Disclaimer: Voltron and its characters are owned by WEP. I make no claim to them. Other characters and the story belong to me.
Enjoy!
Chapter 12: Confessions
Keith walked over to open the door. It slid open to reveal the breathtaking vision of the Princess of Arus. She was still dressed in the ice blue confection from dinner. Gone, however, was the white overshirt. What stood before him was the very image of the Grecian Goddess, Aphrodite. Keith couldn't utter a sound as time seemed to stand still.
Allura looked up into the handsome face of her raven haired protector. He wore no mask tonight. Raw emotion was written all over his face, the depth of feeling and desire evident in his eyes. She looked him over and took in the sculpted chest and narrow waist. The way his lower body filled out a pair of old blue jeans brought from earth. A quick breath escaped from between her moist lips.
There was no room for words. There was no need for words. Keith crossed the room in three graceful steps, the look in his eye like a lion stalking its prey. He drew Allura into his arms. He pulled her into the room as his arms encircled her waist. He looked into her deep blue eyes, an unspoken question hanging in the air. When she smiled her consent, his lips were on hers in an instant. The kiss was light, tentative at first. As she responded to his touch, he pulled her tighter, deepening the kiss. Her lips parted slightly, their tongues dancing. Sensations and desire pulsed through them both. Keith leaned into Allura until she backed up into the wall. All the emotions of the day were in that kiss: jealousy, confusion, realization, apprehension, desire, and finally longing. After several minutes, Keith gently broke away. Allura whimpered her protest and tightened her arms around his neck. She was not ready for the kiss to end.
"Allura, Allura," Keith whispered. "There will be more time for that. We have much to discuss. Today was a whirlwind and we have much to figure out."
"I know," she pouted. "I have just never experienced anything like that before. That kiss…." her voice trailed off. "Keith, please?" she begged.
He relented. As his mouth claimed hers again, he picked her up into his arms and then laid her gently on his comfortable old couch. Allura couldn't get close enough to him. She pressed her body into his as if she was holding on for dear life. Her head was swimming from the emotions and desire that were threatening to overwhelm her. That heaviness she had experienced in her nether regions when she saw Keith at the gym was back, but it was more powerful now. She had been kissed before, but never like this. Keith left her panting and wanting more.
Keith was slowly losing control. This was Allura, his Allura. Subconsciously, he must have always loved her, must have always wanted her. Those feelings were awakened so suddenly and so fiercely today that Keith hadn't even had time to process them. He almost didn't know what to do. His mind was warning him to stop as his body was cheering him to go, go, go! When he felt himself harden in response to Allura, his primal need had him grind his pelvis into hers. She pulled back in surprise.
"What?" she gasped. Her eyes trailed from his face to the bulge straining against the button of his jeans. "Is that….?" She raised her eyes to meet his, an innocent look of awe on her flushed face. She brought her hand to her swollen lips in a movement of mock surprise.
"Yes, Allura," Keith responded through clenched teeth. "That is what you think it is. And don't play innocent with me. I watched you in the gym this afternoon. You know what you're doing and you know how to work it to your advantage. If we don't stop, I may not be able to."
She giggled and lowered her lashes. "But, Commander," she purred. "What if I am ok if we don't stop?" The question hung in the air between them.
Keith groaned inwardly. "I'm not ok if we don't stop, Allura. And I'm sure Koran and Nanny wouldn't be either."
The mention of her governess and advisor took the wind out of Allura's sails. "Wow, Keith," she muttered. "You really know how to ruin the mood." She punched him in mock agitation before snuggling into his chest as they lay next to each other on the couch.
He chuckled as he planted a kiss into her blond hair. "Now Princess," he scolded. "I told you there would be plenty of time for that. Let's take a breather. We need to talk about what happened in the garden."
"The garden…" Allura repeated, thinking back through the events of the day.
"You came to me seeking advice about Prince Doesn't – Matter – Anymore." Allura giggled as he continued, "You were talking about what you were hoping for in your marriage, from your partner. We looked at each other and it was like…BAM! I don't know how else to explain it."
Allura thought quietly for a minute before she replied, "I was describing what I wanted my husband to be, how I hoped to feel about him, and he about me. All of a sudden, your face flashed before my eyes. I turned, and there you were, like you always have been and always will be. All those things I had been dreaming of, yearning for, were right here all along. It all became clear. I still can't believe it took me this long to realize it."
"I almost kissed you right then and there, you know," Keith admitted quietly. "And then my damn communicator went off. Koran, summoning me to his office."
"The timing really did stink. What was it Koran wanted?" Allura implored, thinking she already knew the answer.
"He was informing me that Prince Cedric was withdrawing his suitor request. I was elated. But then Koran asked me point blank if something was going on between us. I, of course, denied anything. Up until that moment, we truly had been nothing but friends," Keith explained.
"When do you think things changed, Keith?" Allura asked thoughtfully.
"I don't know Allura. I don't think we will ever know. I think things have been evolving for a long time and we just didn't notice, or wouldn't allow ourselves to notice. Even Koran already had a clue," Keith stated.
"Was he upset?" she sat up suddenly. "The laws, the expectations! I am supposed to marry someone of royalty."
Keith held her more tightly and smoothed her hair as he assured her, "On the contrary! Koran was extremely supportive. He says that there is a clause in the law that states that the heir to the throne can marry a commoner if that person has proven himself or herself worthy." He laughed. "Koran doesn't seem to think that would be a problem. He gave me a blessing, Allura, a blessing in the name of your father, that I may court you."
"He did?" Allura's eyes filled with tears. Her tears were brought on at the mention of her father and at the compassion and love of her mentor and advisor. "What about Nanny? She will never approve of a relationship between me and 'one of you hooligans," she mocked the governess's thick accent.
"I don't know for sure, but I think maybe Koran may have already talked to her." When Allura cocked a blond eyebrow at him, he continued, "She was acting really friendly toward me at dinner. She made my favorite meal, and even winked at me."
"No!" Allura gasped.
"Yes, she winked at me," Keith stated again emphatically.
Allura sighed. "What now?" she asked. "Where do we go from here?" She looked directly into his eyes. "This is uncharted territory, Keith. We have always been just friends. Good friends. I don't want to ever lose what we have. I don't ever want to lose you if things don't work out."
"I have thought about that, Allura. The practical, soldier part of me thinks we should just stop here and not pursue it any farther. But my heart won't listen." Keith sat up and crossed his legs as he faced Allura. He took her hands in his. "Princess, I realized today that I love you. I have always loved you. I just never let myself see it or feel it before. It makes sense now. The protectiveness I have always felt toward you, the disgust toward Lotor's crazy obsession. Even the jealousy toward your princely suitors and the great relief when they would go away. My heart is winning out over my head. I think we should give this a try. What do we have to lose?"
Her breath caught in her throat as she listened to his heartfelt words. She had never seen this side of Keith. So open and forthcoming, his heart on his sleeve. Tears were once again forming in the corners of her eyes, from happiness this time. She nodded at him. She nodded emphatically. "Ok," she whispered. "Let's try. I have never wanted to try something so badly in my life. I love you, too, Keith. I realized it today, but it has been there forever."
He pulled her to him once again and sealed their declarations with a kiss. As they pulled away, Keith looked at her questioningly. "So, what now?"
"Well," she smiled. "Royal Arus tradition calls for you to officially court her Royal Majesty, Princess Allura, and seek the approval of her guardian. Seeing you have already done that, the only thing left to do is to let the courting officially begin." She leaned over and kissed him gently before she continued, "I say let's get back to the kissing part of the courting." She licked her lips seductively as she gazed at him through her lashes.
"Minx," Keith groaned as his lips found hers once again. Neither noticed as the candles burned down to almost nothing.
Lance stopped outside of Keith's office door an hour later as he headed to bed. He listened and thought he heard small noises coming from inside. Just as he was about to knock, a wave of exhaustion hit and he thought about the fact that he had Lion Practice in just a matter of hours. Talking to Keith could wait until morning. He whistled as he continued down the hallway to his room, unaware of what had happened between two people near and dear to his heart.
