The Draconian (Keith x OC)

|| Changing of the Guard || {EDITED}

Inside the red lion, Keith stared intently at the radar. He frowned, gripping the lion's controls tightly. Ever since Shiro's disappearance during the battle with Zarkon, he's dedicated his entire time to finding him. Deep down, he felt Shiro was gone but didn't want to believe it. He sighs deeply when his radar picks up nothing. "There's nothing out here, Coran."

"I'm sorry, Keith," Coran melancholically responds.

Keith tore his eyes from the radar and tugged on Red's controls. "I'm coming home." He turns the red lion around and heads back to the castle.

Once safely inside the red lion's hangar, Keith exits and heads to the lounge to relax for a few minutes. He sat on the couch, leaning back and closing his eyes to rest. When he heard screaming, his eyes flew open just as the door to the lounge slid open.

"Arcadia, no!" Hunk bellowed, chasing after the baby dragon. "That's my headband!" He tripped over the couch when he attempted to grab the dragon in mid-air. He bounced off the cushions and onto the floor with a groan, staring up at a pair of golden eyes. He shook his head with a frown. "Fine. You can have it."

"Hunk, no!" Pidge shrieked as she entered the lounge. The small girl was faster than the boy and managed to snatch Arcadia into her arms and yank the orange headband out of her mouth. "She could choke on it!"

Arcadia flapped her wings rapidly in an attempt to escape Pidge's arms, which worked. She soared forward faster than she had anticipated toward Keith and wound up colliding with his face before falling into his lap. The boy rubbed his cheek before glancing down at his girlfriend. Coran and Pidge have been searching for a reason why she transformed into a baby dragon during the fight with Zarkon, but they had yet to learn anything.

Keith reaches out, placing a hand on top of her head once she maneuvers herself off her back and into a sitting position. He stared down at her, watching as she tilted her head to the side. He would never admit it out loud, but he loved how adorable she was in such a small form. She was about the size of a lap dog and could be quite destructive whenever she so desired. There was another part of him that wanted her back to normal so he could hug and kiss her properly. With Shiro missing, the need for comfort was overflowing.

Pidge threw herself onto the couch with a defeated huff. "It's like babysitting a toddler..."

"Tell me about it," Hunk grunted as he pushed himself off the floor and onto the couch. "Don't get me wrong—I've babysat my cousins plenty of times, but they weren't this difficult."

Arcadia turned around in Keith's lap, his hand still resting atop her head. She hissed in Hunk's direction, frightening the yellow paladin. "Okay, I take that back!"

The baby dragon snorted, small clouds of smoke erupting from her nostrils. She turned back to Keith and stood up. She walked around in a circle in his lap before curling up into a ball and closing her eyes. Her tail dangled off his leg as she lulled herself to sleep. Keith continued to stroke the top of her head as she slept.

Pidge eyes the sleeping dragon curiously. "I wonder if she still remembers us. If she does, that would explain why she rather be around you than anyone else, Keith."

"Maybe." He frowns as he stares at the white scales along her back. "I just want her back."

"Coran and I are still searching for any text that would explain why she's stuck in this state. I wouldn't think it's permanent." Pidge looked away before looking back at him. "We all want her back, Keith. She's my friend, too."

"With Shiro missing and Arcadia like this, I'm a complete mess," Keith confesses sorrowfully. "Guess I really didn't realize how much I depend on them until I lose them both in the same day."