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[ As the TAB's video feed switches on, the only thing in view is one blue eye, as someone gets a closer look at the device before he realizes it's actually already recording. ]

—Whoa, okay, is this thing on now? I think it's on. [ Lance pulls back from the camera and steps back, clearly leaving it balanced on something as he stands back far enough to be beside Keith, both of them clearly in view.]

I'm Lance. Pilot of the blue lion, Paladin of Voltron, master sharpshooter, [ He pauses for a moment to make double fingerguns at the camera. ] and kind of a big deal. [ He elbows Keith, who tenses and glares back at him. Keith obviously isn’t thrilled about being on camera or about being elbowed on camera, but he elbows Lance right back, as subtly as he can (not very). ]

And I’m Keith. Also a Paladin of Voltron. If that means anything to any of you, contact us.

[ Lance elbows him back again, and it's really unsightly how these two are both all sharp angles. It's a wonder no one's getting stabbed. ] Dude, come on, you gotta give a better introduction than that! That's super lame.

Finger guns are super lame! [ ELBOW. ] It was concise.

[ ELBOW. ] Your face is concise!

That doesn’t even make sense! And stop elbowing me! [ ELBOWS. TWICE. Lance tries to get out of the way of Keith's flurry of furious elbows, but only succeeds in knocking down whatever it was his TAB was balanced on, the video remaining on as it tumbles down and settles on a view of their feet. After a moment of not moving, Lance leans down to peer into the camera again.]

—Okay, so uh, we're gonna go, but first, um… no one's happened to see any giant robot cats around, have you?

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[ Keith tries to throw him a bone and give some kind of tiny smile in response, but it's so unconvincing he immediately regrets it. Better go back to serious face and pretend that didn't happen.

Subject change? Subject change. ]

So... You found a house.

[Oh, he sees that. That's an obvious subject change. And a lack of reaction that says a heck of a lot.]

Yeah. And we own it. If you can believe that.

[He shifts, puts his good hand on his teammate's shoulder.]

Whatever you're worried about, you know I'll help, if I can. Okay?

Who's "we"?

[ It is hard to believe — especially the idea of the others settling in, when there's so much work to do. It's not as though they don't deserve it, but the idea sits strangely with him. ]

... I'm not worried. I'm fine. Everything's fine.

[ See, two can play at this game. ]

Me, Allura, Pidge... and a couple others we met here. Fareeha Amari and Darin.

[Yeah, he knows. It hadn't been the easiest thing to accept for any of them. But he's not going to press it too hard for now.]

... uh huh. You know only I get to pull that card, right?

[ Because he is feeling extremely charitable, he doesn't comment about Darin, who has already made one hell of a first impression. He does pull a face, though, but that just kind of happens on its own. ]

[ WHATEVER! He'll make it work. Somehow. That's not the important part. ]

I'm not pulling anything. I... [ Keith lets out a frustrated sigh, his shoulders set high and tense. ] ... You guys missed a lot. And now we get to dump it all on you?

He's not that bad. He's just... overly excitable.

[Give the guy a break, Keith you just met him.]

... Yeah, I kind of got that impression. [He looks him up and down for a moment, and adds, quietly:] You don't have to until you're ready. We can wait a few days.

[ no he's a hissing kitten ]

Not that I'm in a hurry, but... Are you sure that won't make things worse?

... Lance kind of blurted out a lot of things.

But - whether or not you want to go into the details now or later is up to you. I trust you.

[No matter what -- that goes unsaid, because he figures he doesn't need to say it out loud.]

[ That makes his eyes sting for a moment. His throat feels thick. Even just that much... it's a weight off his shoulders that he hadn't realized he was carrying. ]

Thank you, Shiro. You don't know how much that means to me.

[ He has to stare down at the ground for a moment to keep his composure. ]

I just don't like being dishonest. But... giving everyone time to process might not be so bad. So we're not just reacting.

[ It goes against all of his instincts, but after all, patience yields focus. ]

[It's a hard thing to take in. He doubts Lance is making it up. He's not the kind of guy to lie about something like this, even to get under Keith's skin.]

[But... if it's hard for the rest of them, how much harder is it for the person in question? The least he can do is give him time. Time, and reassurance.]

I mean it, though. And whenever you're ready, I'll be around to listen.

[There's a flicker of a smile, and he squeezes Keith's shoulder.]

You're not being dishonest. You're adjusting -- and there's nothing wrong with that. If the others have a problem with it, they can talk to me.

Even the princess?

[ Because more than anything else, that's what's bringing down what should be a happy reunion. ]

Even Allura.

[Heck, he's already on the odds with her, over this... sudden news about what she'd kept from him. Supporting Keith doesn't seem like it's going to make anything any worse.]

[Besides. Even if it did -- he wouldn't let him do this by himself.]

I know I'm not caught up with you guys, but you're part of our team. That's not going to change. And if I need to explain that to everyone here, I will.

[ There's a heavy, painful twist in Keith's chest that belongs to a feeling he wouldn't begin to know how to name. Part of it's gratitude, he's sure of that much. Sometimes he doesn't understand Shiro's faith in him, or how someon ecan be so unwaveringly good and kind and understanding. He desperately wants to be the person Shiro thinks he is, and he's half-afraid he never will.

He doesn't say any of that, of course. What he does say, voice thick with emotion, is: ]

Watch the arm.

[ It's all the warning Shiro's getting before Keith goes in for a careful hug. ]

[Out of everything, he didn't really expect this. Maybe he should have, given how shocked those two seemed to be to see him. Maybe that's why this is happening.]

[But he's not going to protest, or push him away. The hug is happening, and he drapes his good arm around Keith in answer. All he'd done, to him, was speak his mind. Be honest -- it's not in his nature to do otherwise. He honestly believes in every one of these guys.]

Don't put me back in the hospital.

[It's a joke. Because god help him, it's like he's physically incapable of throttling those down.]

It's okay. Whatever's happened... whatever we found out... we'll get through this.

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