Chapter Text
"Human Blades"
"Princess, there's been another new development," Shiro stated, trying to keep a serious face as he and Keith caught sight of female Lance in a dress. Keith absolutely lost his composure and fell into the nest, giggling behind Shiro.
Lance knew Keith was giggling at her. "Stop it, Mini Mullet."
Her voice just caused Keith to giggle harder. Allura wasn't concerned about her Paladins' behavior. "Let's have everyone meet in the lounge."
"See you soon." Shiro deactivated the channel. He turned to his brother and grinned. "Let's tell Kolivan, Antok, Thace, and Ulaz that we're meeting everyone in the lounge."
Keith stopped giggling and smiled. He ran off to the next room, where the four Blades were. Keith jumped on to Antok's back. Antok reached around and grabbed Keith. He pulled him forward and held him upside down. Keith grinned and giggled at being held like that. Shiro walked in and grinned at his brother's position. He walked over to Thace and Ulaz. Ulaz picked up Shiro and nuzzled him. "Welcome back, kit."
"The princess has agreed to have everyone meet in the lounge."
"That's good." Ulaz and Shiro watched as Keith, who was no longer being held upside down, was hugging and nuzzling Kolivan. The leader was nuzzling the little kit's headfur, causing the kit to purr again.
"Keith purrs a lot, doesn't he?" Shiro asked.
"He purrs when he's happy. Being with the five of us makes him happy," Thace replied.
Shiro looked at him. "Five? But there's only four of you on the ship."
Ulaz ruffled Shiro's headfur. "He was counting you too, kit. You are important to your brother too. Now, let's go."
The Blades put on their masks and walked into the lounge with Keith and Shiro. The Blades sat down with the two kits scrambling up to sit on two of their laps. Keith sat in Antok's lap and Shiro was with Ulaz.
Allura looked at Shiro. "Shiro, you said there was another new development. What is it?"
"Yeah. It concerns the Blades," Shiro replied.
The Blades deactivated their masks, revealing their altered states to the others. Keith turned slightly and nuzzled Antok, trying to comfort him. Antok petted Keith's headfur in response, softly saying, "Kit."
"Well, this is unexpected," Allura stated as she stared at the four Galra-turned-humans. The three female Paladins stared at their allies in disbelief, but Lance's mouth dropped open at the sight of the Black and Red Paladins sitting comfortably in two of the Blades' laps, like they were really little kids.
"Shiro, are you okay?" Lance asked.
"This is still hard to get used to, but yes, I think so. Why do you ask?"
"Because you're acting like a little kid."
"Oh, I probably should have mentioned this before. The longer it takes to turn back, the more likely it is that your behavior will match your appearance," Allura added.
"What does that mean?" Keith asked, his head cocked to one side.
"It means you and Shiro will act like children, Keith, while Lance, Hunk, and Pidge will act like women."
"Won't the Blades act human?" Lance inquired.
"Their cases are different. As it's a change of race, not age or gender, a change in behavior should not occur," Allura replied.
In reaction to Allura's reply, both kits relaxed against Antok (for Keith) and Ulaz (for Shiro). Antok gripped the kit a little tighter and buried his face in the longer strands of Keith's headfur.
Thace looked at Allura. "Will their behavior adversely affect the change back?"
"No. It's simply a side effect." She bent down to whisper into his ear. "I was going to suggest that you four may want to use this time to spend some time with Keith and Shiro. However, it looks like you're doing just that."
"They sought us out, but we had noticed the change in behavior already. Both are behaving like actual kits. I'm glad it won't affect their change back," Thace whispered in return.
"You really care for them both, don't you?"
Thace looked scandalized at the comment. "Of course, we do! Keith is ours, and Shiro has accepted us as family during this time! They are our kits and will remain as such even after they change back, if Shiro so wishes!"
Hearing Thace's anger in his mini tirade, Ulaz passed Shiro over to Kolivan and made his way over to his mate. He pulled him away from the princess and out of the room. Kolivan and Antok followed, carrying the two kits. Ulaz was petting his mate's headfur and allowed him to lay his head against his shoulder. "It's okay, Thace. The princess meant no harm. She doesn't know how precious kits are to Galra as a whole."
"Perhaps someone should tell her," Antok suggested.
"I'll do it," Shiro offered. Kolivan looked at the kit he was holding.
"'Kashi, you don't even know," Keith said, laying against Antok's chest. "Let the adults handle it."
"If someone takes this kit, I will inform her," Kolivan replied. Thace removed himself from Ulaz and collected Shiro from their leader. He hadn't held the little Paladin yet and was eager to nuzzle one of their kits.
Kolivan reentered the lounge, finding a confused Altean princess sitting on one of the sofas. "May I join you?"
Allura looked up. "Oh, Kolivan. Yes, please." The leader sat down next to the princess, who started speaking again. "I don't know how I offended Thace, but it wasn't my intention."
"We know that now, Princess. He didn't understand that you didn't know how the Galra view kits. Kits are very precious to us as a race. We may look human, but we are still Galra. Keith has always been our kit, even when he was eighteen. Shiro accepted a position as our adopted kit during his time as a kit. He will have the option to remain our adopted kit or not when he changes back."
"I truly didn't know. I am glad you told me." Allura smiled. "I'm pleased the boys are with family during this time."
Fin