Keith wasn't aware Lance with kids was becoming a favorite thing... but it definitely was.
Lance's family seemed to be helping in the kitchen to serve everyone. When the Paladins arrived some of the younger ones squealed and ran for him. He caught them twirling them around before placing them on his hip.
A small part of Keith wanted to tell Lance to take it easy. Not to over do it for the sake of things. At the same time however the scene was enough to bring a small smile to Keith's face. So who was he to interrupt.
Keith nodded slightly to the lady who handed him his tray and he made his way to sit besides Pidge when Romelle and Allura walked in. Keith was surprised to noticed Romelle twisting her hands together and locking on to him. She breezed over just as he sat leaning over.
"Can I please speak to you either before or after the next briefing? I wanted to talk to you earlier about it but we kinda got hit with the electrical issues and suddenly Earth was there and well... you know," Romelle waved her hand slightly through the air
"Um sure? Is there a problem?" Keith asked
Romelle nodded slightly to Lance who was finally getting his tray despite the kids now hanging off his legs, "I figured out something but I need to talk to you privately about it."
Romelle walked off before Keith could respond giving a small nod to Lance as she headed for the food line where Allura was already waiting.
"Uncle Lance," the older nephew whispered still attached to his leg as they approached the table, "Is this ok?"
Keith looked down at the two clinging to Lance. His heart squeezed at the sight of them clinging to him. Keith felt his eyes widen slightly when it did. He didn't even like kids.
"Just behave. Keith won't bite but Pidge might," Lance said sticking a tongue out at Pidge
Pidge scowled and flipped him off behind her cup. Hunk walked by right in time to smack her hand. Sitting down next to Lance with a sad smile as he looked down at the small ones still attached to Lance's legs.
"Hey you two. It's been a long time!"
"Hi Hunk!" They squealed burying their faces into Lance's leg
Hunk chuckled and lightly chatted with the pair having to look under the table slightly at them. Lance smiled softly before finally turning to his breakfast.
"Everything good this morning?" Keith asked digging into his as well
"So far. I think they plan on doing another meeting than they want to take some of us out to scout the area. Some of us are staying behind to relay more information," Lance said before breaking off into a soft moan as he bit into a strawberry
"I've missed Earth food," Lance sighed
"Me too," Hunk joined in as he too sighed biting into his own strawberry
"What did you all eat in space," one of the kids whispered from under the table looking up at the group
"It was green goo. Not as good as strawberries but you got use to it," Lance winked at the pair below
"Speak for yourself," Pidge muttered
"Green goo? Like the stuff that comes from ghosts?" The other added
Keith snorted slightly earning a slightly look from Hunk who shook his head but smiled as well.
"It was better than the stuff that comes from ghosts," Lance said poking their sides earning giggles
"Does that mean you've eaten ghost goo," Keith teased
Lance poked his tongue out at him as the pair giggled louder finally poking their heads over the table to really look at the rest of the group.
This was nice. An odd feeling rose through Keith at the thought. Seeing Lance like this. Happy and carefree teasing and chatting with children. It felt like one of the few times Keith got to see the real Lance.
The real Lance... did he even know what that meant himself?
Keith has always seen what Lance wanted him to. At least at first when he didn't have such a secret to hide. When he was difficult to read to start. At least that's what Keith had thought.
Keith hadn't about getting to know Lance when they were first thrown together as Paladins. They were forced to obviously. Then something shifted. Keith never really knew what it was or when it started but it was tiny. So damn tiny.
When Keith had realized he had grown attached that the crush had begun he panicked. What else was he supposed to do? It was Lance he didn't have a chance anyway. So when the Blade gave the offer he took it so quickly. It was the easiest way pull himself out of it.
And it worked....
Till now at least
Keith felt his hand spams in his lap. He's sure his eyes widened so he quickly dropped his gaze to his lap. Away from the sight of Lance with kids. Only for memories to swarm back to the surface.
The ones from the whale. The ones that didn't make sense. The ones with Lance smiling at kids that weren't the ones under the table. The ones with Lance smiling at he assumed was him. Hair slightly grey and age to his eyes. The ones of a summer at the beach with him and a toddler dangling her feet as the ocean licked her toes. Ones of him by a Christmas tree dangling a mistletoe in front of him.
Oh...
"Keith you good?"
Keith nodded slightly knowing he was far from good. Pidge took the nod as his answer and turned back to the group conversation.
Shiro was right. When he mentioned it back in space. Keith just hadn't seen it yet. He had forgotten it. Could you forget a feeling like that? Was that a possible thing to do? Forget what a crush was?
His feelings for Lance were still there...
They might even be stronger now than when he had left.
But it didn't matter
His crush didn't matter
Lance was in love with someone and it was going to kill him.
Lance's feelings didn't belong to Keith.
Keith wouldn't call his crush to the point of love. Still just a crush...
But it didn't hurt any less