Hunk and Pidge had both left to explore other parts of the planet some time ago. It was just Keith and Lance now, lying on the grey sand of an alien beach, a sea of strange blue goop stretched out in front of them instead of clear water.
āThis sucks,ā Lance piped up after a while. Keith looked at him; heād thought Lance had been asleep.
āWhat does?ā Keith asked, looking back to the sea. Theyād had an uneventful day, sure, but it hadnāt been particularly terrible.
āThis,ā Lance said, gesturing at the air, frustration thick in his voice.Ā āItās weird. It kinda reminds you of home, you know? But itās off. I donāt even wanna touch this blue slime stuff. It just makes me miss the actual ocean.ā
Home. The word used to ring empty in Keithās head. It didnāt, anymore. His team was his family now, and home was wherever they were. He didnāt have the same sentimental attachment to Earth that Lance did; he wanted to save it, sure, because he liked Earth as a planet and it was full of people, but heād never longed for it the way Lance did now.
āI wouldnāt know,ā Keith said.Ā āIāve never lived near the ocean before.ā
āBut youāve been to beaches, right?āĀ
āA few times. Never just for the hell of it.ā Keith shrugged.Ā āIāve flown over a lot of them, though.ā
Lance squawked as if Keith had punched him in the stomach, sitting up with an affronted look on his face.
āWhat? Nonononono. Thatās not cool man. Iāll have to take you when we get back.āĀ
āTake me where?ā Keith asked. A beach, his mind supplied, but he liked the way the sad set of Lanceās face morphed into excitement when he asked.
āHome, Iāll show you what the ocean is supposed to look like. The water goes so far out that you canāt tell where it ends and the sky begins, and when itās a clear day thereās just this huge expanse of blue in front of you.ā Lance paused, and Keith saw him send him a look from the corner of his eyes.Ā āIf you donāt mind dealing with my crazy family, that is.ā
Keith thought of Lanceās huge family, of being surrounded by people who exuded the same warmth and gave easy smiles, and something painful twisted in his gut; almost like longing.
āIād like that,ā he murmured. Lance let out a relieved huff beside him, and when Keith turned his head to look at him, he was grinning.
When Lance stood some time later, muttering about dinner, he offered Keith a hand up. He didnāt let go as soon he could have after Keith reached out and let Lance pull him upright, and he gave Keithās hand a firm squeeze before he did.Ā
Keithās heart stuttered in his chest. Without realising it, he began counting down the days to home.