CH. 2

"So how did you figure it all out, with me and the autism and all.?", I asked.

"Since the food fight we had against the princess and Coran. I started to notice that you are very nonverbal, more than Pidge when she's working with her tech. Also, you seem more distant with social gathering, along with some odd things you do when uncomfortable with something. Like ducking your head into your body, clenching your hands, etc.", Lance explained. "So I put the evidence together and figured out you have something that was like autism"

"A-and you're not freaked out about it?", I asked.

"What, no! No way Keith! I have a little cousin with autism. I've grown to know how to deal with someone in the, what's it called, 'spectrum' right?", he tells me.

He … he's not freaked out. He's not afraid of me! Ha, I never knew people that were so kind hearted. This is…

"This is wonderful.", I whispered.

Before I knew it, I was crying. Crying tears of sadness, joy, frustration, and happiness. Sad that I had suffered a lonely life with no one who understood me. Joyful that I found someone who got me. Frustrated that I didn't realize it sooner, that my 'rival' would be my savior. And happy that I'm not going to be alone anymore. Never again.

Then Lance hugged me.

Lance is hugging me. Literally embracing me like Hunk, but lighter.

"If you think that you're alone in this, you're not.", he told me. "If you need a person to talk to, a person to fight or argue with, a person to play and have fun with, a shoulder to cry on, all of that. Call me, drag me out of battle, wake me up in the middle of night if you need to! I don't and wouldn't care! I'll be there for you.

Never again will you be alone Keith. Never again as long as I live."

That's it, I completely broke down. I basically tackled him to the ground, sobbing and clinging onto him like he was going to disappear in seconds.

We just sit there like that; me whimpering and him whispering to me that I'm alright, combing his hand side through my hair since it calms me down. One good side to being part Galran is that I don't have to be embarrassed if I start to purr when someone, manly Lance, pets my head. Which I started to do.

"You know, we're in private. You a can change into your neutral former if you want. I told you the first time I do think care about it.", Lance said.

Flashback (no one's pov)

Keith was sitting on the couch, in the middle of the night rocking in a ball. The rest of the crew woke up to find him there after a scream was heard throughout the ship. Lance, being the closest to the room, got there first. Then Shiro, Allura and Coran, Pidge, and finally Hunk. They all stared at what seem to be Keith but with big, furry, ears?

"Keith, is-is that you", asked Allura.

Those ears looked like those of Galran ears, shape and all. Then Keith turned around. His eyes were yellow, but his irises were bright blue. His skin also had dark purple splotches on it too.

"W-What are y-you doing he-here?", he asked.

"Well somebody screamed and we thought someone was in trouble. Clearly that somebody is a Galran on our ship, who just so happens to be someone I thought was good!", said Allura.

"Dude, why did you keep this from us?! Are you working with the enemy?!", exclaimed Pidge.

"Have you been telling them our plans, so that way they are always one step ahead of us?", said Hunk.

"Are you seriously just like one of those monsters that have torture innocent lives just for their own amusement?", said Shiro.

"You're a spy aren't you? You captured the real Keith and has taking his place!" accused Coran.

While the rest of the Voltron cru yelled accusations at Keith, Lance just stared. He didn't know what to say for once. All he did was watch Keith's crying face, full of fear and regret, and thinking. Thinking about how this could've happened in a matter of minutes. Thinking of ways for him to somehow help soon-to-be, if nothing was done, crying exiled paladin. Then he did something that surprised everyone. Well, except Keith.

Lance went up to him and embraced him.

"LANCE! What are you doing?! Get away from that monste-"

"DON'T YOU DARE CALL HIM A MONSTER!", said Lance. "He is not a monster; he is a hero, a friend, an ally, a brother, a teammate, the paladin of the Red Lion of Voltron. He is an orphan who doesn't even remember his own mother because he was abandoned so young. His only family is two aliens who LOST the entire civilization because of the Galra, a robotic-arm wielding man who was a SLAVE for the Galra, a big heart brother who was FORCED from his home to fight the Galra, a tech geeky sister who LOST her father and brother to the Galra, and a friend with a love/hate relationship that has DELT with his shit for months ever since we gotten back together again. How can you think that because HE didn't know about his past, that he is automatically the enemy? Whatever happened to peace before violence? Stop being selfish quiznacks and see that you're making a broken child cry, thinking that everyone in the room wants him to die and disappear!"

"Lance, we're not-"

"Don't you start with me Shiro! Now if you people don't mind, because I don't give a two shots if you do, I'm going to take my FRIEND here and leave this negative vibe area to somewhere more peaceful. SO DON'T FOLLOW !", said Lance.

At Lance's Dorm

"Y-you didn't have to defend me y'know?", said Keith who finally seemed to calm down after fifteen minutes of Lance petting his head.

Yes, yes I did, Lance thought. There were so many questions he wanted to ask, but he decided that now wasn't the time. Keith needed him to be his supporter, his rock. So that was what he was going to be.

"I don't care what you look like, and neither should they. I like people based on their personality and actions, not their looks or title.", explained Lance.

"Human, Galran, or heck even a mermaid! I like being your friend because you're Keith. No DNA shit's gonna change my mind and it shouldn't change your's or anyone else's either."

( Present Day Keith's POV)

"Heh, alright I'll change.", I said. After the whole reveal fiasco, Pidge and Coran were able to create a cloaking device that looked similar to a choker that I wore around my neck. When I took it off, I was Galran. When I put it on, human-ish kind of version of me. I still had some physical alternatives from the transformation, like pointed ears and fangs and light purple/red marks on his body, that shown I was 'normal' but I didn't care. Lance convinced me that those were what made me ME. And nothing was going to change that. Everyone had to get used to a Galran walking around on the ship, but it didn't take long for things to get back to normal.

"Even though it feels weird at times, I actually like having to wear this thing.", I told him.

"I've noticed. You even added a red Voltron charm-thingy symbol to it. Nice job with the styling up!", Lance said.

We were just sitting there, looking up at the stars like they always do. Chatting about the party, the other paladins, Lance's personal life, and other things they found interesting. Lance was just petting my ears, which I found incredibly comforting, and telling jokes to see if he could get me to laugh. So far, nothing worked. His jokes aren't really that good in my opinion. But I have been told that I have a bad sense of humor.

"Okay here's another one: A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says 'Hey.' And then the horse says 'You read my mind.' Ha! Is that funny or what.", Lance said laughing.

"To be honest, no it wasn't. Sorry.", Keith replied.

"Oh come on! You tell a joke if you don't find mine funny or else I'll continue."

Do I have too?, I thought. I didn't know that many jokes. Nor do I like telling them, but that's another story. So I try.

"Okay then. Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"Cash."

"Cash who?"

"No thanks, but I'll take an almond if you got any."

Lance's face after I said the joke wasn't one I'd expect from him. He looked…happy. I think it was from the joke, I don't know. My sense of humor isn't the greatest.

"Dude...pfft! Hahahahahahaha!", he laughs.

"Did I do a good job? Was it funny?"

"Funny? Dude, that joke is driving me nuts!", Lance said.

He just made a pun out of my joke. Oh my quiznack!

We just sat there, joking, laughing, and staring at the stars. What felt like a couple of minutes turn into hours. Soon enough the others would be looking for us, and then what? Will we asked to explain why we weren't at the party, or will we be asked as to why we were alone in one of the observation rooms? I'm not completely sure, but whatever happens I know Lance and I will stick with it.

Together.