"Okay, sweetheart, for your first birthday, we're gonna try walking!"
Rosályn stared up at Lance, holding her Weblum toy to her chest. "Nn... No."
Lance pouted, dropping his arms. "Please?"
She shook her head. "Uh-uh." Her little pig-tails swishing.
"Oh, come on, sweetie. You can stand, let's try walking!"
"No, dada." Rosályn huffed, pouting just like he was.
"Oh my God, it's like a mirror!" Pidge shouted from the sofa, Lance sticking his tongue out at her. She giggled, returning her attention back to her laptop.
Lance sighed, lowering himself to sit just a few feet away from the birthday girl. "Come on, princesa. Stand up."
Rosályn stared at him, then leaned over. She placed her palms flat to the floor and pushed herself up onto her feet. She wobbled slightly, gaining her balance rather quickly. Once fully standing, Rosályn picked up her Weblum and hugged it to her chest.
The blue paladin brightened up, grinning widely. "Alright, now come to me! You can do it, sweetie!"
The baby hummed, swaying slightly. The frills on the hem of her dress swayed with her. Lance whined, keeping his eyes on her even as the doors opened.
"Trying to get her to walk again?" Keith mused, stepping up behind Lance.
"Yeah." Lance sighed, slouching. "She's been standing up on her own for almost a month now, and she still refuses to walk."
Keith smiled, carding his fingers through Lance's hair. "Must be because you spoil her and pick her up every time she asks."
Lance shot Keith a glare, then quickly turned back to Rosályn with open arms. "Come here, princesa! Daddy will hold you!"
Rosályn gasped, eyes lighting up as she gripped her Weblum. "Up!?"
"Up!" Lance scooted closer, waving his hands to her. "Come here, princesa, and I'll hold you!"
She squealed, shaking giddily and toes wiggling. Rosályn giggled, squeezing her Weblum close. "Dada, up!"
Lance nodded. "Up! Just take a few steps closer!"
Hunk snickered from beside Pidge, holding up the recording device. "This video is already five minutes long."
Rosályn hummed, sucking on her bottom lip as she looked down to her little feet. Her big eyes turned back to her parents, her father beckoning her over while her mother stood behind him, smiling fondly.
She giggled again and grinned, flashing her eight little baby teeth, and the few more growing in further back. Rosályn stumbled forward into her father's welcoming, comfortable, familiar arms, cheers breaking out all around her.
Rosályn squealed as she was squeezed and he father abruptly stood.
"Mi pequeña niña, ¡estoy tan orgullosa!"* Lance shouted, kissing the top of her head.
Keith laughed, stealing Rosályn away before Lance could crush her. Rosályn nuzzled close to Keith, kissing his cheek just like her father taught her. Well, maybe a little more sloppy. She giggled as her mother returned the kiss.
~
Keith hummed as a small paw and a small hand both prodded at him, waking him up.
"Mommy... Mommy... Mommy, hun-gie." Rosályn spoke, now patting Keith's cheek.
He chuckled softly, reaching up to pull her and Berrie into his arms. Rosályn gasped and squeaked as she was snuggled. "Me too, but I'm also sleepy. Wake up your dada."
Rosályn pouted, wiggling out of Keith's arms. She stood and waddled to Lance before falling over his waist. "Dada. Dada, hun-gie."
Lance groaned, pulling her up to his chest. "Alright, alright." He sighed, sitting up. "Let's go get Rosie some food."
The little girl giggled, grasping her father's sleep shirt and nuzzling him happily.
Keith relaxed back into the bed as Lance headed off with Rosályn to the kitchen. Berrie curled into his chest, purring softly.
With a sudden, noticeable but small, wave if nausea washing over Keith, he groaned, sitting up. Berrie dragged herself up to the pillows and curled back up. Keith gulped, furrowing his brows. He placed his hand on his abdomen and closed his eyes, focusing on not puking.
His stomach lurched, so Keith bolted into the room's bathroom and fell by the toilet, nearly missing. He hunched over, stomach lurching again and expelling all of it's contents.
Keith wheezed and gasped, heaving again as his stomach twisted.
"Keith? Keith!?" Lance hurried to put Rosályn in her crib and rushed to Keith's side. "Baby... Shit... You should lay down today."
The Red paladin nodded, head light as he tensed and held himself up over the toilet bowl.
~
Berrie kept Rosályn entertained as Keith lay in bed and Lance trained with the others throughout the morning. Around noon, Keith felt fine enough to get up and lay Rosályn down for her nap. Once she fell asleep, Keith left the room in search of the other paladins.
The Biladi trotted beside Keith, her tail swishing from side to side as she looked around, ears flicking.
He stepped into the kitchen and was quickly wrapped in Lance's embrace. Keith sighed and relaxed into Lance, despite Lance being in full armor.
"Hey. Do you feel better?" Lance murmured, leading Keith to the counter where the plate of snacks sat nearly half empty.
Keith hummed and nodded. "Yeah. I don't feel like someone's squeezing my gut."
Lance kissed the top of his head, rubbing his back. "That's good. Try to eat something so you don't feel worse later."
The red paladin reached towards the plate and grabbed one of the snacks. "Thanks, Hunk."
Hunk grinned from the other side of the counter. "No problem. How's Rosie?"
"Down for her nap." Keith murmured, resting her head on Lance's shoulder. "Nn, my head hurts."
"Sorry, honey." Lance pressed his nose into Keith's hair. "Why don't you take a nap and I'll take Rosie so she won't wake you?"
Keith nodded. "That sounds good."
Lance chuckled. "Alright."
~
After another day or so, Keith felt well enough to help on another mission. Thing was, they weren't expecting so many Galran soldiers at one single base.
"Ah!" Keith gasped as he was thrown into a wall.
"Keith!" Lance cried from his perch as Keith hit the ground.
Keith grunted, pushing himself up to his hands and knees. He screamed as a boot rammed up into his abdomen, throwing him back into the wall. His sight blacked out for a moment, agony surging through his body.
The boot slammed into his rib cage, then into his abdomen again before Lance nailed a shot right between their eyes.
The red paladin wheezed, curling up to clutch his abdomen. Tears stung his eyes from the immense pain.
"Keith is down!"
"We need to get him back!"
"Paladins, retreat!"
~
Keith sighed softly, swaying as he reached out for support.
"Hey, hey. Careful." He heard Lance's voice as he got closer. Keith smiled and relaxed as he was gently wrapped in Lance's warm arms. "Careful..."
"How long was I in there?" Keith peeked over Lance's shoulder and looked around. "Where's Rosie?"
Lance squeezed Keith. "Rosályn is with Allura... You were in the pod for just over a day."
"A day?" Keith echoed, pulling back to look up into Lance's eyes. "Was it that bad?" Lance glanced away. Keith then noticed something was off.
As Keith stepped back, Lance's arms slipping off of him. Lance eyes were slightly puffy and pink, as if he was just done crying. His hair and clothes were disheveled.
Lance breathed deeply, shrugging off his jacket. He swung it around Keith and lay it over his shoulders. "Keith... It's been a whole day and I... I still don't know how to..." He gulped, pursing his lips.
Keith's heart pounded, stomach twisting uneasily. "What's the matter? Is Rosie okay? Are the others okay?" He tugged Lance's jacket tighter around himself.
"Everyone's fine..." Lance shook as he let out a long breath. "Keith... You were pregnant."
The red paladin stared at Lance, then he lit up. A grin broke out on his face as he grabbed Lance's hands. "A baby? We're having another baby!?" Keith bounced excitedly, biting his lips.
Lance swore he could hear his own heart cracking as his chest tightened. "No, Keith..." He whispered.
Keith frowned, furrowing his brows. "I don't understand. Why are you so upset? What's no?"
The blue paladin gulped, cupping Keith's face. "You were pregnant... We were having another baby..." He gently ran his thumbs beneath Keith's eyes as they widened. "There was a baby... There's not a baby anymore..."
-----
1395 words
And there it is.
Mi pequeña niña, ¡estoy tan orgullosa! = My little girl, I'm so proud!