Word Count: 3,350
Keith has honestly no clue how he's gotten this far in life.
It's been a ride, huh?
They'd spent years up in space, battling giant robeasts, saving planets, forming an intergalactic coalition, meeting new races of aliens left and right, and defeating Zarkon and Lotor-
And within that time he'd managed to find his mother, take over as the leader of Voltron, and find so much confidence hidden within himself it was hard to realize that had been him doing all those things in the first place.
And the best part is they weren't done yet.
Not even close.
After recovering from rocketing the world-destroying bomb up and away from the Earth's atmosphere, and helping to build the planet's defenses back up from where it'd crumbled during the Galra invasion, it was decided both Voltron and the Atlas would go back up into space to defend Earth against the newest threat to their existence.
Honerva.
Taking her down would mean they wouldn't have to live in fear, the universe would have a chance to grow and expand without the threat of all of that being taken away from them in a single blink. That witch and her Alteans were dangerous, more deadly than anything they've ever faced before, and though Keith couldn't deny the uncertain twinging in his gut at the thought of going back up there to face the same force they couldn't hit since day one, he was calmed with the added thought they'd grown from that startled group landing on Arus all those years ago.
It was a nice reminder of how far they'd come.
He settled back further against the warm metal under him, fingers stroking senselessly through Cosmo's fur, the animal's eyes half-lidded, head resting on his paws.
It was almost easy to forget why he was here, sitting, perched on the nose of the black lion, watching the sun slowly sink into the horizon, setting the whole sky ablaze with color.
He still remembered when he'd used to do this with his Pa.
Just sitting on the highest peak of their two-story house watching the sunset. The shingles would always burn his back when they'd first get up, digging hot fingers into his skin. But the discomfort would always last a few minutes before the hot Arizona sun would calm, painting every inch of the sky with a new kind of fire, sinking below the horizon.
And then he'd spend hours more with Nifa long after his dad went to bed, pointing out constellations to one another. Most of them had just been ridiculous made-up ones they'd end up laughing over days after, neither of them scared for the future, just certain they'd go through it together-
He missed those times.
They seemed a lot simpler compared to what they were about to go through blasting back up into space.
But he wouldn't deny that now was any less important to him than then.
They needed to make a stand.
And with the paladins, spirit guide, and closest friends at each others' side, they were going to do it right.
They would put an end to this war.
They had to.
"Man you can be a real hard guy to find when you wanna be."
Keith's eyes never left the scene in front of him as the thumping footsteps on metal came to a stop beside him, the Cuban's voice sounding tired and worn out.
Just one more thing that's changed since they first went off into space.
"Hey, Lance- Whoa!" It was then he decided to turn around, catching sight of the teen standing beside him, "What- are you wearing?" Lance looked to be covered nearly head to toe in pots and pans, resembling some sort of crude armor a seven-year-old would put together sitting on the kitchen floor. A towel fastened at his neck made a crude cape flapping in a stray breeze and- was that sausage link around his neck?
The teen groaned at the mention of his outfit, "Coran made it for me for my date with Allura." he said, sitting down beside him, mocha hand immediately going up to pull a large pot off his head with a frown.
Keith's brows shot up at the combination of 'date' and 'Allura' in one sentence, "A date with Allura? Wow, well done, Lance."
He gave a halfhearted smile, "Thanks but it could be our last, I can't keep all these Altean customs straight."
Keith's eyes widened marginally at the reply, remembering a far different mindset all those times the teen had been flirting with the princess. And now- it surprised Keith just how far Lance was willing to go to spend time with her before they left Earth- "Listen, if she's going out with you it means she likes you. The annoying, stupid, Earth version of you," he added with a low smirk, hoping the prod at their long-forgotten 'rivalry' would lift his spirits.
Lance laughed, but it was still clear the teen was more than a little nervous for the night ahead, blue eyes still lost in whatever scenario was playing through his eyes.
Keith could relate to that one.
Wholeheartedly.
"You watching the sunset?" The Cuban nodded to the open plain in front of them, the clouds drifting across the sky now alight with color.
Thin lips pressed to a line before he finally tore them apart to answer, memories of the past drifting into his mind again, "Yeah, it might be a while before we get to see it again."
It got quiet then, the kind of quiet you could sit in. Relax in. The kind of quiet neither of them wanted to disturb.
He liked the quiet-
"Man, I'm really going to miss this place." Lance sighed.
Keith couldn't help the knowing smile that took his lips, his own thought process going there minutes ago, "Yeah."
"Hey, aren't you going out with Nifa later?"
He blinked at the mention of his later plans, "Yeah."
"Nervous?"
"Yup, you?"
"I think you already know the answer to that."
Keith gave a low chuckle, "Yeah, guess I do."
There was another moment's pause between them, the peak of the sunset now in full bloom, and then-
"Do you think I should marry her?"
Amethyst eyes widened at the question, turning back to Lance to catch sight of the teen actually considering it, mocha fingers fiddling with each other, "I- I don't know, do you?"
"That's not really an answer, Keith."
"Well, I don't think that's a question I should be answering," he met the Cuban's eyes, "do you think you should marry her? You're the only one who can answer that, Lance."
The Cuban frowned, "I don't know I- I think I love her, I mean, I have loved her ever since this whole thing started. And when Lotor came in I- I think that only proved just how much she means to me."
"Sounds like you have your answer then."
Blue eyes met his, "But, we're in the middle of a war, Keith, what if something-"
"Then she'll know for sure how much you care about her," he butted in. "Honestly Lance, do you know how many times that crosses my mind with Nifa? I'd die for her if I had to, and I know we do all we can to protect her but that doesn't stop me from thinking of what could happen every mission we take."
He must've raised his voice because the next thing he knew Lance was looking down at his lap with a guilty look on his face, blue eyes wide, and mumbling a startled, "Sorry, I didn't think-"
Keith shook his head the second he spoke, realizing he might have gotten out of hand, "No, it's fine, she's just-"
"Important to you?" The Cuban finished.
He blinked, "Yeah."
Lance hummed, leaning back a little to better watch the fading pinks and oranges in the sky a few minutes longer. "Well, good luck tonight, Samurai."
Keith nodded with a small smirk, "You too, Sharpshooter."
...
"Damn, damn, damn it all!"
A sharp pain stabbed her earlobe.
Again.
"Dammit!"
Nifa was still struggling to slide earrings into place when the knock sounded at her door.
She slammed the revolting little things on the dresser with a huffed sigh before getting up from her chair, more than grateful for the much-needed distraction from turning her ear into a pin cushion because she could not get those damn things in-
But who would be knocking at her door? Keith wasn't supposed to show for a solid hour and Lance was off doing God knows what.
If it was Shiro-
"Shiro, I swear to God if that's you telling me we have another meeting to- Oh," she startled, catching sight of the princess dressed and ready for her date when the door opened, "Allura, hey, you look amazing."
"Hello, Nifa," the princess gave a nervous smile, looking down at her herself, white hair managing to stand out brilliantly against her white dress, gold earrings clinking lightly when she moved her head.
Nifa quickly stepped to the side to let her into the room, the Altean giving a small look around before turning back to her with a small smile, "Getting ready still?"
Nifa gave a sheepish shrug, "Yeah, it's been a while since I've had to- you know- actually look pretty."
Allura chuckled, "You already look pretty, Nifa, just think of this as- straightening up a little." The following smile had her own knotting stomach release a little as the princess stepped forward, catching sight of the abandoned earrings before sending a questioning look in her direction.
Nifa nodded and the princess moved to help slide the little things into place.
"Yeah well, still. The last time I went out with Keith was just before he left to find his mom, remember? And then he comes back two years older and everything just went downhill from there." She mumbled the last bit to herself, brows furrowing as she looked to the floor, feeling the moment Allura managed to secure the earrings into place, dark hands draping her hair behind her ears and away from her face.
"It's like I'm seeing a whole different person in him now. I- I don't know what to think, and now this new development with the witch and her giant robots-"
Nifa's words trailed off looking up into the mirror, eyes raking over her dark jeans and rose-colored blouse, watching Allura through the reflection as she grabbed a few gold pins from the dresser before turning back to her with a sigh. "Not very many in the universe can understand what you must be going through. It is hard to see what can change in such a short time."
"Yeah, and then there's the question of what we're gonna do once all of this is over," she added. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it either, while Keith had been off reconnecting with his long-lost mother in a time pocket of space, Nifa took the journey to her home planet, managing to get just a day and a half in with her people before being whisked away again.
She wasn't sure if it hurt more leaving the second time around than the first-
"I'm certain you're not the only one who's thought about the future, Nifa," the princess spoke, "it may be true that Keith has thought a lot about it as well. You both might not feel as apart as you think."
"But what am I gonna say to him? It's not like I can just bring up the fact that we can't stay like this forever. Things can change, people can change."
"They can," she nodded in agreement, "but you won't find out what Keith thinks about all this until you ask."
Nifa opened her mouth only to close it just as fast, drawing a blank for what to reply with. Allura seemed to have a point. She could spend all this time worrying over the future, but if she never brought it to light to the one person she was concerned about, she'd never know the answer-
"I guess you're right."
...
He came an hour later, hands behind his back, and looking about as chill about the coming date as Nifa was nervous.
It was disorienting to see him in something other than his Garrison uniform and armor, and for a moment, she just stood there in complete and utter confusion staring at the dark-haired stranger dressed in jeans and a leather jacket.
But then again, she wouldn't be surprised if he was thinking the same thing about her in that moment too. Her outfit was a far cry from the white-themed armor and uniform she often found herself in their recent time on Earth, instead, she'd gone for something a little more subtle and comfortable while still looking like she hadn't spent an entire day wondering what to wear on a date with someone who'd known her practically her whole life.
It was strange to be standing there at all to say the least.
She shifted from foot to foot, giving a low wave ad Keith continued to stare, "Hey."
Amethyst eyes blinked snapping out of his trance, "Hey."
"So, uh, where are we headed?"
He grinned at that, hands finally going out from behind his back to toss her what looked to be one of the Garrison's issued hoverbike goggles.
"You up for a ride?"
Her mind flashed to the times they'd done this as kids, sneaking out late at night just to fly over the desert sand.
She missed doing that with him.
She missed doing a lot of things with him actually-
"Heck yes."
They were up and standing in the Garrison's massive garage minutes later, a small gasp escaping her lips when she caught sight of where he was leading her by the hand- straight to the back corner stood a dusty red hoverbike that she already knew by heart. A dirtied 01 was stickered to the side and looking so out of place next to the orange and white-themed bikes-
"Is that-"
Keith chuckled, hand tightening around hers, "It is."
They came to a stop beside it, Nifa reaching a hand out to rub her fingers over the metal, it was like she could almost feel the warmth of the desert radiating off it after a long day of sitting out in the sun, "How did you get it back? Didn't the Garrison impound it after you left?"
"Well, yeah," Keith grinned, getting up onto one of the wings of the bike before settling onto the seat. "Shiro found it shoved in with a bunch of other junk in the back of the campus, he pulled a few strings and managed to get it back."
"Wow," she said, brows raising, impressed. "Does it still run?"
The teen gave a subtle shrug, holding a hand out to her. "How about we find out?"
She took it after a moment's pause of sliding the goggles still gripped in her hands over her head and into place. She let him pull her up into the seat behind him, hands immediately going to wrap around his waist as the bike roared to life under them, the familiar thrum starting up under them as Keith maneuvered the bike out and into the open desert.
It was a quiet night flying over the sand. The sky was clear, only a few clouds dotted the seemingly endless canvas of stars stretching for miles in front of them as they raced through the desert, clouds of dust and dirt flying up behind them, the moon their only source of light maneuvering over the open space sprawled out in front of them.
A laugh escaped her lips the further they flew, settling her chin against his shoulder, hair whipping behind her before Keith pushed even more against the throttle and they shot forward.
It took a moment longer to notice where they were headed, the path they were on was still worn despite not being used in years but it took only one look up to know where Keith was headed-
Another childhood spot.
All too soon the thrumming engine of the hoverbike came to a close and she was sliding off the bike and onto her feet, going to follow Keith as he led her up the familiar hill.
She felt like she was in one of her dreams again catching sight of the worn blanket spread out on the ground at the peak of the hill, the stars twinkling in some surreal light show above them, the trees just far enough away to leave an open clearing in the sky for them to watch.
It was magical.
"M'lady."
She turned back around to catch sight of Keith offering his hand to help her down to the blanket.
She took it, getting down to her knees as she settled onto the blanket, Keith coming to sit beside her and she gratefully went to rest her head on his open shoulder as they looked up to the stars.
But- she couldn't chase away the thought nagging in the back of her head-
"Hey, Keith?"
"Hm?" He hummed after a moment's pause.
She took a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh at the realization that she was about to break this romantic moment between them. "Have you ever thought about what we're going to do after all this?"
"What do you mean?" He frowned, turning to her.
Nifa bit her lip, "I mean, are you gonna just go back to the Blades after we defeat Honerva? Or are you gonna stay here or am I-"
"Hey, hey, hey, calm down, why would you think I'd leave after this?" He put a hand on her shoulder, amethyst eyes growing concerned.
"I don't know, I just- I don't know. I mean, your mom and Kolivan went back up in space to gather the rest of the Blades, don't you want to go back to them?"
He blinked, "Well, yeah, I would but-" he broke off with a sigh, leaning back on his elbows, "I- I thought we weren't going to talk about this now," he whispered under his breath.
"But why not?" She questioned, "Shiro was right, Keith, this may be the last time we get to talk about anything for a long while, at least until all of this is over and we can go home for good-"
"And are you?" Keith butted in with a look, eyes growing marginally wider, "Are you going to go home, even after all this?"
Nifa blinked in surprise, realizing where this was going, "I- I mean yeah I- I want to, Keith, despite living with you on Earth, Raion is still my home."
She watched pale lips grow thin, she could feel her claws begin to dig into her palms at the frustration of realizing that-
That-
They might break apart after the biggest threat to the universe is diminished for good.
"Look I- I'm not gonna lie and say I haven't thought about this but-" he reached for her hand, clasping it in his as he stared into her eyes. "I love you, Nifa, I always have, I always will, and I promise that will never change," with those words he linked their pinkies together, their marks of friendship brushing against each other.
Nifa gave a slow smile, looking at their linked digits with fondness, remembering all the times they'd done it before, recalling the moment the gesture turned into something more than friendship, something stronger-
It hurt a little to know that they'd most likely be going their separate ways after this, but Keith was right, what they had- that was forever, and no matter where each of them were in the universe that would never change between them.
Their love was forever.
"I love you, Keith," she whispered, leaning forward to brush her lips against his.
She could feel him smile, kissing her back, under the light of the full moon.
"I love you too, Nifa."
...
Guess who read the book? XD I'll admit, I think this got a little rushed near the end but all-in-all, not bad I hope?? Thanks TheUltraNinjaShipper for letting me mess around with your OC once again, she's pretty interesting to write, not gonna lie...
And for everyone reading this- I'm alive??? What????
Hello!! Life has been pure heck lately, I managed to get myself a job in the middle of all this and am now running (literally) all over the place with how little time I have to write these shots. I am still up for requests (tho I still have two more to do rn-) but, I guess once again, more than ever keep in mind that they will take time getting out, if you wanna wait for a good time for me to write, please follow my profile or PM if you want an answer to when. I will for sure pop in and scream when I have more than one day off or have time to write, or if you just wanna go ahead and request to get the idea out there that's fine too. Thanks for reading and I'll see y'all in the next update!! :D