Home... (Book 2)

Diecineuve 19

"Shouldn't?" The Paladin questioned.
Ruu sighed, "The kit will be fine, now they need to eat, pass them over," they ordered, leaving no room for argument with the look they gave Keith.
The Paladin reluctantly passed the kit to them. Ruu expertly took the kit in their arms, gently waking them up. The kit's eyes opened wide, unlike most Galra, even it's mother, the kit had a irises and pupils. Keith couldn't help bet lean in, ears perked at the kit, watching every move they made with curiosity.

This isn't because Keith had never seen a baby, no. He'd seen plenty, he had taken care of more kids and changed more dippers than most likely anyone else in the Castle. Including Lance with his many adventures as an Uncle and babysitter and Coran who couldn't seem to keep track of how many kids, nephews, and nieces he had on Altea. But the Foster Care system ensured he'd taken care of hundreds of little kids. Whether they be his foster parents kids, or other toddlers and babies in Foster Care, there was always an abundance of little kids even though they were often the first to get adopted.

So no, he was not in awe of the simple fact that he was holding a baby, even if it was technical an alien baby. It was that feeling, the protective instinct that was made his gut churn when Ruu took the kit from him. His heart almost had his brain convinced if the kit left his field of vision that something horrible would happen to it, and he couldn't take that.

He'd failed the kit's mother, he wouldn't fail to keep the little kit alive.

Ruu chuckled to themself, pulling Keith's attention from the kit fully for the first time since they'd saved it.
"What?" the male glared.
"You're acting too much like a mom," they smirked, looking back down at the kit lick up the mill drops on the end of the dropper.
"I guess it's instinct, they aren't the first kid I've taken care of, " he stated, as the kit tried to pull the dropper closer.
"Hmm, so do all male humans take care of the young?" Ruu asked, filling the dropper up again.
"No, I was in Foster Care, it's a system our government set up to help take care of kids that don't have blood or adoptive parents," Keith answered.
"Were you taking care of kids in the Foster Care system?" Ruu asked.
"Yeah, I was in a lot of homes," Keith nodded.

Ruu looked over at him in confusion, "What do you mean you were in a lot of different homes?"
"Well I was one of the kids in the system," Keith started, "None of my foster parents were fostering cause they liked kids, they did it more for the money the government paid them. So the older kids had to take care of the younger ones. I might have been pretty young, but my dad was a fireman, he wasn't home a lot. So I knew how to take care of myself more, and ended up helping the older kids watch the others."

"I thought you said the Foster Care system was to help kids without parents?" Ruu said, shifting the kit in their arms.
"It is," Keith said, "but that doesn't mean it works."
"It sounds like the Galra... if you aren't strong enough, you have to fight for the right to live," Ruu growled, focusing back on the kit, who'd almost emptied the dropper.
"Someone's hungry," they laughed humorlessly, their mind still milling over what Keith had told them.
It seemed like a cruel and usual punishment, having to take care of others because one lost their parents.

The three half Galra sat the in a content silence watching the kit finish eating from the dropper, and refused to eat anymore before moving on to discuss their next move.

"So what do we do know, we never got that antenna from the Scrap Yard?" Keith asked.
Ruu sighed, "Well we can't go back to the Scrap Yard, they'll be doubling, maybe tripling, the numbers of guards there. I might have to build one myself, that'll take more time, which increases the chances of the pod getting found. It's the safest option. Having the kit will make it more difficult as well. We might have to try and move the pod, or take out the communications," Ruu muttered.
"Then we should deside what we're doing fast," Keith said.

Ruu nodded, "We'd have better luck bring the comm system here and making it mobil than moving the pod itself."
"So should we go get it than?" Keith suggested, nodding towards the hall that he remembered them taking to get to the pod.
"Let's get some rest and food first. It'll be no good if we get caught," Ruu stated, passing the kit back to Keith before standing up.

They picked up a small box by the far wall, scooping up a small pile of soft clothes and blankets. "Do Galra kit's need to be burped?" Keith asked standing to follow them, cradling the kit in his arms.
"No," Ruu smled glancing at the kit, who chewed on Keith's shirt, ignoring the adult and teen as they made the kit's temporary bed. Their attention only shifting as they felt themself pulled away from Keith's chest. The kit whimpered as they were lowered to the nest. They relaxed as their body fell against the cloth, heavily coating the bottom of the box.

A steady purr pulled itself from Keith's chest as the kit settled into sleep again, "It's gonna be a pain to get you on to a proper sleeping schedule isn't it?" he asked himself, humming as the kit let out it's own broken first purr.
A louder rumble sound behind Keith as Sana looked down at the kit, eyes alight watching the kit.

"Come on you two, the kit'll wake us if they need anything," Ruu smiled, pulling Sana up, walking towards a mound of sheets like a bird's nest on the floor, separate from the rest of the home by a sheet wall, "Keith you coming?" Ruu asked, setting a hand on his shoulder.
The Paladin nodded, picking up the box. Ruu didn't argue figuring it wasn't something they could argue him with, the other sighed as they guided him towards the nest.

Sana flopped down into the nest, curling up of the furthest left side. Ruu crawled in after her, curling around the other. Keith set the kit's box beside the nest before curling up on the far right side of the bed. Ruu glanced over at the male letting out another sigh before they turned and wrapped an arm around Keith, pulling him into their and Sana's cuddling.
"Don't worry about the kit. They'll be fine, now get some sleep," they smiled, nuzzling Keith's head, a gesture of comfort used by Galra parents on their kits.
Keith nodded melting into their embrace, and slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Hey Ruu?" Sana muttered, half asleep.
"Hmm?"
"I think our pack has grown," she smiled, surprisingly gently ruffling Keith's hair.
Ruu glanced at Keith, the teen nuzzling further into their chest, a gentle purr crawling out of his chest.
"Yeah, maybe it has..." Ruu smiled, "Just a little..."

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I hope y'all have had, or will have, a lovely holiday, whatever you celebrate, Christmas, Yule, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, and whichever ones I missed! Have a great day / night.

If you can check out the Great Conjunction tomorrow! No matter what you believe, it's pretty cool that we get to witness Saturn and Jupiter this close! It's the closest they'll have been in like 400 years!

✨🌟✨Weekly Positivity ✨🌟✨

There is no stereotype for sadness and trauma. There is no gatekeeping either. Whatever has happened to you to make you feel or be like you are, is valid, and no one can say it isn't valid. Pain is something we all experience, everyone experiences it on different levels, but that doesn't make it any less valid.

Love y'all!

~Rune♡♡♡