After the battle for Naxzela ended, while most of the paladins of Voltron were in negotiation with Lotor, Lance and Keith found themselves on the bridge. Alone. Lance knew the risk Keith was willing to take for them. In the silence, he let out a small sigh and took a step towards Keith. Keith looked up from the floor, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He hadn't really had much of a chance to talk to anyone yet, but he knew Matt had a brief word with them before they started the debriefing with Lotor, so he was not exactly eager to hear what Lance had to say.
"Matt told us what you were going to do." Keith didn't move, didn't even flinch, despite the uncharacteristically stern note in Lance's voice.
"I was going to do what I had to do."
"You were going to martyr yourself."
"I had to try to st—"
"Not like that!" Lance snapped. "Not by dying." Lance let out another small breath. "Look, we need you. Whether you're the red paladin or the black paladin or off with the Blades of Marmora, we need you."
"Well what was I supposed to do, Lance?" Keith started raising his voice back. "Was I supposed to let Haggar win? Let thousands—millions—of people die? Shiro, a-and Pidge, and… and you?" Keith felt himself soften. The idea of Lance being dead hit him a little bit harder than the others. Lance released some of his tension as Keith did. "I couldn't let that happen. You guys are… the closest thing I've ever had to a family." Keith sank against the wall. "I couldn't let you all die." Lance sat across from Keith, silent, just waiting for Keith to keep talking. He put his hand on Keith's knee, a gesture of comfort, and was surprised when Keith clasped his hand around Lance's. Keith's grip was tight, clenched, and it was another moment before he spoke again. "I was so scared, Lance." And then, Lance saw something he never thought he'd see. Keith crumbled, falling forward onto Lance's shoulder. Lance instinctively wrapped Keith into a hug, pulling him close.
"It's alright," Lance murmured, running a hand through Keith's hair. "Everyone was scared. But we're all here."
The boys just sat like that for a while, Keith struggling to pull himself together and Lance's fingers tangled in his hair. Eventually, Keith sat up straight again. Lance still had his hands at Keith's shoulders, and a million thoughts ran through his head, mainly how goddamn much he cared about Keith, how crushed and destroyed he'd be if Matt had said "Keith sacrificed himself" instead of "Keith tried to sacrifice himself" and how his heart pounded when he saw Keith was okay. And then it clicked in Lance's mind.
"This whole thing has made me realize…" Lance muttered, leaning forward until his forehead was up against Keith's. Keith blushed, a pink hue spilling across his cheeks. He'd been trying to deny that he had feelings for Lance, but he did, and he never dreamed they'd be this close. Keith took a breath, took a chance, and closed the distance between him and Lance, their lips meeting, and by God were there fireworks. Lance pulled away after a moment, and he couldn't help but grin a bit.
"Heh…"
"What were you saying this whole thing made you realize?" Keith teased.
"That I am… hopelessly gay for you."
"Well, if I'd know it would take a suicide attempt to get you to kiss me…"
"Keith, I will kiss you a thousand times if it will keep you alive," Lance said, in all seriousness. Keith blushed, standing up as Lance did, and interlaced their fingers. Lance grinned at him as the others returned.
"So, are you two—" Pidge started to say, then she glanced down, noting the fact that Keith and Lance were there, holding hands. She smirked, then glanced towards Hunk. "Alright, Hunk, you owe me 20 bucks."