Keith had sat beside Lance's bed for three days until Coran decided his vitals were strong enough to put him in a healing pod. The breathing tube was removed, and the pins and braces holding Lance's leg were taken out, and he was placed in that cold tomb to heal.

Keith hated it, it felt like goodbye all over again. He didn't want to let go of his hand, his fingers shaking in Lance's palm, until Shiro placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him away. Coran closed the pod and Lance was sealed inside.

He was in there for two days, and while Keith wanted to stay the whole time, the others kept him out.

"You have to take care of yourself too, otherwise you won't be strong enough to help Lance when he really needs you."

Keith glared at Shiro, hands clenching and unclenching restlessly.

"He needs me now."

"He's asleep. We let you stay with him before because we weren't sure if he would make it but he's healing now and there's nothing you can do for him until he's out. He's okay, Keith. Go get some rest, or eat something or go train. You haven't moved from his side in a week, you could use some time for yourself."

Keith was about to argue again but Hunk just swept him up in a bear hug, lifting his feet off the ground as the big guy waddled across the room with him.

"Come on, Keith. I'll make you some food or, I don't know, we can punch robots together if you want. But you need a break."

Keith struggled a little in Hunks arms, but gave up after a moment. He could do with a break, he'd been so stressed out and frustrated with everything and his muscles craved a challenge. Hunk continued carrying his team mate away from the med bay, smiling as he hugged Keith to him.

"Where am I taking you, buddy?"

Keith relaxed in the yellow paladins hold and resigned himself to the hug, mumbling against his shirt.

"Training deck."

Moving again felt so good. Keith focused all his frustration and his pent-up feelings into taking down the training drones. Slicing and punching his way through level after level, and his mind was finally quiet. Everything would be fine. Lance was alive, and that's all he needed.

Another drone crashed the floor and Keith panted as he shut down the program. Hunk was waiting with water and one of his universe famous sandwiches that somehow tasted ice cold and spicy at the same time. Keith took the offered gifts gratefully as he sat, Hunk taking a seat beside him.

"You know he's going to be okay, right?"

Keith chewed his sandwich and shrugged. He knew Lance would heal but he'd never be the same.

Hunk wrapped an arm around his friend and pulled him close.

"He will be. I've known Lance a long time, and he's stronger than he knows. He wrote a letter to his family a little after we first left earth. After he almost died saving Coran, he came to my room and gave it me. He wanted me to give it to his mom if anything happened to him. And I won't have to give it to her, we won't have to send his body home because we saved him, because you made the right choice. And I'll tell him that."

Keith leant his head against Hunk's shoulder. He was right, and Keith felt like maybe Lance would understand that too. They just had to wait for him to wake up.

Hunk looked down at the red paladin, voice careful.

"Do you want us to be there with you when he comes out of the pod?"

Keith knew that the whole team loved Lance but he didn't want to overwhelm him after everything that happened.

"Maybe it would be best if it was just me, just for the first little bit. I don't want him to freak out and… Once I explain what happened, he'll need space to process it."

Hunk patted his shoulder, understanding.

"Okay, no problem. Just let me know if I can do anything to help you and your boyfriend."

Keith frowned, thinking. "Actually, there is. Could you make me something?"

….

Hunk was scribbling Keith's request on a piece of scrap paper, all his ideas spilling out at once as Keith described what he wanted. They were both so excited, but their conversation was cut short as Pidge came tearing into the room, feet sliding on the floor as she skidded to a halt in front of them. Her eyes were wide and she was breathless as she smiled.

"Lance's pod is opening!"

Keith froze for a split second before he scrambled to his feet, sprinting out and down the halls to the med bay. His mind was screaming at him, worrying, and stumbling over his practiced apologies, but once he got to the infirmary and saw Lance in the pod, all he could think was "I need to hold him."

Coran tapped a few things on some screens before taking his leave, Allura handing Keith a blanket for Lance before she left as well, the room emptying and leaving him alone with his panting breaths.

The pod hissed, the glass sliding open, and there he was. He was still pale but it was more of a cold chill than the grey, sickly pallor he'd been before. Keith could barely breathe as Lance let out a soft gasp and fell from the pod, right into Keith's waiting arms.

….

Lance's world was white and numb before he was birthed into an ocean of light. Sounds came, muddy, to his ears as he felt himself falling. But as he was swathed in warmth, cradled in loving arms against a heaving chest, he heard him, that same person that he'd been dreaming about since he left the darkness.

"Lance?"

…..

Keith caught Lance as he fell, wrapping the blanket hastily around his thin shoulders and holding him to his chest as he lowered them to the floor to cradle him in his lap. He held Lance, looking down at those slow blinking eyes and pale lips.

"Lance? Baby, say something."

Lance blinked, blurry vision clearing to see Keith looking down at him. He looked so worried, eyes filling with tears as he panted.

He reached up a hand to Keith's cheek, thumb sweeping over his warm skin to catch a tear that'd escaped.

"Keith." His voice was raspy and weak but it was the most beautiful thing Keith had ever heard and he broke into sob as he pulled Lance to his chest.

"You're okay, you're safe, you're here." Keith pressed his face to Lance's neck as the blue paladin pulled his arms up to hug him back.

"What happened?"

Keith didn't want to tell him. God, he just wanted to hold on and never let go. He had missed Lance so much and now he could lose him all over again. He pulled back a little, holding Lance against his chest, as they sat on the floor.

"Do you remember the mission?"

Lance's eyebrows furrowed, thinking.

"I think so? There was a tunnel and you were mad at me."

Keith brushed Lance's hair back, soaking in every touch as if it were the last time he would be allowed to hold him like this.

"I was worried about you, there's a difference, but yes."

Lance continued, the memories muddy and faded. He remembered the way that Keith had kissed him, how heavy it had been, and how he had heard Keith screaming when he…

"I blew it up?"

Keith nodded as he shuddered, choking on a sob. His voice cracked and shook but he needed Lance to understand.

"You were buried under the rubble and we got you out as soon as we could but it took so long and the damage was so bad. We thought you weren't going to make it, I thought you would die."

Lance looked confused as Keith placed a hand on his cheek, begging through his tears.

"You have to know that I love you more than anything and I couldn't bear the thought of losing you. I stayed by your side the entire time and I would have done anything to make it all better. Coran tried everything but…we couldn't fix it."

Lance tried to sit up, Keith was so desperate and upset, it was scaring him.

"Keith, what are you talking about?"

"Please don't hate me, you know how much I love you. I just couldn't risk losing you again and I know that's selfish but I can't live without you. Lance. You have to believe me."

Lance tried to adjust his legs into a more comfortable position as he sat, his right leg was aching badly but as he tried to move them he realized …. He couldn't. His left leg curled as it should but his other leg lay heavy on the floor, foot twitching when he tried to pull it closer. He couldn't move it.

His breaths came faster as Keith tried to explain. Lance couldn't look away from his leg.

"Lance, I'm so sorry. We tried everything we could but the damage was too severe and-"

The blue paladin shook his head, pulling away from Keith and god, how that hurt. Keith could feel the space between them growing cold and reached for him again as Lance tried to reach for the healing pods.

"I have to go back in, I came out too soon. I have to go back in the pods heal everything!" He was frantic. This couldn't be happening.

"Lance, it can't heal this."

"They heal everything!"

Lance finally looked at him and the look of terror in his eyes made Keith feel so much worse. But this couldn't be real. He couldn't move his leg, could barely feel it. Keith sucked in a breath as fresh tears wet his cheeks, Lance's own face the same.

"I'm so sorry. We couldn't put you in right away and some of the nerves died…but I couldn't lose you I couldn't risk putting you in."

Lance blinked, mouth falling open a little. "You…"

Keith watched that look of horror fall over his face and he didn't know what to do. Lance would hate him but he couldn't lie. His heart ached and he felt as if he were drowning. Oh, god, he couldn't survive if Lance hated him.

"I had a choice. Risk your life or risk your leg. And… I needed you to live."

Lance's mind was a howling beast, screaming at him as the reality set in. He was damaged, irreparably. It couldn't be fixed, he was broken forever.

But he could have died.

Keith watched his face carefully as he waited for a hit, for Lance to tell him he hated him, for something. But Lance just blinked, tears rolling down his cheeks to fall from his chin, before reaching out his shaking hands and pulling Keith into his arms.

Keith sobbed as Lance held him, hugging tightly enough to feel the squeeze of his ribs as they both shook against each other.

Keith let out a constant stream of apologies but Lance only held him close and kissed his cheek.

"I forgive you, it's okay. I'm here, I'm safe."

"I'm so sorry, Lance."

Lance shook his head. "You saved me. There's nothing to be sorry for."

Keith pulled back enough to look into Lance's eyes, to see that they were sincere, but kept his hands gripped on Lance's arms.

"You don't hate me?" Lance shook his head but he still looked so sad. Keith needed to make sure he understood, that Lance hadn't just misheard him.

"But it was my fault. I chose this, I did this to you and-"

Lance took Keith's face in his hands as the red paladin forced himself to breathe. He looked into his eyes, vision blurry from tears, and spoke with all the surety he had. He needed Keith to understand.

"I thought I was going to die when I blew up that tunnel and I thought I'd never see you again. But you're here, and I'm here and I love you so much. I will never leave you again and I will never stop loving you."

His voice shook with emotion, but his hands were now steady as he pulled Keith closer and pressed his lips to his. Their kiss was deep and tasted of grief but Lance's hands were gentle as he buried his fingers in Keith's long hair, and Keith's hands found Lance's waist.

They had lost each other so many times in the past week alone and now they were together and safe and no matter what, they would never let go again.

They held each other as close as they could, burning and grieving, like a dying star being born something new. They had never loved each other more and their skin burned at the others touch.

Lance had believed he was going to die, but he was back, safe, in his loves arms, exactly where he wanted to be.