you were 16 (11:08) lance: I WILL NOT BE IGNORED KEITH

Keith swiped his hand over the dish towel by his side before unlocking his phone, scoffing at Lance’s last text. He rolled his eyes, if Keith had actually been ignoring him, he would have finished up washing the dishes twenty minutes ago. Part of him got a maniacal thrill knowing that Lance was getting the notification that Keith had seen his message - driving home the ruthlessly purposeful act of ignoring him. It happened every now and again, Lance either had coffee too late in the day or got his second wind, albeit it usually lasted an hour and a half tops before the week finally came crashing down on his system. He would text one of them or show up at someone’s door or call or whatever Lance felt particularly up to given the day of the week (pooling results from Pidge and Hunk, it was found that Mondays and Thursdays were the days Lance only wanted someone to veg out watching Netflix with, Tuesdays were stress days where Lance just needed to unload a particularly crappy day or whatever, and Friday or Saturday were the ‘Adventure Days’),

He’d burn through it relatively fast before crashing on someone’s couch and call a Family Breakfast at whoever’s house he stayed at the next morning.

Which, he wasn’t complaining about, for the record. Hunk always brought his A game for last minute group breakfasts and, begrudgingly he had to admit, Lance had French toast on lock if someone wanted it. He even knew the amount of powdered sugar Keith liked on his and didn’t judge him for it.

(11:12 p.m.) lance: you have 30 seconds to rectify the abysmal negligence shown toward your best friend

(11:13 p.m.) keith: you’re right, I completely forgot to text pidge back earlier

(11:14 p.m.) lance: why are you like this (11:15 p.m.) lance: i’m appalled (11:16 p.m.) lance: shiro would be disappointed. i’m texting him right now

(11: 17 p.m.) keith: oh, trust me. if you text shiro at this very moment, after he just got off a 16 hour shift, it’s not going to be me he will be disappointed in (11:18 p.m.) keith: actually you know what? you should text him

(11:20 p.m.) lance: I’ve let you stall for like half an hour, keith. you’ve really left me with no choice

Keith tapped his thumb against the phone’s screen, ready to fire back a response when a screech and all too - all too - familiar horn broke the quiet bubble over the neighborhood. He startled enough to check his hip hard against the counter and yelled. He tore through the house, bumping every piece of furniture and stumbling over his shoes in his life or death path for the front door because the horn wasn’t stopping or even repeating. Just one long stretch of annoying that would have the neighbors after his head. The door bounced back against the wall from the force he tore it open with. He fought the screen door as the latch caught and stuck in place, putting his lurch to a halt.

He jerked the latch and fumbled for the porch light, flicking it on and off in his haste to send Lance the message that yes, he was coming out and to stop.

The complete asshole.

Keith staggered down the stoop in socked feet and bee-lined for Lance. His anger surged when he was only met with laughter and the pleased glimmer in Lance’s eyes when his hand caught in the worn blue t-shirt.

“I’m this close to throttling you. Geez.” Keith shoved Lance halfheartedly as his hands began to shake, he ran them through his hair in hopes it would stop the twitching. “What is the matter with you?! Do you want someone to call the police???”

Lance’s tongue peaked out and swiped cheekily against his lip as his face broke out into a grin. “Good to see you too, Red.”

“Someone better be dying, McClain,” Keith huffed. Adrenaline still heaved through his veins, dragged his shoulders in shuddering breaths, but enough anger left him enough to let some humor leak into his words.

The line usually landed with Lance, but tonight it shot off in the dark and exploded in the distance as the humor left Lance’s face and a curtain of sobriety fell over his eyes.

Keith moved to stand next to him, leaning his back against Lance’s car. He cleared his throat. “Soooo, you know I’m not really going to throttle you, right? Because that was a j-”

“Do you want to go somewhere with me?”

“Wh- Lance.”

The boy in question scratched the back of his head, a nervous tick that was ill-fitted on his broad shoulders, restraining his frame like an old coat. He furrowed his brows, the line of his mouth working against whatever was going on in his head. “Will you go somewhere with me?

“I’m pulling the emergency friend card.”

And wasn’t that more startling to hear than the high-pitched whine of Lance’s car horn. “Wait, someone’s not actually dying, right? Do I need to wake up Shiro?”

“Wh-no, no, no. Nothing like that. Things are just...” Lance wriggled his fingers by his temple. “Loud.”

“Yeah, yeah...Okay.” Keith nodded his head and struck out back to the door. “Let me get my shoes and keys.”

Lance folded his arms across his chest and nodded. “Cool. I’ll drive, obviously.”

-

So, here he was, the residue of Dawn dish soap drying uncomfortably on his wrists in Lance’s passenger seat going to some unknown secondary location with no clue why and the part of him that still ultimately failed at social cues and dealing with serious situations, wanted to make a jibe about things never going great if you agreed to go to a secondary location. The static of the radio out of tune and Lance’s somber focus on driving stills whatever words on his tongue.

Usually the radio was on and being constantly rotated between stations during commercial breaks or in search of a song Lance liked better, circling through that motion twice before he punched the button to play a mixed CD he’s had since high school. It probably hadn’t left the dash of Lance’s car since the day it was burned.

He and Lance could speed through emotions and conversations like no other when they were together, but the way Lance had all but deflated in the driveway after the unrelenting texts and confident attitude made his skin crawl. On top of the emergency friend card thing. Which was instated after Keith and Lance had to have a chat on what Keith considered a friend emergency and what Lance did. It had been more of a joke than anything. Usually, they mentioned it only ironically. But this time, Lance’s voice was too earnest for it to be anything but.

“You, uhm, obviously have stuff on your mind and I don’t even know if you want to talk, but you’ve gotta give me something here, Lance. I-If I’m going to be of any use.” He wasn’t Hunk. Hunk was usually Lance’s go-to person for these times. The unspoken sentiment hung in the humid night air between them.

He couldn’t just read Lance’s mind. Couldn’t look him in the eyes and know exactly what was going on in his head like Hunk can. No matter how often he found himself wishing he could lately.

“Right.” Lance signaled and turned down a side street, the space between houses growing. The number of road lights flickered out out-numbering the ones that still blazed an aged yellow, washing the inside of the car occasionally.

Keith’s confusion swelled as the car was parked in an open, uninhabited area. The sky unhindered as Lance got out of the car and hopped on the hood of the car. It was several moments before Keith realized he still had the seat belt on and wasn’t following Lance’s cue. So, he did.

Popped out of the car and hopped onto the hood, very concerned about the amount of popping and creaking from their weight settling onto it. He let out the breath he had been holding when Lance didn’t say anything or look even marginally concerned and leaned back against the window like Lance was.

“So...”

“I wanted to show you where this is.”

“This...?”

Lance chuckled and swept a hand out. “Right out there. Straight out of The Lion King.”

Keith rolled his eyes, but followed the line of Lance’s hand all the same. The sky was deep and crystal clear above them. Close and simultaneously far away. He could sort out the curve of the sky without buildings in the way. The stars looked lit up just for this one moment and-

The thing about Lance was that as much as he was loud, he had his quiet spots. Keith had been privy to a select few, not that that was bad. Lance deserved to have spaces of his own between all of his siblings and school and work and the sheer amount of time he still spent with his friends. For years he had questioned whether or not Lance actually slept. Away from the harsh porch light and rows of houses, Lance’s expression opened and relaxed as he looked over the sky. His shoulders drooped and the line of his silhouette seemed to go on forever as he stretched out his legs.

“You’re not looking, Keith.”

The thing about Keith was that he had seen the clear, open sky several times.