Bonds of Love
by (Kitty)Lynne
Disclaimer: The world of Voltron and its inhabitants are owned by World Events Productions.
Chapter Rating: PG-14 for some mild cuss words and slightly steamy behavior. :)
Chapter Two - Changing of the Guard
Captain Keith William Powell sat at his desk attending to one of the more tedious aspects of his job; finishing up his weekly report to Galaxy Garrison. It was habitual to get it over and done with before his morning officially started so that he could turn his attention to the usual, more important things, like facilitating security meetings, practicing judo, or training with the team in Black Lion.
But today was going to be a departure from the usual; there would be no meetings, no practicing and no flying, all because the excellent work ethic and professionalism for which the Voltron Force were renowned had recently and noticeably been slipping.
No one had complained that he had continued to push them hard in their regimens, but after training as hard as they had been for so long, Keith knew the signs of burnout were impending and was why he had taken the unprecedented step of canceling all meetings and practices and making it a free day for the entire team. It was standard practice for Earth soldiers and Space Explorers to take the occasional leave to rejuvenate themselves and to keep up their morale, even in times of peace. He saw good reason to apply that tactic to the Voltron Force now, and their mile-wide smiles when he had informed them of his decision had confirmed that he was right to have made it.
Ironically, his was the opposite problem. When he kept busy, he could avoid unnecessary introspection and happily ignore the restlessness that had been building within him. Having excess time to reflect upon why he had been feeling disgruntled and dissatisfied with his present life on Arus could only be detrimental to his own sagging morale.
Arus might be at peace, but he was still fighting a war within himself.
But that was something he'd have to deal with later. Right now, he had a job to finish. He sat forward in his chair, trying to concentrate on what he'd written. A moment later, he leaned back and heaved a loud sigh of resignation at the glimmering vision of wide blue eyes framed by a flowing mane of cornsilk hair that blocked out thinking about anything else.
Not surprising, of course. The Princess had been huge distraction for him ever since the day he'd first laid eyes on her.
No matter what she did or where she was, she had his full and complete focused was he upon her well being, it had gotten to the point that he could swear that the few times they had been separated in battle he could sense her thoughts and hear her speaking to him. When they were together in social surroundings, however, it was completely different story; though they enjoyed the bond of friendship, the deeper connection he felt was cut off with a feeling akin to having slammed a door shut between them. Not once outside of battle had he deliberately sought out her thoughts in his mind or try to discern her feelings about him, and he had taken pains to make sure that barrier stayed in place. She had no idea that she was constantly on his mind; a very good thing, given the erotic nature of some of those thoughts.
What the hell was wrong with him? Why couldn't he just relax? They had won a hard fought peace and beaten Zarkon at his own game! Arus was his second home, now, and Allura was in his charge. She was a true comrade in arms, and a good friend. None of that was an excuse for him to feel out of sorts with his lot.
She's the reason and you know it, he answered himself bluntly. You're pissed off because you don't know what to do about her and you.
The admission prompted him to massage the muscles in the back of his neck. Allura overwhelmed him in every way a woman could overwhelm a man, and he had been overcompensating for that loss of control by being extra formal and distant with her whenever she tried to close the gap. His standoffish attitude had put a strain on their relationship, and he wasn't at all happy about that, but what choice did he have?
There were other good reasons for taking that approach, one of them being that their conflicting occupations would throw some major roadblocks in their path if he'd ever choose to pursue her. Besides the gap in social status, there was also the fact that as her commander, he couldn't show any preference for her company lest it be construed as favoritism. And then there was the trust Coran and Nanny had placed in him, which meant that even in down time, he couldn't ever drop his guard around her. Leaving Allura out of the social outings he and the guys went on was as unfair as them being excluded from hers, but it was the way things had to be. He was only human, and if he saw her in that bikini of hers one more time...
But that wasn't her fault.
Allura deserved the highest marks in the world for perseverance. She had tried so hard to obliterate the boundaries erected between her and her teammates, and had worked tirelessly to become the kind of comrade they could count on to cover their butts in battle. There were many times she had succeeded in becoming 'just one of the guys', but then her guardian or governess would always show up with a stern reminder that she was a cut above them all and had pressing responsibilities that left her no time for commoner friends.
It still rankled to think of the humiliation she had suffered being dragged away from having fun with her teammates, even though the logical part of him validated the reasons for it. If she had been allowed to socialize freely with them, it probably would have caused trouble among the Arusian rank and file, and eventually, between the male teammates who constantly vied for her attention. It had been best for team unity that she had been kept away, and so he'd kept his mouth shut. Even so, he still found it appalling and outrageous that Allura had been locked in her room, or on one infamous occasion, actually tied to a chair to keep her from participating in some innocent and much needed recreation!
Great. He was getting a headache, something these kinds of contradictory thoughts never failed to bring on. Dammit! Why did things always have to be so complicated when it came to Allura? Why couldn't he accept that the only link they would ever share was one of service and duty to others, and once again become the loyal and supportive friend she had counted on for so long? At times like these, he really envied Lance's easy way with the Princess. If given a clear shot, the Red Lion Pilot would cross the line of friendship in a heartbeat-what man in his right mind wouldn't? Still, Lance seemed content with playing the role of a surrogate big brother...or at least, hadn't given any hint that he wasn't.
Which was a whole lot better than his commander was doing.
He had a problem and he wasn't at all content with that mindset. He didn't have it in him to act like a brother to Allura since the day that damn Norwegian had dropped some broad hints; hints that had him daring to hope that someday he would be given the chance to get to know the woman beneath the crown on a very personal level.
That naïve little fantasy had ended when Sven was attacked and Allura had become the pilot of Blue Lion. Even if she had any romantic interest in him, Galaxy Garrison's Officer's Regulations forbade a romantic relationship between a commander and a member of his crew. Allura fit into that category now. Disciplined and clear thinking person that he was, he had retreated behind the wall of protocol and professionalism. Going to meetings and planning training regimens kept him busy and away from temptation.
But it also meant he had to endure second hand stories of her innocent flirtations with Lance and Nanny's constant matchmaking attempts with any eligible members of nobility that happened to drop by.
He wasn't going to hide or run away from that, though. He didn't feel intimidated or unequal to the tasks royal duties presented; heck, as Captain of the Voltron Force, he had participated in too many official ceremonies to list. What it all boiled down to is that he had a job to do, and couldn't let his personal feelings cloud his perspective. Garrison perspective was clear in this situation; duty before self. He needed to set an example- to be an example- and the sooner he dealt with that the better. Nothing would come out of exploring the feelings he had for the Princess, not to mention that with Lotor still at large, they would all do well to not be distracted from their number one priority.
Allura should remain what she was; brave, pure of heart and strong willed, the wholesome, noble symbol of a planet he'd sworn to protect and defend.
~Yeah, you're a real paragon of virtue, aren't you? What happens when another pretty boy prince comes along and tries to sweep Allura off her feet?~
Keith scowled, then decided to avoid the question by going back to furiously typing data into his laptop, pounding out his frustration on the keyboard until the report was finished. He reread it, grimaced, and then ran spell check. When the numerous errors had been corrected, he sent it to Galaxy Garrison. It definitely wasn't his finest effort, but it would do.
After noting the time, he reached for his communicator to contact Coran, as was their morning ritual, then frowned at the loud burst of static that greeted his summons instead of the Royal Advisor's modulated and soothing tones. Obviously, the comm system upgrade had encountered a substantial glitch. There was no cause for alarm, but he'd feel much better if he checked it out pronto, peace treaty or not.
Eagerly snatching up his malfunctioning communicator, Keith exited his quarters and sprinted down to Castle Control.
"Nanny, why didn't you call me on the comm?" Allura asked, smiling warmly at the woman who had taken such good care of her since her mother's passing.
"Vell, Princess, it seems that the comms are not operational in this Wing after the last system upgrade was uploaded to the mainframe." Nanny replied cheerfully. She moved briskly around the room, laying out pieces of her royal charge's toilette. As she ducked into the huge room that contained Allura's wardrobe, her voice was muffled as she added, "I really haf no idea what that means, but Castle Control is looking into it."
"I see." Allura replied, stifling a laugh. Her governess made no secret of the fact that she didn't fully trust high technology and much preferred the traditional analog way of doing things. "I think I'll skip the bath and take a shower today. Keith gave the team a free day and I don't to waste a moment more in getting it started!"
Nanny stuck her head out of the closet. "Do not forget you haf to attend to your lessons with Coran this morning."
Allura's stare said that she had forgotten this detail, and that she was annoyed by the reminder. The look of displeasure increased tenfold when she saw the outfit her Governess had brought out for her to wear."Oh Nanny, not the pink dress again!" She moaned. " Please, there has to be something else in that cavern of a closet that's comfortable and still appropriate! I'm so sick of those cumbersome gowns!"
"Such nonsense!" Nanny declared huffily. "This is proper dress for a princess of-"
"The House of Altaire, yes, yes, I know. But can't I wear something else just this one time? I have no official engagements scheduled, and the only high official I'll be seeing today is Coran, and I know he won't mind."
The older woman paused and considered the matter.
"If you allow it, I promise not to complain about going to lessons," Allura coaxed, sensing her governess was weakening.
Nanny sighed loudly, and then capitulated. "All right, since it is a free day, you may vear a different gown. Now put on this robe and ve'll get you into the shower, although I don't know why you would prefer being pelted to a lovely soak!" She added, with a sniff.
"I don't prefer it...it's just quicker, that's all. Thank you, dear Nanny! You're the greatest! " Allura leapt out of bed to hug the older woman, who returned the affectionate gesture wholeheartedly even as she chided her charge for her undignified behavior.
The loud chime of the door tone made them both jump and then giggle a little as a deep, gravelly voice penetrated the door's thick steel.
"Nanny! Hey Miss Nanny! Are you in there with the Princess?"
Nanny clucked her tongue in disapproval when she recognized the gruff tones as belonging to the pilot of Yellow Lion. Hunk was hopeless in matters of etiquette and properly addressing his elders, but she had to give him credit for trying.
Glancing at Allura to make sure that her robe was on and properly tied, she called back a greeting and bade the young man to enter.
Hunk smiled at the Princess, then looked at Nanny and said, "Coran sent me to get you, ma'am. He needs you right away -somethin' about discussin' some social type stuff with you."
The gaze of the governess grew wide with dismay. "Oh no, I haf forgotten! Ve must finalize the guest list for the Ambassador's banquet! I must go…but no, I cannot! With communications down, you cannot be left alone, Princess!"
"Why can't Hunk can stand guard outside the bathroom? That is, if you wouldn't mind doing that, Hunk?" Allura asked him shyly.
"It's okay with me, Princess," the Yellow Lion pilot replied, with an equal amount of shyness. "Always happy to help you out."
Nanny looked at him intently, trying to determine if the remark had been flirtatious. The innocence and sincerity in the young man's face reassured her and she relaxed; there was really no need to worry, as she hadn't seen any romantic sparks flying between Allura and this boy. Now if it were Lance, it would be a different story.
"All right. First I vill finish laying out your garments and then I will go to Coran." She said, shooing them out the door while shoving a basket of the Princess' bath toiletries into Hunk's arms. "I vill be back sooner than you think, Hunk, so don't think you can get away with any funny business!"
Hunk rolled his eyes, but answered with commendable patience. "Yes, Miss Nanny."
"I get so tired of the watchdog routine!" Allura confided to her friend, as they strolled down the short corridor that led to her bathing chamber. "I'm sure you do too!"
"Aw, I really don't have a problem with it, Princess," Hunk replied. He inhaled deeply. "Man, the stuff you got in this basket smells good enough to eat!"
Allura giggled. "Yes, but I would recommend you don't try it!"
They reached the large bathroom suite. Hunk opened the door, carefully checked out the interior, and then handed the Princess her basket. She smiled her thanks, but the smile quickly changed to a gasp of dismay as she caught her heel on the hem of her nightgown and tripped on the threshold. Hunk grabbed her arm to keep her from falling, and both cringed at the sound of tearing material.
"Steady, Princess! You all right?"
"Yes, but I'm sure my nightgown isn't! I...I'm afraid to look."
She did however, and so did Hunk. Half of the nightgown's hem now dragged on the floor, and a small hole was also clearly visible where her slipper had caught in the material.
"Ohhhh..." Allura's eyes welled with tears. "This was my birthday present from Nanny. She spent hours embroidering it for me, and now I've ruined it!"
Hunk hummed and hawed for a moment, and then said gruffly, "Well ya know...it's not that bad a rip. Maybe I could…ya know...fix it up for ya?"
"You think so? You could?"
Allura looked at him with eyes so full of hope that Hunk forgot his embarrassment over what he was about to reveal. It was gratifying to see that the Princess was taking him seriously, and that she wasn't going to scoff or laugh at his offer.
"Sure I could!" He said heartily. "My folks own a tailor shop back home, an' they taught me all kinds of things about embroidery and sewin' stuff. With us being such a large family, I liked to help out whenever I could even though it's not, uh, a very manly kinda trait." He shrugged. "Don't advertise it, but I can sew with the best of 'em! Comes in real handy for a bachelor."
The Princess beamed. "I think it's wonderful! You're a man of hidden talents, Hunk!"
The Yellow Lion pilot grinned. "Yeah, hidden talent- that's me all over!"
"But...how are you going to repair it without people seeing it? I don't want the others giving you a bad time on my account!"
"You're talkin' about Lance, right?" Hunk chuckled at his friend's rueful expression. "Don't worry, I can take care of him."
"All right." With the happy affirmative, Allura went into the bathing chamber so she could remove the damaged nightgown. After slipping on her robe, she opened the door again and handed the garment out to Hunk, who folded it into a neat, handkerchief sized square and carefully tucked it into an inner pocket of his vest. "Leave it to me, Princess." He promised. "Trust me, okay? When I'm done, it'll be better than new!"
"Of course I trust you!" She responded warmly. "You fix things better than anyone I know!"
"Darn right!"
They shared a conspiratorial grin, but when the Princess turned towards the door again, she paused and sighed in vexation. "Oh! Squirrel's nuts!"
Hunk's grin turned bemused. "Huh? What-"
"I forgot to grab my towels." Allura sighed. "Hang on, I'll just dash back to the linen cupboard."
"Nuh-uh, no way! I'll go get 'em for you."
"Thank you, Hunk, but it's not necessary-"
"Nanny would have my hide if I let you run down the hall in next to nothin'!" The Big Man stated with surprising firmness. "Where's the cupboard, Princess?"
Reluctantly, she told him.
"Okay, now you better get back in there-it won't be good for the staff to see you standin' around here talkin' to me in your robe!"
She smiled at him as she stepped from the hall into the bath chamber. "You're a very thoughtful and gallant man. Thank you."
~Wowee,~ Hunk thought, as he headed down the corridor to the linen closet. ~The Princess is a real sweetheart. Wish Twyla could have turned out to be that way...~ A dull blush crept up his neck at the thought. ~No use frettin' over it. It's not like most women aren't out of my league anyway.~
Upon reaching his destination, Hunk opened the closet panel and eyed the large stacks of towels within. He grabbed for a stack of fluffy blue ones, then turned to jog back to Allura... only to be stopped in place by the hand that came down hard upon his brawny shoulder.
He yelped in surprise, and clutched the towels as he whirled around to meet the amused gaze of his team leader. "Keith! You tryin' to give me a freakin' heart attack?"
"Hey, you were concentrating so hard, I think a herd of elephants could've snuck up and surprised you!" Keith's dark brown eyes held laughter as Hunk gave him a sheepish smile. "I'll assume you're not stealing those towels. What's up?"
Hunk's chest swelled with importance as he drew himself up to his full height."For your information, Chief, the comms aren't workin', and Nanny asked me to keep an eye on the Princess while she's in a meetin' with Coran."
Keith raised his eyebrows. This was an unexpected and unprecedented event. Could it mean Nanny was relaxing her ideals of propriety at last?
No, probably not. More likely she had been running behind and didn't see the amiable Hunk as posing a serious threat to Allura's virtue. "So you already know about the comms. Where is the Princess now?"
Hunk waved a hand towards the bathing chamber, and then grabbed the towels again as the gesture almost overbalanced the stack. "She's gettin' ready for a shower. She forgot her towels, and I didn't think she should be prancin' around the halls in her robe, so I-" his voice trailed off at seeing his Captain's lips twitch. "What's so funny?"
"Absolutely nothing. I was going to ask you to go down and take a look at the comm systems, but since you've been pressed into service as Royal Cabana Boy, I'll find someone else-"
"I'm guardin' her, not waitin' on her!" The Yellow Lion pilot insisted, trying to maintain his dignity as the scent of lavender wafted from the pile of girly looking towels. "I'd like to help ya out Boss, but I'm not going to bail out on the Princess! Duty comes first, ya know."
Keith grinned. "You won't have to 'bail out' on her. I'll relieve you at your post if you'll head down right away to Castle Control." Turning more serious, he added, "we need you to run a very thorough diagnostic. Those comms need to be working for security purposes more than anything and you know them better than anyone."
"I'm on it, Chief!" Hunk responded. "Er...what should I do with these?"
"I'll take 'em."
As the pile of towels was transferred over, Keith noticed that a white swatch of material had been left hanging out of his teammate's vest. Instead of handing it over, Hunk quickly stuffed the small cloth back in his vest pocket as he pivoted sharply and strode away toward Castle Control.
Keith turned and headed for the bathroom, wondering idly why such a delicate looking piece of material was being carried by the team handyman. Not that it really mattered... and it was none of his business, anyway. He had a bigger concern to attend to at the moment.
A few corridors away, Hunk finally slowed his stride and reflected on his narrow escape. After a few moments, he realized with dismay that he probably should have gone and told the Princess that Keith was taking over for him. Although, it really shouldn't make any difference to her who was guarding her as long as she knew and trusted them, he consoled himself. Princess would understand the urgency of the situation. Keith was polite, discreet and resourceful, and he'd handle anything she might need the right way. He was the Captain, after all.
Reassured that he had not deserted his post, Hunk smiled. As resourceful as Keith was, there was one thing that he couldn't do that Hunk could.
Fixing Allura's torn nightgown was his mission. All he needed was to find a hiding place for the nightie until he had the chance to sit down and work on it; a secret place, concealed from all prying eyes.
As Hunk vanished around the bend, Keith relaxed his back against the wall and patiently waited for the Princess to finish her shower.
The sweet voice humming an unfamiliar song over the gushing water made him smile. It was good to hear Allura sounding so happy and carefree. She deserved a permanent break from the stress and heartache she had lived with for so long, but he was glad that at least he had been the person responsible for giving her one today. Even though the burdens of her office had eased in the last couple of months, she still had plenty to be concerned about when it came to taking care of her people.
She had gotten very good at hiding her worries, though. The only real tension and stress he could remember her displaying lately was in regards to the altercation with Lance in judo class.
Keith gnawed his lip thoughtfully, recalling the mortified look on Allura's face as she had run away from his questioning. When he had cornered the Red Lion pilot in the locker room about her unusual roughness in practice, Lance had blown it off, saying that it was nothing, that he had taunted her about throwing like a girl and that Allura was only paying him back for the gibe.
The story sounded plausible, until the next day when Lance had shown up for an early morning workout with a spring in his step and a bright smile pasted on his face. Highly suspicious of his friend's cheerful demeanor at such an ungodly hour, The Captain had promptly inquired as to what his second in command was doing there. Lance had shrugged off the question, but his suspicions had intensified even more when he noticed that for the rest of the workout Lance kept glancing at the plants in the corner, as if expecting to see someone skulking behind them.
The topper had been when Allura failed to appear at team breakfast, and when she had rushed off after practice later that day with barely a word to anyone. Lance had stared after her, the his expression one of mingled frustration and regret - a look that said he cared very deeply about what Allura thought of him, whether he would admit to anyone or not.
~He may not act like it, but I know damn well Lance would break every rule in the handbook for her.~
Keith's brows drew together. Was Allura hiding from them because she was interested in Lance and didn't want to get him in trouble by showing it? It would be very much like her to sacrifice personal happiness to spare a friend from being hurt...
Something twisted in his gut at the thought of Allura crushing on his best friend, and twisted again at the idea of Lance seeing her as a woman.
A woman he wanted for himself.
A woman who was completely alone at the moment.
~No one knows I'm here. Allura is naked.~
He closed his eyes, but it was no use. A picture was already forming in his mind, flickering to life on the inside of his eyelids like some artsy but intensely erotic foreign film; a softly glowing image of water darkening golden hair, and coursing down a lovely upturned face, full breasts and flat stomach to finally trail in rivulets down long, sleek legs.
In the past two years he had clamped a lid down on his sexual urges, sublimating them into the activities associated with war. Now that outlet was gone, and there was nothing to distract him but the image of her extravagant mass of golden hair wrapped around her nude body. God, how badly he wanted to run his hands through that silky mane. He wanted to feel her mouth under his as he parted her thighs and buried himself to the hilt in her warmth. He wanted it so much he reached out for it with his mind, feeling the rush of excitement as he opened the closed door and reached out for contact...
A strange noise intruded. He blinked, realizing that the portal to the shower room really was sliding open, which sent his thoughts scattering in a flash. He jumped to attention, shocked at the realization that he had been so lost in his fantasy that he hadn't even noticed when the water had stopped running.
A bare arm extended from around the corner, flailing aimlessly in the air to attract attention as a cheerful voice drifted to his burning ears.
"Hunk, would you please hand me the towels?"
A whiff of steam carrying light fragrance wafted out into the corridor. Keith inhaled appreciatively as the scent of lavender and plum blossoms encircled him, even though his common sense shrieked at him to ignore, ignore, ignore, that nothing but carnal sin could come of knowing she smelled that way right after a shower.
Flustered, he completely forgot to inform the Princess of the change in her guard as he silently set the pile of towels upon her arm.
After a chipper sounding 'thank you', the towels and arm vanished into the recess and the door closed with a thud. The Captain tried to close a mental door just as firmly. People trusted him to do the right thing. He was here to do a job, and do it to the best of his ability.
He gave another start when the door flew open once more, and the Princess stepped out into the hallway, her golden head still averted as she finished the task of tying the sash of the white robe she now wore. The garment was thin, silky and slightly damp, making it most obvious the Princess had nothing on beneath it. It clung to the curves of her figure. His eyes glazed over as he noticed the pink tint of healthy flesh glowing through the semi-transparent material.
Allura glanced up, and Keith found himself staring into very wide and guileless blue eyes. His own bemused gaze ran over her plastered down hair and her face - still breathtakingly lovely without makeup - before fixing upon a small bead of water on her graceful neck. His eyes followed it in fascination as it coasted down to the hollow of her collarbone before disappearing down into the valley between incredible breasts.
Feeling his body respond to the sight, he jerked his gaze up to the vent slats in the ceiling above his head and began to count them to regain focus and control. What the heck did he think he was doing, ogling the Princess so openly? Dammit, this is the worst! I need to get out of here!
But his traitorous legs refused to cooperate with his thoughts, and so he stood as still as a statue while his blood pumped thick and hot in his veins.
Mercifully, the object of his desire had unfrozen and and jumped back inside the bathroom. Peering at him from around the doorjamb, she asked in a small voice, "Is everything all right? Where's Hunk?"
The prosaic questions restored a bit of his composure. "I had to relieve him so he could go help Pidge fix the upload to the systems. I'll stay with you until Nanny gets back." Somehow he managed to sound calm, even though his senses were swimming in her scent. "Sorry that I didn't tell you it was me out here instead of him."
"Oh, that's all right." Allura said, slowly emerging from the bathroom, a basket of cosmetics in her hands. "I probably wouldn't have heard you over the water anyway."
Now he could see that she had parted and arranged her hair so that it draped in two long ropes over either shoulder; the coils followed her curves, defining them in a delightful way, while hiding any evidence of perkiness-
Do not go there! Off limits! Keith told himself fiercely. He forced himself to focus on a freshly scrubbed face, the lovely pink that had bloomed in fair cheeks ...and then rediscovered temptation as he looked into the shining depths of eyes that held sweet but obvious awareness.
As surely as if she had shouted it aloud, that look said that what he was trying so hard to hide was very mutual.
Her eyes briefly dropped to his lips, then lifted. When their gazes connected, the heat in the impact made his breath catch in his throat and sent a rushing feeling from his head to his loins. The door was opening, and he suddenly didn't care about shutting it. Nothing mattered except that Allura was finally looking at him as if he were the only man who could make her happy.
He held her gaze. Her eyes were warm and unguarded, and held an unspoken promise. Her lips parted slightly, a subtle invitation, and the Black Lion pilot felt himself beckoned by their innocent allure.
Ever so slowly he bent forward, bringing his mouth to within a few inches of heaven. A current stirred and moved between them like a sentient being. Their gazes remained locked, and he noticed her eyes were now sparkling with challenge. Was she daring him to kiss her?Her head tipped back to a more accommodating angle, and he could hear her breathing grow shallow.
No, it wasn't a dare. It wasn't a command, either.
She was asking.
He hesitated, drawing out the moment of anticipation as his fevered mind considered the repercussions of kissing Allura. God knew how much he wanted to do it. He had wanted it ever since he'd arrived on the planet and had seen her standing at the top of that broken staircase...
It's all right. You can touch me. A voice whispered, deep in his mind.
Brown eyes widened, and then closed tightly. He wanted to give in, to let her in, but every survival instinct he possessed was telling him to refuse, instincts that had never failed him before...
I can't. I'm so sorry.
This wasn't the time or place for a first kiss, and it was the wrong thing to do given the circumstances. He and the Princess were standing close together in a place where anyone could come along and see them. She was barely clothed; if they were seen like this, rumors of a tawdry liaison would soon be flying about the castle, which would probably result in her being barred from spending any time with the team outside of lion practice.
He couldn't do that to her. Blue Lion meant too much to her, and he had made a vow to protect her from being hurt in any way. It was a promise he intended to keep, even if it meant pushing her out of his reach.
Mind made up, his eyes opened, and he regarded her with what he hoped was a dispassionate stare. "You better get going, Princess," he stated tersely, deliberately breaking the spell between them by stepping back to let her pass. "There's a draft. You don't want to catch cold."
She blinked. Disappointment and confusion flickered in her eyes, but her expression soon turned to chagrin as his refusal of her silent offer struck home. "N-No, I don't." She finally stammered, her face turning from pink to a deep crimson. "I...I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."
Putting her head down, she scurried past him in a manner reminiscent of her beloved Space Mice. Hating himself more by the second, Keith watched her retreating figure with hungry eyes. Despite his good intentions, he still couldn't help allowing himself the guilty pleasure of enjoying the view she presented.God help me, I'm no better than Lotor. We're poster boys for obsession.
Her robe was clinging damply to her backside, and the moisture from her skin had made the white fabric practically transparent. As a result, he now had a delightfully full -fledged view of her succulent royal tush as it flexed and swayed to and fro. He forced himself to turn away and for the few seconds he figured it would take her to get to the door's control panel.
When he looked back, she'd turned sideways and was punching in the code. His exhalation of relief as it opened changed to a gulp at the look the Princess directed at him as she stopped in the doorway to her room.
Her attempt at a smile squeezed his heart, as did the dismissal in her voice. "Thanks for staying with me, Captain. Nanny will be back soon, and I have lessons with Coran, so I'd like for you to go and enjoy your day."
He took a half step forward. "Allura, wait-"
He told himself it was just as well that his protest was lost in the closing of the door, and then that it was his duty to make sure that the room's locking mechanism was functional. When he reached the door panel, he ascertained that the lock was activated, then leaned his forehead against the hard, cold metal of the door.
~If this was just about how she looks, I could deal. The problem is that I want all of her, all for myself.~
No matter how hard he stomped down that awareness, a mere glance from her could bring it rushing to the forefront. And now things had just gotten much worse. It was clear that she was as strongly aware of the primal link between them as he did was, but had chosen not to acknowledge or pursue it, probably because she knew as well as he did what an affair would cost them in terms of his career and her political standing.
That thought should have come as a relief. After all, the Princess of Arus wouldn't need a protector forever; soon she would be forced to show an active interest in looking for a husband of royal birth that could give the kingdom a suitable heir. Once she started accepting the invitations of prospective suitors instead of turning them away, it would mean his days as her champion were numbered; he had known that ever since the day Coran and Nanny had first shown the team Allura's coronation finery.
Clenching his fists, Keith let out a growl of anger and frustration. The very idea of being in her honor guard and handing her over to some pampered, self serving, undeserving prince had been appalling to him then, and was ten times more now. Even though he wasn't allowed to have her, he'd be damned if he'd give her up to someone she didn't love...
For the sake of his future and his sanity, he needed to find a resolution to this dilemma without hurting Allura.
TBC