Coran awoke with a groan, his body shaking from pain coursing through his body. With shaky hands, he forced himself to his knees, aimlessly squinting around. Dust and debris clouded his vision, showing clear signs that the room had been utterly wrecked.
He turned at a heavy sound of metal screeching against the ground. With no power, he watched a few hands forcing the passage open, the paladins pouring in with panic clear on their expressions.
"Coran!" Allura swiftly followed, running to him.
"Princess…" they helped him to his feet, scanning him over for injuries.
"What happened?" they demanded.
"I do not know," he admitted. He recalled leaving the control room and then Lance screaming his name- after that, nothing. As the dust began to clear from the room, they were horrified at the devastation. The crystal that once illuminated the room in a gentle glow was now gone, shattered upon the ground.
"The crystal-" They ran forward but froze.
They saw him then, thrown across the floor and motionless; Lance.
Keith's feet were already moving before any of them could utter a gasp of shock, "LANCE!" he slides to his side, scrambling to turn him over. "Lance? Lance!?" Keith lifted him as gently as he could, shaking him slightly in hopes of stirring him. When he didn't respond, Keith gasped a few times, air struggling to enter his lungs, "He's barely breathing!" he yelled to Shiro.
The Black paladin dropped to his knees next to them, running his fingers below Lance's ear to feel for a pulse, "...He's in bad condition." Lance seemed to be shaking, but with closer examination, Shiro realized it wasn't him. It was the one holding him. "Keith…"
He was furious- desperation set deep in his eyes. "Who did this?" he seethed, a dark threat looming behind his eyes.
"Lance needs immediate medical attention! We have to get him to the infirmary!" Pidge insisted.
"Without the crystal, the castle has no power," Allura tells them
"Then what do we do?!" Keith demanded. A second later, the King of the Arusians ran into the room, sweating and gasping.
"Lion warriors! Our village is under attack! We need help!"
"What?" Allura couldn't believe her ears. Who would be attacking them at this very moment? And at a time like this no less?! "We can not get to the lions without power. They are sealed within the hangers. We are defenseless."
"Will you not help us?" The kind squeaked in terror.
"We'll help you," Shiro assured him. "We just-" Lance groaned softly and Keith tightened his grip, lifting his head to lay on his chest.
"Shiro…" he says weakly, "What do we do?" the terror in Keith's voice was numbing.
The thing was- Shiro wasn't sure what they could do.
Coran pulled away from Hunk, coughing, "We have to get a new crystal to get the castle working again." he explains. "But, to get a new crystal we need a ship."
"The pod I was loading!" Pidge gasped in realization, "We can use that. I left the bay door open."
"I can use the scanner on the pod to see if there is a Balmara near by. Hunk, you come with me, I'll need someone strong to help carry the crystal." Coran nodded.
Hunk glanced to Lance hesitantly then asked, "A Balmara?"
"It is where the crystals come from-" with no time to lose, Coran motioned for them to follow, "I'll tell you about it on the way!"
Hunk didn't move immediately, eyes slowly trailing to the Red paladin, "Keith!" Hunk pointed to him, "You better watch over him with your life- you got that?! If I come back and he isn't breathing- I'm going to rip your heart out!"
Keith could barely manage an answer and nodded, his body gently rocking as he held Lance. "Hurry and get that crystal."
"You can count on me!"
When they were gone, Shiro narrowed his eyes to the frightened Arusian King. With the given situation, his hands were tied. There was only one thing he could think of to handle both situations simultaneously.
Bracing himself for the anger he would receive from what he was about to say, he turned to the red paladin, "Keith." he began cautiously as if speaking to a wild beast, "I need you to go see what is going on at the Arusian village."
"What?" Keith roared, shocked that Shiro could even suggest such a thing "I can't! Lance-"
"Lance needs to get the infirmary as quick as possible." Shiro agreed, "But we can't do much without that crystal."
"Exactly! So why-"
"You are faster than me Keith, but I am stronger than you. You can get down to that village within twice the time that I can, but you can't carry Lance all the way to the infirmary. I can. I'll tend to him the best I can then stand watch over the castle."
"I can carry Lance!" Keith is enraged- but not about the comment about Shiro being stronger than him. He could see how much Keith wanted to say no- he was even expecting him too. "But…" he grit his teeth and looked down to the one he as holding. Keith knew he had a point but- "Shiro, I can't." he almost begged, brushing his thumb over Lance's bruised cheek.
"The faster you help those Arusians, the faster you can get back," Shiro promised him. "I'll watch over him till you get back."
Allura watched with baited breath, half expecting Keith to explode. When he didn't and instead gently handed Lance to Shiro, possibly the only one he would fully trust in this situation, she sighed with relief.
"Be careful," Keith said when Shiro adjusted Lance in his arms.
"I will," Shiro promised.
Nodding a few times, Keith bit his lip, hesitant to move. "I'll be back…" Allura watched Keith reach a hand towards Lance, gentle brushing a bang from his face.
Ah… so the mice were right after all.
He did love him.
"Go. I got him." Shiro nodded to them.
'I'll go with you." Allura offered, "I'm the one who brought this on the poor Arusians."
Nodding silently in agreement, knowing the more help the faster the work was done, they ran off. Glancing over his shoulder one last time, Keith picked up the speed. He had to get this done with and fast.
0000-0000
When Allura and Keith finally were able to get to the village, they were shocked to see the entire place ablaze. "Great Warrior!" Klyzap was running to them, "Thank goodness you have come!"
"How did this happen!?" Allura yelled over the shouts of the people.
"Look!" the King pointed downward, "Attackers!"
They could faintly see them through the flames- Galra soldiers. Were they behind this? Gritting his teeth, Keith ran forward,
"Stay here! I'm getting a closer look!" he dove over the side, using the hill to slide down to the village below. He was going to tear these things apart for getting in his way! He didn't have time for this!
"Keith!" Allura called after him.
Pushing through the village, careful to stay out of sight and simultaneously out of the flames, Keith pulled out his sword when he got close enough to see the soldiers. His grip was shaking against his bayard- struggling to keep his calm assess the situation before lunging out there.
They stood together, neither of them moving. When a large pillar behind the soldiers fell, the ground shook slightly, and so did they.
"What?" Something wasn't right. They began to fall then, landing on their side as if they weighed nothing. When the last soldier fell to its side, Keith began to realize something. He was just looking at empty armor.
None of the Galra were really here.
Lance.
"Oh no.," he whispered. "They tricked us!" he turned and started to run back.
Lance!
"It was just a diversion to separate us and thin the castle defenses!" Lance! Lance! Lance! He shouldn't have left! He should have stayed! "Hold on, Lance… I'm coming!" using his jet pack he shot back up the hill, tugging on Allura's arm to follow him. "Come on!"
They ran as fast as their feet could carry them, pushing through trees and hills as desperately as they could. When they approached the bridge, they barely got halfway across before the lights on the castle turned back on.
Instead of a serene blue, they were a dark purple.
No.
From the top of the castle, a particle barrier began to appear behind it. Attempting to make a run for it and squeeze inside, they were just a second too late and it closed on them. Keith hit it hard, hands gripping it like a vice.
"We're too late…" he choked, "NO!" he slammed his hands against it.
"They have control of the castle." Allura shook her head, "They're taking Voltron. They're taking everything!"
"Can we break through the barrier?" Keith demanded, pulling out his sword. He had to get in there!
"No." she shook her head, "And if they can put up the barrier it must mean they have the crystal. Which means they'll be able to fly the ship. We have to stop them!"
"How are we going to do that?" his mind could only think of Lance. He was injured in there- dying from that explosion! If they had him they could just- just- "What do we do Allura?!" he screamed.
"I don't know!" she screamed back.
"Keith…" they froze when a voice called to them, "Can you hear me?" it was coming from their communication device.
"Pidge?" Keith gasped. "Is that you? Where are you?"
"I'm inside the castle. Sendak has taken over the place and is preparing for launch." There was a small pause from them, "Keith… he's got Lance and Shiro."
Keith grit his teeth, slamming his fist against the barrier once more. "Can you get to them?"
"I don't know… If this place takes off, I don't think it'll matter."
"Pidge, listen." Allura says, "If they have started to launch sequence then we don't have much time to stop them."
"What do I have to do?"
"You have to get down to the main engine control panel and disconnect the primary turbine from the central energy chamber. If you can do that then Sendak will have to restart the whole system. That might give us enough time to stop him."
"Alright." Pidge says, "I'll do it. Just walk me through what I have to do."
Keith could do nothing but pace as Allura explained to Pidge what they needed to do. It had taken Pidge a while to get to the central energy chamber, and when they finally did, the ship had started to shift.
"Tell him to hurry up!" Keith snapped.
Allura grit her teeth, "Pidge! Find the control box and insert this sequence of numbers!" she gasped when the ship began to rise a little, "Oh no. It's about to take off!"
"PIDGE!" Keith roared into his communication device.
"I lost contact with him!" Allura shrieked.
This couldn't be happening. If that ship left there would be no chance to get to it. They would be stranded on this planet.
Keith would lose Shiro and Lance again! He could- He couldn't do that!
"Lance! Shiro!" He banged on the barrier till his fists bruised.
"Keith, stop!" Allura tried to pull him away, knowing it would be dangerous to stand here if the ship lifted off.
"I have to get in there!" He was blinded by rage, pulling against her grip. Through his fury, the boosters on the castle turned off and the ship stalled. Gasping, air heaving in and out of his lungs, he glanced at Allura.
"Alright Allura, now what?" Pidge's smug tone echoed in their communication.
"P-Pidge?" she stammered, "You did it! You stopped the takeoff!"
Keith crumbled to his knees, "You- what took you so long?!" he demanded.
"It is hard trying to read Altean gibberish you know." Pidge snapped at him. "Chill your jets, Keith."
"Chill my- Lance is dying right now! How you get your ass in gear?!"
"Hey! I'm the only one you got right now to try and stop this, so how about showing a little support?"
"Paladins!" Allura scolded them, "This is not the time for fighting. We have to get this particle barrier down before they can restart the Engine!"
"Just tell me what I need to do."
Letting Allura do her thing, Keith stumbled to his feet. As she explained to Pidge what needed to be done, he pressed his forehead to the barrier. Hunk and Coran were off getting a crystal right now, Pidge was fighting for their life to get this barrier down, Allura was walking them through it… and Keith? What was he doing?
Nothing.
He couldn't do anything.
Just like before, on Garrison, all he could do was watch. Slamming his fist forward, he could hear his bones threatening to crack.
Forced to rely on Pidge and wait, he took a heavy breath. Hold on Lance… Shiro… He'll get there soon.
00000-0000
When Shiro regained consciousness, the air felt cold and familiar. His hands had been cuffed behind his back- a sign that he was a prisoner at this moment.
Déjà vu was just punching him in the face right now, wasn't it?
Able to force himself up to his knees, he could see Sendak barking orders in front of him, "Haxes! I want who ever is in this ship found and terminated! That Green paladin will pay for getting in our way!"
Pidge? Was pidge still here and in the building? If they weren't here with them, that must have meant that they avoided Sendak's detection. She could still get them out of this.
Grunting, feeling bruises running along his side, he glanced over to see Lance laying on the floor next to him. His conditioned seemed to have gotten worse, a cold sweat running along his forehead. He needed help and soon.
Inching over to him, Shiro turned to pressed his hand to his forehead- as he suspected, Lance had gotten a fever. He prayed it wasn't over an infection.
Glaring towards Sendak, Shiro grit his teeth. He wasn't sure how long he stood there, a gun pointed to the back of his head by one of his Gladiators, but Shiro could assume at least a few hours.
At one point, Sendak's second in command, Haxes, left to fix the generator. When he didn't reply to his communication, Sendak called down to him.
"Haxes! Report in!" he commanded.
It surprised Shiro to hear Pidge reply instead, "Haxes is gone, and you're next!"
Sendak hissed, "You slowed me down, but this ship is mine!" he growled furiously, "You will turn yourself over to me immediately."
"Never!" Pidge yelled.
There was a cruel chuckle in Sendak's voice, "Well then maybe your leader can convince you."
Shiro tensed when he turned to him, "What do you want?" he growled definitely.
"Your friend wanted to hear from you." he started to reach his robotic arm towards him. Sensing the game he was playing at, Shiro grits his teeth.
"Shiro?" Pidge asked quietly from the other end.
"Pidge!" Shiro called, "Pidge don't listen to him-" Pain enveloped him a second later and he screamed. He knew this was just a ploy to get Pidge to surrender. "Pidge don't!" He screamed when he fell to his knees, struggling to breath. His body twitched against his own will, the electricity still coursing through his veins. He screamed again when Sendak hit him.
"No!" Pidge pleaded.
"You can make it stop." Sendak informed her, "His suffering is in your hands." ending the transmission, Sendak turned to him with a sadistic smile. So use to his time as a Galra's prisoner, Shiro was fully aware of what would happen next.
So it wasn't all that surprising when Sendak began to beat him, punching and kicking him across the room relentlessly. When Shiro turned to him, each with a fire in his eyes after every hit, Sendak shook his head, "Your spirit is impressive, as is your escape from Galra custody," he kicked Shiro back towards Lance, "Perhaps it would be worth a trip to your planet to see if the rest of your kind have your spirit. Of course, they will all end up broken, just like you." Lifting Shiro up by the back of his armor, he held him up like a doll, "Come now. Champion, was it? Is this all the fight that you can muster?" Throwing him to the ground, he pressed the heel of his foot into the Black Paladin's chest.
He grunted, trying to turn away from it.
"And what of this one?" Shiro started to yell when Sendak reached for Lance, lifting him, "Practically dead before we even fully attacked. Pathetic."
"Don't touch him!" he kicked at Sendak
"What a weak leader- caring for you underlings." Sendak teased with a sick crooked smile, "Shall I finish him off now? He will hold no use to us in his condition." he tightened his grip around Lance, squeezing. After a few seconds, Lance began to scream and squirm- woken for only a moment from his unconscious state.
"Stop it!" a voice screamed from the halls.
Gasping, Sendak dropped Lance to the floor and turned to see Pidge standing at the open door. "You!" he threw his robotic fist at her. Ducking, Pidge fled down the corridor, Sendak in hot pursuit.
When he was gone, Shiro rolled to his side, gasping at the relief on his chest. Reaching a hand out for Lance, he was startled to find Pidge running in.
They had used a hologram to distract Sendak. "Shiro." she knelt to him and lifted her bayard to cut at his cuffed hands. Before she could, a large hand had grabbed her and yanked her back.
It was Sendak.
"You really think your little hologram trick would work with me?" he seethed, attempting to crush Pidge beneath his very grasp. Sensing approaching feet, he turned to see Keith and Allura sprint into the room.
The Particle barrier had managed to fall- leaving the door wide open for the both of them.
"Pidge!" Allura yelled.
He lifted Pidge a little higher, "Stand Back." he threatened to crush them in two.
Before he could even tighten his grip to show he meant his threat, pain exploded across his back as someone shot him. No one could believe their eyes when they realized it was Lance.
Being unconscious before, the Galra had not even considered taking his bayard away- truly their greatest mistake.
Eyes narrowed and teeth grit tight, Lance lowered his gun and fell back, unable to stay conscious for too long from the pain coursing through his body.
Taking that as a chance, the rest of the Paladins charged at Sendak, overwhelming him and cutting off his hand. Allura in the meantime snuck around to the controls, setting up a barrier. While it was usually used to protect the crystal, it would now be used at Sendak's prison.
When he was trapped inside, Keith closed his bayard and ran for Lance. He was using the step as support, breathing soft and uneven. "Lance?" he held out his hand to him.
Blinking, Lance stared at him with half lidded eyes, "Keith…" he held out his hand. Taking it, Keith knelt to him.
"Are you okay?" Keith scanned over his body, feeling his mind running a mile a second, "Did he hurt you? Can you hear me? What is your last name?"
"...Mcclain…" he slurred weakly. He coughed, wincing at the feeling, "We- We did it." he chuckled, "We are a good team."
Keith couldn't help but smile, relief coursing through him. "Yeah." he agreed. "You're okay now, Lance."
As if that was what he was waiting to hear, Lance closed his eyes and his head lulled back onto Keith's shoulder. Holding him tight, Keith closed his eyes and let out a heavy breath he had been holding in.
He was okay.
Unconscious and horribly injured- but he was okay.
"Where is Hunk and Coran with that crystal?" he grumbled.
"Actually-" Allura perked up from typing on the computer, "I think they are just arriving."
"Perfect timing," Shiro admitted, using Pidge as support to help him to his feet.
Keith didn't waste a second to help Hunk and Coran unload the crystal and place it back into its slot. He barely even talked to any of them until Lance had officially been changed into a healing suit and placed within a cryo pod to heal.
When Lance was finally in Keith never left his side, despite Allura assuring him that he would be fine with a day's rest. He didn't even care about whatever Coran and Hunk were talking about with the Balmara and someone named Shay.
He just- He wanted Lance to wake up. To smile and joke…
That was all he wanted.
"Pidge, we can't thank you enough for all you did," Shiro told them. "I can't help but feel that you were meant to be apart of our team, but I understand if you want to leave."
Shifting their gaze, Pidge smiled, "I remember my dad telling me how close he was with his crew- they were like his family. I think I understand what he meant by that." they smiled at him, "I'm staying with you guys. Let's stop Zarkon for all of our families." They looked to Pidge, "And for all of our friends."
They nodded in agreement, Keith turning to Pidge, "It is good to have you back." He says honestly. If it wasn't for Pidge- well they would have never gotten to Lance in time.
Touched that he said that, Pidge reached over and patted his back, "He'll be okay."
"I know.." Keith looked away, "...Thanks."
"Man- I don't know about you guys- but I'm struggling to stay awake here." Hunk's balance wavered, "I need to go lay down."
"I think we could all use some sleep after today." Allura agrees,
"You guys go ahead." Keith folds his arms, "I'll stay here. Make sure Lance is okay."
"Are you sure?" Pidge inquired. He nodded stiffly.
"Call us if anything changes." Coran insisted, "I'll go double check the security system. After everything, the castle isn't the most stable thing right now."
Nodding, too tired to really talk, everyone shuffled to their rooms. It was hard to sleep after everything that had just happened- but exhaustion hit them hard and most were unconscious the second their heads hit the pillow.
Unable to sleep, Shiro took to wandering the halls. Considering checking on Lance, he wasn't all that surprised to find Keith still crouched in front of the pod when he entered. "Keith." It had been hours since they left him there.
Turning to him, exhaustion evident on his face, he clears his throat, "Shiro."
"You should get some sleep."
"I'm not tired."
Shiro could hardly believe that but nodded anyway, "You come to check on Lance?"
"Did you?" Keith returned the question instead of answering.
"Yeah, I did." Moving across the room, he sat down next to Keith. They didn't say anything for a while, only stared at Lance through the pod.
Keith could sense that something was eating away at Shiro's mind, but he seemed hesitant to bring it up. Finding it unusual for Shiro of all people to hesitate, he asked, "Something wrong?"
His leader sighed, "Yeah."
When he didn't say anything else, Keith frowned, "Well?"
He turned to him suddenly, his gaze downcasted, "I'm sorry Keith."
The apology startled him, "What?"
"I broke my promise. I told you I would guard the castle and protect Lance. I failed."
"Shiro…" Keith couldn't believe his ears, "N-No. This isn't your fault. You were outnumbered and we all left you to defend the castle alone."
"I still let him get hurt. As a leader- anything that happens to all of you is my responsibility."
"Shiro…" Keith hits him a little, "Don't do that to yourself. Sendak is the only one to blame for what happened. We- we were all pretty reckless tonight with the party."
He nods, "I know…" he glanced at Keith cautiously, "I've never seen you so angry before."
Keith shrugs a little, "We were all on edge."
"No… you looked ready to kill something, Keith." Shiro puts a hand on his shoulder, "I honestly thought you were trying to with when you attacked Sendak."
Keith barked a little, "Why would I? He attacked us. He wasn't going to show us mercy anytime soon so why should we?"
"We aren't the Zarkon or his forces," Shiro says as soft and stern as he can. "That kind of path is a dark thing to travel…"
"Whatever." Keith turns away, "...If that is all you can leave."
'I can watch over Lance."
"I got it," Keith says a little too quickly. "I said I would so I'll do it." Feeling Shiro's gaze on him, he shrinks a little, not sure what the older man wanted from him. "What?" he demanded after a while.
"They are still there," Shiro notes with a smile.
"What is?"
"I know you still care about him, Keith," Shiro says. Keith flinched a little, lowering his gaze, "It is okay."
"It isn't okay," Keith says. "It isn't okay for him. He hates me."
"Lance doesn't hate you."
He snorted, the sound painfully rumbling in his chest, "Have you seen the way he acts around me?"
Shiro has that smile that he gets when he knows something Keith is missing, "Yes. He doesn't hate you, Keith. I can promise you that."
"…How are you so sure?"
"You tend to miss a few details if you aren't paying attention, Keith." Shiro informed him, "Just trust me on this."
Keith wasn't sure what he meant and was kind of pissed he couldn't figure it out, "You gonna explain what you just meant?" he demanded.
"Nope." Shiro didn't say another word after that. He stayed up with Keith until the others patted their way in- tired, but ready to check on Lance.
"Good morning, everyone." Allura is quick to approach the pod, checking its state. The anxious looks she gets has her pausing, feeling her own sense of anxiety to the situation. "He should be fine."
"Should be?" Hunk pales.
"Will be." she corrects.
"So he isn't?" Pidge looks close to death.
"He is fine!" she waved her arms around, "Just- look, he looks fine." in fact, no injuries seemed to be covering Lance's face anymore. They had all faded as the hours ticked by.
"Yeah but-" Hunk cringed to get a better look at his friend, "I can't tell if he looks healthy or not."
Pidge pushed their face up to the glass, "I think he is breathing weird."
Keith was getting sick of this. There was only one way to full check and that was to get him out of there and awake! "Oh come on-" he reached out to open the pod.
Allura slapped his hand away, "Not yet, a few more ticks."
"How much better is he going to get in a few more ticks?!" Keith demanded
Shiro frowned behind them, "What even is a tick?"
"A time slice," Allura explains simply
"Like a second?" he raises an eyebrow. Allura blinks at him.
"What is a second?"
Pidge holds up a clock to show her. Not sure, they go to Coran to borrow his ticker. Decided to have a small game out of the situation, they restart the clocks at the same time to see which was faster- a tick or a second.
Completely engrossed in the situation, Hunk giggled, "I think we are winning!"
"Winning what? The Intergalactic time measuring competition?" Keith grumbles.
"Yes." Hunk huffs at him, "Don't judge it."
"I'm going to judge it."
Not even realizing that the pod opened behind them, Lance stumbled out. His body felt too light to be considered normal and he was stumbling around the room before he could spin his way over to his friends. They were all huddled together in a little circle, eyes locked in a deep concentration at the clocks in their hands.
Blinking, Lance stared at them. "..." yeah they were just staring at ticking clocks for whatever reason. "So… is this a clock party?" he inquires. Startled by his voice, they turned to him.
"Lance." Hunk groans, "You just ruined it-" he gasps and throws his arms around him, "LANCE!" he said in realization, "You're awake!"
Crushed by Hunk all too powerful bear hug, he grunts, "Y-Yup… can't breath."
"Sorry." he drops him instantly, steadying him.
Coughing a bit, Lance blinked blurrily, "What happened?" his mind was too fuzzy to recall. There was a party- he was talking with Coran and then… pain. A lot of it. Something kind of warm too- a real familiar warmth that had him smiling, but he couldn't remember what it was.
"We'll tell you all about it while you get something to eat. Are you able to walk?" Allura inquired, gently placing a hand on his back.
Blinking, Lance patted his stomach, "...Food." he agreed. Despite his legs feeling like jelly, he was able to change back into his clothes and make it to the kitchen with Shiro and Hunk's help. The goo had never looked so good before.
Munching down, happily sharing with the mice when they leaped up to the table, he listened in awe to the tale the other told him. They had done so much just to help him…
"You would be Sendak's prisoner right now if not for Pidge," Allura concludes.
Pidge waves it off, "Well, you wouldn't have survived the explosion if Hunk and Coran hadn't gotten a new crystal."
Lance was in awe of this team he was apart of, "Whoa guys… thank you. Really." he can see Keith mopping down the table, his body partially propped up to sit on it. When their gazes caught, Keith tensed a little. Quick to recall the last interaction with Keith- at least what Lance assumed to be the last time- he felt a little flustered and was quick to correct the feeling,' "...Sounds like the mice did more than you, though." he teased. The Mice were glowing, joyful at the praise.
Keith's mouth fell open and he yelled, "I punched Sendak!"
"Yeah." Lance rolled his eyes, "Apparently after I emerged from a coma and shot his arm off." he couldn't remember it at all, but it sounded awesome.
Keith was stammering, "We had a bonding moment! I cradled you in my arms."
The was more information that Lance ever wanted to know, "Nope!" he denied quickly, "Don't remember, so it didn't happen, end of story." he smirked a little at him.
Keith's lips twitched a little, and Lance swore he thought Keith was going to smile back- but then something flashed in his eyes. Startled by whatever though he just had, Keith suddenly shot up from the table and turned away.
No one seemed to find the action weird, but Lance did.
Mouth dry, he tried to restart the conversation, "S-So what happened to Sendak?"
The Princess says, "He is frozen in a cryo pod. We are keeping him here in the castle."
Lance isn't sure he likes that, "You sure that is a good idea?"
"He is too dangerous to set free. Besides, we might be able to get some information about Zarkon from him."
Nodding, accepting that for now, Lance asks, "So what now?"
Hunk was quick to say, "We have to get back to the Balmara and save Shay."
Shay. That was all Hunk could talk about this last hour. He talked about her more than he did food! It amazed him, "Wow…" he said in awe, "You are really hung up on this lady."
Hunk shook the comment off, "No, you don't understand. Look, guys, when you've seen how these people have lived, you'll understand. They have lived under Zarkon's thumb for so long, they don't know what it is like to be free. As paladins it is our job to save them, that is why we are here! It is time to man up!"
Startled at his determination, Lance felt himself grinning, "Then what are we waiting for?"
"Let's get moving. Time to defend the universe." Shiro turned to head out.
"Wait!" Pidge jumped to their feet. Taking a few deep breaths to calm themselves, Pidge began to speak rapidly, "Listen… I-I have something I need to say. I am afraid if I do, though, it will change how you all think of me. I need to come clean. Just so there are no secrets between us anymore, I need to say that I can't man up… I'm a girl."
Lance was gagging on his food. Pidge continued to talk, but Lance could only focus on the words, I'm a girl.
Pidge was a girl? Since when? How did that happen? Were they always a girl? How had Lance never caught onto this?
"You're a what?!"
Pidge flinched at his reaction, grinning nervously.
The others were just nodding and chuckling like they knew all along! How could they tell! Was it that obvious?!
"Good to get that off my chest." He- or, she- Pidge, they- AHHHHH! "Let's launch this ship!"
Lance was stumbling after them, "Wait- What?! Pidge is a girl and the Castle's a ship?!" he demanded. Unable to handle so much new information, he gripped his skull, "How long have I been out?"
"Only a day," Allura assures him with a chuckle. "We must get ready for departure, though. Are you well enough to take a few boxes down to the storage units before we take off?"
Looking at the boxes, he shrugged, "Uh- yeah sure."
Allura smiles- then looks to the red Paladin. Giving her little mice a look, they can see she has a plan brewing up her sleeve, "Keith?" she calls sweetly.
He glances at her, "Yeah?"
"We really need to leave as soon as possible- can you help Lance?"
"I can do it." The blue paladin huffs, not looking like he liked that idea.
"It is just to save time," she assures him.
Keith doesn't answer for a long time, looking from the boxes to Lance, weighing his options. At some point he finally agreed, pushing passed Lance without a word and scooping up the larger portion of the boxes. Lance, not wanting to be shown up by any means, scrambled after him.
"I got this," he tells Keith. He may have been injured before, but he felt great after getting out of that cryo pod.
Keith completely ignored his comment, moving down the hall at a brisk pace. Confused, Lance followed after him with the box. Arriving at the store unit below, they placed the boxes within. Wondering if Keith was perhaps mad at him, he scratched his head, "Uh so… I know I teased you before but thanks for coming to save me."
Keith nudged him out of the way.
"Keith?" He was mad at him, wasn't he…? "Oh come on Keith, I was just messing with you. I know you did a lot. You took on Sendak! …. Keith?"
"Don't talk to me, Lance."
"What?"
"I said don't talk to me."
Lance couldn't believe his ears. The way he said that… it reminded him of a year ago back at Garrison. Keith had just pushed him away then too. What was his issue?! Shiro was still here, they all were alive and well- was he just pissed that Sendak got the upper hand on him!?
"Dude, what is your problem? Now you've gone back to completely ignoring me?" Lance demanded. He should have been thankful that this was the turn of event and not the other way with Keith constantly smothering him… but he wasn't.
"I'm not ignoring you."
'You are." Lance folds his arms.
"Lance, just drop it, okay?" Keith pinches the bridge of his nose. "I'm not in the mood."
Lance goes quiet for a moment, the answer swelling within him. That single comment probably vexed him more than anything else on this entire journey!
"Not in the mood?" he grinds his teeth, "What does that mean?"
"It means exactly what I said."
"And what the hell are you trying to say, Keith? Am I not cool enough to talk to after getting taken out by the Galra so easily-?!"
"No! It is the fact that you got taken out by the Galra and I couldn't do a goddamn thing about it!" Keith roared. Startled, Lance stepped back when Keith began to stalk towards him. "You were right, Lance! The mice did more than me! Everyone did more than me, and all I could do was stand outside the castle while you were dying inside!" He slammed his fists towards the side of Lance's head, pinning him to the pillar behind them, denting the very metal. Lance froze, his gut clenching and breath catching in his throat, "If Pidge hadn't stopped Sendak and Hunk hadn't gotten that crystal you would have- you would have been…" His gaze wavered and he lowered his head until his forehead bumped against the top of Lance's chest, "You would have died.." he choked out.
Gulping, Lance can't say anything for a long time. Forcing him to speak he can barely manage something above a whisper, "B-But I didn't. No one was in control of what happened. All of us were caught off guard."
"I should have at least been there- been the one to take you to the medical bay. I wanted to be the one to do that." his voice sounds torn and hoarse, so uncharacteristically broken
"I don't- Keith, you are confusing me."
"That is why I'm ignoring you!" when Keith finally looked up, Lance wished he hadn't. Those eyes were the thing that caught his attention the first time around- those unwavering and earnest spheres that just pulled everyone in. "I am ignoring you because you are okay. Because I am so happy that you are okay that if I look at you- if I talk to you- I don't know what I'll do Lance." his arms were shaking against the pillar, his head leaning forward enough to rest on Lance's shoulder this time. "I'll break rule number two." it was a promise as much as it was a warning, "I'll hug you… kiss you… show you how grateful I am that you are alive and so much more. I'll never let you go, Lance… I'll do my best to make up for every mistake I've made and give you my everything..." Keith lifted his hand.
Lance couldn't breath. His heart was throbbing too loud in his ears to think as Keith's fingers graze the side of is cheek.
They retreat with a heavy sigh.
"But I know that isn't what you want. You don't want everything I have- not anymore." he slowly stepped back, "I ruined it and hurt you… I don't want to do that again." stumbling back, struggling to stay on his own two feet, Keith sniffed, "So please- stay away from me. At least until I can sort out everything in my head and put these feelings behind me. I accept if things will never be the same- but I cannot bare to lose you from my life again, Lance. I've had to let go of too many people without a choice. I can't let you be one of them. So if we can only be friends- or even just team mates- I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes."
"...Ke-"
"Keith!" Pidge was yelling from atop of the stairs, unable to fully see them through the railings, "Where are you?!"
"Be right there!" Keith says quickly. "...See ya, Lance." He bolted up the steps a second later, disappearing into the halls of the castle.
Waiting until he could no longer hear the gentle clinks of Keith's heels, Lance slide to the ground. He should have felt relieved- he wouldn't have to get angry at Keith for this anymore. He could just move on like he wanted from the very beginning.
But it was only then that Lance realized with tears stinging his eyes- he wasn't sure if this is what he wanted.
Damn it, Keith.
Why do you alway make this so hard?
