It was just another day when Keith got the call...

[yousayvoltron]

[It's break time at the Garrison, and while today's been a fairly easy one considering how rambunctious the students can get, Keith is glad for the chance to sit back with a cup of coffee and relax for a while. The life of a flight instructor is a busy one.

Five minutes in, though, his phone starts beeping. It's a voice call, from Matt, and for a moment Keith worries something dangerous might have happened during his mission. They were sent to liberate a former prison, and Keith knows that even with the war over there could be some stragglers lurking about.]

Matt? What's up?

Comments

[tookashirototheknee]

[When Matt comes on the screen, he's dirty and dusty, and a little beat-up, but doesn't look much the worse for the wear. Typical mission residue.

There's an odd look on his face, though as he waves at Keith.]

Hey. So, it wasn't just a prison in here. It was a holding area for former gladiator fodder. It's really bad.

[yousayvoltron]

[Shit. Keith knows all the dirty little secrets and horrible stories of those arenas, thanks to Matt and Shiro.]

How many of them were still alive?

[tookashirototheknee]

More than I would have guessed. They didn't realize that the Empire had crumbled, so the warlord in charge of this planet just... kept doing what he was doing.

[Matt turns the camera to a small, purple-furred figure sleeping on a cot.]

There's a kid here. He can't be much older than about seven and he's beat up bad.

[yousayvoltron]

[Well, that just sent a spike of anger and heartbreak through Keith. It takes all his self-control not to tear up at the very sight. He's about Mae's age, but he looks so much smaller, more helpless.]

He's so tiny. What the hell was that bastard warlord thinking?!

[tookashirototheknee]

I have no idea, but he seems to think all adults are scary, and going to hurt him.

[Matt turns the camera back to him.]

I can't leave him. He needs people who'll love him and tell him he's amazing. He looks so sweet, but so scared. I... think I have a good idea of how he's been treated, especially if he's actually sweet and not a fighter.

[yousayvoltron]

[Keith can guess, too, and it makes him even angrier.]

Take him with you and bring him back to the house, and I'll explain to Mae when I pick her up from school. I don't think she'll really mind, anyway, she's been hinting that she wants us to adopt her a brother or sister.

[tookashirototheknee]

Alright. Yeah, I don't think she'll mind at all.

[Matt nods, smiling a bit.]

Thanks, love. I'll see you soon, ok?

[He blows Keith a kiss, then turns, kneeling down next to the cot.]

Hey, little one? Wake up.

[yousayvoltron]

See you later, babe.

[As Keith disconnects the call, the boy's eyes slowly blink open and he tries to sit up, whimpering in pain as he does.]

[tookashirototheknee]

Hey. My name's Matt. What's yours?

[He smiles gently, looking around to see if there are any first aid things he could grab. Unfortunately, nothing's appearing, but he's pretty sure they at least have painkillers back on the ship.]

I'm not going to hurt you, I promise. I'm here to help.

[yousayvoltron]

[O-okay...I'm sorry. You've probably got better things to do than look after a weakling who can't even fight. The boy rubs at his eyes. My name's Yurak, but they just called me Useless or Hey You.]

[tookashirototheknee]

Hey. Not everyone has to fight, but... I know how you feel. I was going to be sent into an arena myself, but my friend pushed me aside and went himself. People kept making fun of me and hitting me because I was weak and couldn't fight my own battles.

[He's definitely been there.]

And I don't have anything better to do. I'm here to get everyone out of here, and off to somewhere they can get better. Can you stand up, or do you want some help?

[yousayvoltron]

[Yurak seems about to insist he can stand up by himself, it's clear he's been taught that someone like him doesn't deserve any help. But when he tries to and ends up whimpering in pain again, he reaches for Matt's hand.

At the Garrison, Keith has to force himself to focus on the rest of the day's lessons and watch the simulator video screen. He's granted some distraction when three cadets end up crashing due to their constant fighting over stupid personal matters, which he will be notifying the guidance counselor of.]

I know you're mad at each other, but now's not the time to fight it out. If you'd been flying a real mission you could've gotten lost or killed or found your way into a trap of some kind.

[He thinks back to how his failure as a leader screwed the team over more than once.]

Trust me, I know this.

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt reaches out and takes his hand gently for just a moment, then reaches over and picks him up. Stars above, he weighs less than little Mae. Holding him, he stands up, smiling a bit.]

There's nothing wrong about asking for help when you need it. And right now, you're hurting bad, and I want to help.

[He starts walking out to the ship, Yurak solidly in his arms.]

Have you ever been on a ship before?

Maybe this is a catch-all domestic thread. Pre-kerb AU, post-series

[yousayvoltron]

[Ah, weekends. When you're a parent, they rarely mean anything anymore! The kids were up at the crack of dawn raiding the cabinet for whatever sugar cereals they could find, and the noise woke Keith. Matt's still sleeping, so he decides to check up on things himself, hopefully nothing needs sweeping up.

He kisses Matt's forehead before slowly getting out of bed, throwing on a pair of pants and a t-shirt. When he gets downstairs, he sees...not as much of a disaster as he feared. No spills, but Mae's surrounded by boxes and containers while Yurak is digging around for bowls.]

Good morning, you two.

[Oh! Hi, Daddy! Mae says cheerfully. Yurak drops the plastic mixing bowl he was holding and looks over nervously.

S-sorry! We...didn't want to bother you and Father!]

Hey, nothing's broken or spilled, and more importantly you two aren't hurt. But if you're hungry, you could've woken me.

[tookashirototheknee]

[Matt's always a little slower to wake up, a bit harder to boot, which is why he comes down the stairs a bit later than Keith, hair extremely messy, and blinking at the lights in the kitchen.]

What's goin' on, guys? Keith? Mae? Yurak?

[yousayvoltron]

[Hi, Father. We just wanted to make our own breakfast! Sorry for the noise. Yurak is growing less timid as time goes on, but he's still quite soft-spoken and quick to want to please.

We were looking for the good cereal, Mae adds. We wanna watch Daddy's cartoon DVDs! Keith, of course, told their kids about his childhood TV shows and how Dad got him into the memory of Saturday Morning Cartoons. It was his childhood, and Keith wanted to keep it alive.

He goes over to his husband, wrapping his arms around him and giving him a kiss.]

I think this is also a sign we should start keeping the cupboard more organized.

[Among the cereal boxes is a box of Voltron Cereal, something Coran tried to market. Hunk was on the creative team, so of course it's good, but it didn't sell well despite Voltron being the world's hero. Even with the promise of a free toy inside.]

[tookashirototheknee]

Yeah, probably a good idea.

[Matt glances at the cereal, then just laughs a bit. Part of him hopes it's one with a Keith toy, but he's not going to say something just yet. Maybe they'll get Pidge.]

Has someone started coffee?

[yousayvoltron]

Not yet. I should get on that, shouldn't I?

[We were gonna just empty the box into a big bowl to get the toy, then put the cereal back, but I remember Grandma Colleen says that's bad, Mae says. Yurak nods, trying to stack the bowls back in order.

Can Kosmo teleport things out of boxes? he asks.]

Probably not. And don't try to feed him any of the cereal, or we'll have rainbow drool everywhere.

[The company did not skimp on the food coloring. Especially with the little marshmallow lions.]

[tookashirototheknee]

I haven't had cereal in ages. I'll have a bowl with you guys if there is some left.

[Matt grins, sitting down, and shaking his head, amused.]

Yeah, Mom didn't like us going down to the bottom of the box without eating the cereal. She told Aunt Pidge and I that we had to earn it, and things were better if we had to wait for them.

[yousayvoltron]

Me too, actually.

[Once the coffee's on, he helps Yurak put away the bowls and Mae put away everything but the cereal. The Voltron box is half-full, there's some Corn Pops left, some Crunchberries...]

I remember that. Remember the time there were exactly three bowls of Cosmic Flakes left and you and Pidge begged me to finish the box with you?

[tookashirototheknee]

[He laughs, nodding.]

We wanted to know what the toy was! It was being so vague on the box. Then again, I don't even remember what it turned out to be in the end.

[Mae pulls a chair up beside Matt and sits down, cheerfully.]

[yousayvoltron]

I remember, sort of. It was actually pretty useful for the time being, some telescope filter. Sadly, it didn't show us if there was life on the other planets.

[Are we...going to bring the TV into the kitchen or eat in the den? Yurak asks. Mae mentioned eating in the den.]

Either works for me. This is a pretty comfy kitchen, and this way we don't have to lug everything inside.

[tookashirototheknee]

Yeah, you kids decide. As long as I'm caffeinated, I can eat anywhere.

[He shrugs a bit, going over and pouring himself a cup of coffee.]

[yousayvoltron]

[Let's sit down in the den! The couches are soft and Kosmo can lie down with us, Mae suggests. Keith nods, getting out two large trays.]

We'll take everything in with us! Then the cereal won't get soggy on the way in.

[tookashirototheknee]

That sounds good.

[Matt grins, sipping some coffee and watching the kids help Keith get things going. He can't help but smile at his little family and how comfortable they are together. It feels so comfortable after everything.]