Keith stared silently at the Christmas tree sitting in the main room across from him. It seemingly mocked him, reminding him of Christmas after Christmas he spent alone, and even though it was a mandatory decoration in every dorm as per the agreement he and the other students had to adhere to, he wished he didn't have to stare at it all the time.

"Damn, Keithie, no need to look so glum. Tis the season to be happy and cheery, and I think the tree is rather beautiful, don't you?" Harley said as she plopped on the couch next to the pouting paladin. At their feet, Shiro and Pidge were quietly working, and Harley teasingly kicked Shiro in the side to get his attention. "Hey, robot. That goes for you too. This is a happy holiday, so enjoy it. It means getting presents and free food and so drunk off our asses that not even creating the New Year's resolution of never drinking again could make our behavior acceptable. You're old enough to partake, aren't you?" she said, and as she spoke, she waved the glass of eggnog in her hand in front of him.

"Not thirsty, thanks," he said, "and besides, some of us have finals to study for. So forgive me if I'd rather not have a splitting headache and craving for pancake mix while I'm trying to figure out what the Edo period was so significant for."

Keith and Harley suddenly burst out laughing, and even Pidge joined for a snicker. "What? Oh, I get it. Laugh at the dad that can't hold his liquor." Shiro asked, and Pidge adjusted her glasses to respond matter-of-factly. "The simple solution is not that we're laughing at you, per say, it's that we're laughing at the fact that when hungover, you crave pancake mix," she said, and Harley added with a mocking laugh, "Yeah, last time I craved pancake mix I was pregnant! So just a little fair warning, Shirogane, you might wanna go take a pregnancy test."

Keith hid his face as his body shook with laughter, but Shiro simply flipped the pair sitting on the couch off. Then back to the study guide he went.

They sat in silence for a few more moments, Keith and Harley sharing Harley's eggnog(much to Shiro's displeasure, and not over Keith sharing germs with Harley, but over him getting drunk underage) as Harley flipped through her social media and Shiro and Pidge exchanging quiet answers and thoughts as they worked.

"Oh, my GODS," Harley suddenly said a bit loudly, and Keith glanced over at her phone. There, in her SnapChat feed, was Link, dressed in a long, stylish blonde wig, with a turquoise, blue and green Gerudo outfit on, fit with matching green and blue high heels. In a black bar across Link's toned stomach read the caption "sneaking into Club Gerudo like" and a kissy-face emoji. Harley shook her head with a sigh.

"That bitch is goals," she said, "penis or not." Keith made a face.

"I can dress like a girl better than Link can," he voiced, but then immediately regret it. Why did he just admit that out loud?

"Oh, this I would love to see," Shiro said, and Pidge added, "yeah, Keith, why don't you put your money where your mouth is?"

Harley sat up in excitement. "Ooh, I have just the outfit! Come with me."

After much squirming and protest on Keith's part, he emerged from the room, fully dressed up like a girl. But while Harley and Pidge were mocking Keith on what an adorable girl he made, Shiro was sitting in awe, admiring and taking in Keith's appearance. He was wearing an off-the-shoulder red crop top that read VOLTRON LEGENDARY DEFENDER and was cut off at just the right area on his chest, showing off most of his midriff. The rest was covered by fishnet stockings that could be seen as they reached slightly above the black short shorts Keith was wearing, and he had a black and red bracelet on his wrist with a metal charm in the middle that read "HQ", which no doubt was Harley's as it bore her initials. And his feet...Keith was wearing the most attractive wedge boots, laced up in the front and cut off at his toes to show off just a little skin there, too. Then Keith turned his head to protest at Harley, and Shiro saw Keith's hair tied in an adorable cheerleader ponytail.

"Yo! Earth of Shiro," Pidge called, "you're staring, dad." Shiro blinked a few times just to make sure he was grounded, and he stood. "We should definitely meet Link down at that club and show him you can pull off the cross-dressing too,"Shiro said, much to everyone's shock, and Pidge gestured at their homework.

"Wh-what about...?"

"I think we could all use a break. I'm sure Harley wants to go too, and Keith needs a pickup."

Shiro ignored the death glare he got from Keith as he spoke, and then the red paladin realized something rather...embarassing.

"What do we say if someone recognizes me? I mean, dressing like this within the confines of our home is one thing, but out in front of all of BC? I don't...know..."

Shiro smiled. "It'll be fine, Keith. Remeber, this is a place of acceptance. And even if they do judge, who cares? They usually just talk like that to make themselves feel better about how much better than them you look and are."

Keith blushed a bit and looked at Harley for confirmation, who muttered with a shrug "it's true.".

"I can't believe I actually let you two talk me into this," Keith said with a shake of his head. Although he had to admit, he was a bit excited. He'd never been to a club before.

"Just keep quiet and look pretty bitch," Harley said as she added a coat of lipstick to her already red lips. She was wearing a glittering red dress with matching white heels, and a black mini-purse to hold what she claimed was her "toiletries".

"Shiro looks like a total dude, how do you expect him to get in?" Keith added, and Harley smirked. "Just leave that to me and my good friend Ben Franklin. You'd be surprised what these assholes would do for a pretty face with a paper bribe."

Harley walked up to the female Gerudo bouncer standing in front of the club entrance and was immediately stopped. "You bring a voe with you," she said in the harsh Gerudo accent, "and no voe is permitted inside our club."

Keith, Shiro, and even Pidge watched in amazement as Harley flirted with the bouncer. "Listen, hon, I got some mail with your name on it by accident. Take half of it now and meet me in the bathroom on your break for the other half. Got it, love~?" Harley teased in the Gerudo bouncer's ear, slipping something into her hand. The bouncer stepped aside in acknowledgment, and Harley led her slack-jawed friends inside.

Bass nearly exploded the walls as a loud, energetic remix of It's Strange by Louis the Child and played, and various shades of peach, purple, red, orange and black flashed over cages hanging above each with their own dancer dressed in the sluttiest of outfits with all kinds of blacklight paint splattered on their bodies, and then focused down below on dozens of people within the club either jumping, grinding against each other, or both. Pidge was immediately uncomfortable, and seeing this, Shiro led Pidge to the bar to sit and talk with him. Harley, however, did the opposite with Keith and instead dragged him onto the dance floor, immediately mocking the other dancers and grinding almost uncomfortably against him. Keith blinked innocently, unsure of what to do, and Harley laughed. "You need to let go, Kogane. Just feel the beat and let loose. Here, this might help."

Harley pulled a small pill out of her purse and carefully cut it in half, taking one half, then handing the other to Keith. "Here!" she shouted over the loud music, "take it. Let it dissolve under your tongue. You'll feel amazing in about ten minutes."

Keith didn't know why, but he listened and took the half pill, but oh, it took way faster than ten minutes to kick in. Just as suddenly as he had swallowed the half pill, the whole world slowed down, and the music chilled out. The refly remix of Alan Walker's Faded played, and as the beat slowly but gradually sped up, Keith felt his whole world start to spin and turn upside down, and he felt like the beat was going to come alive any second and just swallow him. Lights and faces flashed in his vision, each face pale, white-haired, and with no pupils, just blank white eyes. It made him start to panic, and soon, the whole club was staring at him with those silent, white eyes. The song changed, and the beat slowed down, causing the faces to disappear one by one until all Keith saw around him was a club full of slow motion dancers. Different Heaven by Even Better and Siam played over the speakers currently blaring over Keith's head, and then he bumped into a beautiful blonde.

"S-sorry," he said sluggishly, not really forming the word with his mouth as he had with his head. The blonde turned and looked at him with the sweetest blue stare, and then the world started to spin again. Heat blossomed all over Keith's body, spreading like wildfire. Particularly, it spread to one rather...noticeable place, and Keith let out a snort. His head rolled back and he hit something soft, and it felt amazing against his skin. He nuzzled into it almost childishly and moaned in delight at the feelings currently overwhelming his body.

"D-daddy," Keith managed to moan out as Link rode him almost like an actress out of a porno, moaning a bit loudly himself. Keith had bumped into him while he was with his friends dancing, and he could tell the paladin was drugged and out of it, seeming far from himself. He wouldn't stop bothering Link, though, sniffing his hair and grabbing his hips so the paladin could practically dry hump the crossdressed knight, so instead of letting Keith fuck him in front of the whole club, he took Keith to one of the rooms in the back and threw the paladin on the bed onto his back. Keith immediately slacked against the bed, moaning and squirming delightfully as he relished in the soft, luxurious sheets' material. It took almost all the reserve Link had right then and there not to jump Keith, but he also knew it'd be wrong to take advantage of him since he was drugged and not himself.

Then Link saw it.

Keith was clearly hard enough to want it, the evidence showing through his tight black shorts. He really looked like quite the...what'd they call those? Traps?

"Fuck," Keith moaned a bit louder as he squirmed, and he pulled at his shorts as if attempting to get them off and free the beast inside.

So Link had done it. He'd helped Keith undo his shorts and stuck his hand in the paladin's shorts, getting a feel for him and his size. Keith arched his back and mewled in response, absolutely loving the touch.

"P-please," Keith begged softly, "I-I'm so h-hot...help me..."

And so Link did, dumping enough lube on Keith and his own tight entrance that Keith slid into him with ease. It was a bit awkward at first since Keith was fighting Link for control, but Link refused.

And that pretty much brought them up to the present.

"Yes, baby, I'm your daddy," Link whispered into Keith's ear, "and I'm going to make you feel so amazing, but you gotta keep still and let me, okay?"

Keith just moaned and panted in response, not giving a solid answer. He suddenly began to jerk a bit harder under Link though, and Link tried to calm him until he realized Keith wasn't responsive.

"Keith, hey, wake up," Link called, but the paladin didn't stir. Link started to panic a bit and got up off Keith, turning him onto his side and hoping this wasn't what he thought it was.

"Keith, please, please wake up. PLease," Link begged, and then he noticed the blood beginning to pool and drip from Keith's ears.

Shit.

"Harley!" Shiro called to the obviously drunk blonde. Harley turned her attention to Shiro and laughed when she saw him. "Guys! This is my roommate's Space Dad! Daddy in the sheets, but of course, neither of them will admit it," she laughed drunkenly, trying not to fall over. Shiro crossed his arms. "look, Harley, I've already sent Pidge home with our friends. It's time for Keith to get back too. Where is he?"

"I dunno. He wandered off a little bit ago. Went dancing with some blonde last I saw."

Shiro wanted to strangle the blonde drunk, but mostly, he kicked himself for this, because it was more his fault for dragging Keith here.

Shiro started to wander around the dance floor, searching desperately for Keith among the dancers but had no such luck. Not until a blonde walked up to him, calling his name and dragging an almost entirely unconscious Keith.

Shiro helped Link carry Keith outside and into the street where the two sat him carefully on the ground, and Shiro checked Keith for a pulse. "His heart rate is through the roof. It's beating so hard and fast, it's almost beating over itself. We need to get him to the hospital immediately before he has a heart attack. Did you see him ingest anything he shouldn't have? Maybe a stranger offered him a drink?"

"Whoa, what the fuck happened here?" Harley asked as she walked up to them. Shiro turned to her.

"Harley. It's critical you answer this question truthfully. Did Keith ingest anything he shouldn't be? Maybe something illegal? Maybe someone mixed it into his drink?" Harley grit her teeth and sighed. "Alright, so I gave him half a pill. But it's only half. It shouldn't be affecting him like this."

"Harleen Frances Quinzel! You fed one of my best friends illegal drugs!?"

"Hey, Shh! Keep your voice down, Shiro, I'm on the phone. Look, the lady said to get him to throw up. Whatever he ingested, if he throws it up ASAP, it's less likely to fully affect his system and cause his body to shut down. She also says it's absolutely critical we tell her and the paramedics what Keith ingested. What did you give him, Harley?" Link turned to Harley as he asked her, and Harley shrugged. "Just a little...hybrid," she said, "my guy melted some wax, a little MDMA, and some...uhm...lysergic acid diethylamide."

"You gave him an LSD hybrid!?" This time, Link was the one that shouted, and Shiro had to hold Link back to keep him from attacking Harley. "This is why we can't accept ex-SG students into BC. This is exactly why," he said, and Harley took a few steps back in shock. Deciding it might be best for her to disappear for a bit, she took off running(despite the ridiculously high heels she was wearing) and disappeared around the corner.

'Good riddance,' Shiro thought, and Link called Shiro back to earth.

"Listen, Shiro, we gotta get him to throw up. It'll be best for him," Link said, and the black paladin nodded. "okay. Oh, this is gonna suck."

After a few attempts with no luck, Shiro really began to feel worried, like his friend may never wake up again. You don't have a gag reflex when you're deep in sleep or otherwise dead, right?

Keith suddenly woke up and hurled the contents of his stomach into the street repeatedly, and Shiro couldn't hide the sigh of instant relief he felt. Link had to admit, he was a bit relieved too, despite not even knowing the paladins well enough. Still, it was scary...watching someone die of overdose was not on the knight's bucket list.

Keith gasped and panted, coughing up a bit of blood from the violent lurching his stomach just did, and he sat up properly. Bright red and white lights flashed annoyingly in his vision, but a comforting hand gently blocked them from his vision. Shiro, Keith assumed, and correctly so when his eyes had adjusted to the ambulance lights just enough that the paladin could see his friend sitting next to him with a dumb grin on his face.

"What are you smiling at, asshole?"

"Remember when this was me back when we first formed the team, and you were in my seat?"

Keith hadn't laughed so hard in his life.

Keith reread the question aloud carefully. "In what order does Mitosis happen? Name and define each cycle." he read, and then proceeded to stare blankly at his paper. "Fuck biology man."

Shiro chuckled and pet Keith gently. It had been four months since the night at the club, and they had been the hardest four months of Keith's life. He refused to sleep without Shiro by his side holding him, and often woke up screaming in the middle of the night, or panting heavily and whispering rapidly under his breath. It had cause Keith to lose countless nights of sleep, and his anxiety had increased to the point where any little movement towards the red paladin made him flinch and back away, something that Shiro had to get used to.

But eventually, Keith was going to be okay, and the little red paladin smiled at Shiro's gentle touches. When he looked at Shiro's face, however, something was off.

Shiro's hair was pure white, as was his skin, and his blank, staring eyes.