13. The Promise

It only took a couple hours for the castle to be up in a twitter. Keith tried to stay close to Shiro as they moved through the whispering halls. His eyes conveyed nothing but guilt. Keith couldn't understand why Shiro had to look guilty. He had done nothing wrong. The kiss had been initiated by Matt, but Shiro had not pulled away as soon as what other might think as proper. On that, Keith could understand.

It wasn't fair, though.

The youngest prince of the ruling Ko family had always been a star role model when it came to personality. Sven was a better Master, Ryou had the people's hearts as an adorable idol free spirited and romantic, but Shiro was the one with a level head. It had always been evident that he would become a general, but after coming back from his time being captive, he had lost some of his more innocent aura. For a while he was a wreck, every forced smile more than obvious until he approached the new Black that had come to the Ko Lair not long after Shiro's return. Every knight could understand the feeling. Flying through the air on the back of such a magnificent creature put your perspective anew.

Shiro deserved happiness and so did Matt. Who knew what sort of horrors he had been through with his father. Seeing how Shiro had come out of it, Keith would have thought those two would barely be able to speak a word to a Galra even a hybrid like himself.

But, there were the politics.

"Prince Commander Shiro," a voice said from ahead of them.

It was Coran standing straight with arms behind his back and a few of the court behind him. Though he looked his ever pleasant stoic self, Keith could tell there was worry in the twitch of his orange mustache.

"Lord Advisor," Shiro greeted.

Coran cleared his throat. "My lord, you are requested in Her Highness' presence."

"I was already headed to her," Shiro said. "Will the court be joining us? I would prefer a private talk first."

The court behind Coran began to raise protests, but Coran lifted a hand. "Of course. The princess had requested a private talk as well. Continue on then."

They began to walk once more only to notice Coran and the court following behind. Without any indication of where they were to meet the princess, they headed straight to a common sitting room anyone could find the Altean princess and Ko prince conversing and getting to know each other on a normal day.

"They're following us," Keith pointed out.

"That's fine, just keep them far enough away that they can't hear," Shiro instructed before walking in.

Immediately, Keith took out his sword and stood in the middle of the hall facing the on coming entourage. They looked at him in surprise, but calmed down when Keith pressed the end of his sword to the carpet and took up a wide set stance.

"I can not permit you to pass any further. You promised a private conversation and I know Alteans hear words all too easily," Keith said.

Coran frowned. "We can't have him in there with her just themselves. You both are under suspicion."

Right, of course they were. They weren't Alteans and now Shiro's pass lover had shown up as a rescued Galra captive. "I understand that more than you can know. I've been under suspicion since the moment I stepped foot in this castle. I will stand here and take any judgement you have if something happens to the princess."

"At least one must go in," said one of the court.

Suddenly, the door opened and a ginger head popped out. Lord Pidge took short strides over to Keith, looked at the Alteans, then pulled out a small contraption before going to face the other end of the hall with her back against Keith's.

"If you are fine with this then leave," Pidge said. "A Builder wouldn't risk either of these royal lines. We know your fury and my brother's wrong is not worth it."

"Alright," Coran agreed. "We shall pass then."

Both Keith and Pidge moved to the side for Coran and the hesitant court. As soon as they were gone, Keith turned to Pidge.

"I thought you didn't like the castle?" Keith asked.

"I don't like courts and all this stuffy stuff, but I like the royalty on both sides. I intended to leave after talking with Matt, but Hunk caught me and insisted I look around with him and then Matt pulled that stupid act so Lance asked me to comfort his sister. Something about being able to do it better because I'm a girl. What kind of stupid shit is that?"

"Oh, so Lance is…" Keith trailed off.

"No, Lance isn't happy," Pidge said, voice sour.

Keith felt a stab in his chest. Of course Lance would not be happy, Allura was his sister and his responsibility. He didn't want her to get hurt and that included emotionally.

"Your brother isn't at fault here," Keith said.

"I won't blame Shiro if you think I will. Five years is a long time to be unsure of your lover's wellbeing. I gave up a few times, too."

"This is a political arrangement," Keith pointed out. Shiro had never stopped loving Matt, that Keith knew without a doubt.

"And it would have been easier if it wasn't?"

Silence fell for a few minutes then there was the sound of the door to the sitting room opening. Loud voices rose after.

"Allura, you can't just rush out like that, you haven't even let me finish," Shiro called.

"All you needed to tell me was that Builder was your lover and it was enough for me," Allura yelled back, her voice strained.

Neither Pidge or Keith moved to try and close the door. This was suppose to be a private conversation, making any movement that might indicate someone was listening tocause the conversation to be cut short. They needed to talk without the influence of politics over their heads. It wasn't as if Keith and Pidge didn't already know the story, not as if they couldn't imagine the words. But, it still hurt Keith to listen. It was more than obvious that the princess had let herself feel for a man whose love would always belong to the ghost of another.

And now that ghost had flesh.

"Allura, please let me talk. I am as confused as you are right now on what to do," Shiro said. "Do you not think this shocking for me?"

"Shocking!" Allura yelled then suddenly there was an air of quiet when she talked. "No, of course it would be. I just...I hoped that when I heard the Builder boy had kissed you that it was just an old fling or perhaps he had been overjoyed to see a dear friend. To say he is your lover is too much."

"Was my lover," Shiro corrected.

"Is!" Allura insisted. "Do not disrespect a man who has already lost respect with his own desperate actions. You have not stopped loving him. You did not need to tell me there was someone else you loved when I could see it plainly in your eyes. But, as I thought it was just unrequited love, or one long lost, I held silly young hopes you would come to love me."

"I will come to love you," Shiro insisted.

"When my stomach has been stretched and my arms full of your child? Oh yes, I'm sure you will love me then. I prayed by then I would love you, too, but your lover is alive. I won't be put second to a living being. Even if you don't touch him physically, your heart will be his."

"Then what do you propose we do?" Shiro asked. "We are arranged to be married. I told him that."

"And what did he reply?"

What did he reply, Keith wondered. Surely the one most hurt now was Matt. Ulaz had mentioned Matt had a ring, a treasure from Shiro. Did he know Shiro had gotten out? Knowing that, he must have tried twice as hard to reach him. It must have been torture and he had every day's memories full in his mind unlike SHiro's scattered ones.

"There...is another complication," Shiro answered.

"Oh by Voltron! Don't tell me he's a woman with your child. I won't believe that. There could be nothing more ridiculous."

"It's not a child, it is a ring," Shiro said. "I thought to keep quiet about it, but it would feel wrong."

"A ring?"

"My ring," Shiro clarified. "He has carried it with him every day since we were separated. I barely remember the days in which we were together in Zarkon's castle, but he has five years worth of all those nightmares, and what got him through, what gave him strength was what that ring represented."

"And what is special about this ring?" Allura asked.

"It's my sigil."

Shiro's sigil, it was an important symbol. Each offspring of the ruling pair was made a ring. King Akira's ring had been handed down to Prince Sven while Prince Ryou was given a ring their mother had designed. It had been generations since the ruling family had had more than two heirs that reached the age of eighteen. When Shiro had been crowned an adult, they had made him a gold ring with a Voltron prayer written in Volganean and encrusted with a small black lion made from dragon glass. They were rings to be given to the spouse of the princes.

Put simply, they were engagement rings. The prayers were a promise. Keith had assumed Shiro had lost his while with Zarkon, everyone had even Shiro assuming Matt was lost with it, so it hadn't been brought up when the marriage with Allura was planned. They didn't seem to have such a thing in Altea, so there was no need to mention it.

But, now it was very important.

When Ulaz had mentioned the ring, Keith had understood right away what this might mean.

"Then it is an important ring?" Allura asked.

"The most important. It symbolizes a promise. I gave him my ring when I was young, perhaps too young, and he younger than I, but there was an understanding that I would make good on that promise when we were older," Shiro explained.

"And what was that promise?"

Keith couldn't hear the sigh, but he could feel it in the air. Even Red could sending Keith unsure thoughts through their bond. Black must be agitated with all of Shiro's feelings.

"The same promise I made to you when we signed that treaty," Shiro answered.

Again, stillness. Keith could feel Pidge behind him tensing up. He would have liked to comfort her. She was worried for her brother's happiness and Keith was worried for Shiro's. And they were in a whole castle who worried for Allura in one sense or another.

"Then our treaty is void is it not?" Allura asked.

"Zarkon is making moves," Shiro said. "We can't simply fall back into war ourselves when a larger threat lays to the west. Our war was silly as it was."

"I do not want war with Ko-gane either, but our marriage was part of it."

"I'll go through with the marriage," Shiro insisted.

"For the sake of the treaty? I won't have that. That Builder spent years in torture thinking only of you. He is mentally unstable at the moment and I won't have his blood on my hands for such selfishness as fleeting thoughts. I am far from being in love with you, Takashi Shirogane, so I can let my feelings go far easier. I do not need you as my consort, but I won't say I don't need you at all."

"The military?"

"Yes," Allura said, "the military as well as other things. Altea is a cold place full of cold people. We need the warmth and the support of Ko-gane."

"Then what shall we do about the treaty?" Shiro asked.

"I have it memorized and never once did it say that I had to marry you or marry at all. I made sure it was written so in the case we did not get along an alternative could be made. I would not submit myself to a man I thought displeasing. We will have to meet again and redo the details of the treaty and quickly."

"What will you tell the court?" Shiro asked.

"You promised yourself to another when you were both of age, yes?"

"I was, but he was of aged before we were kidnapped and still held the same feelings," Shiro said.

"Then the fact he is alive annuls our agreement. That is what we will tell them. They can not refute a promise made in the name of Voltron."

Against everyone's better sense, Prince Shiro and Keith were both put on house arrest. For the first few days, Keith was not allowed to leave his floor and he wasn't terribly surprised that Lance didn't come to find him. He knew the other was angry, but mostly he needed to be with Allura. After three days, they were allowed to roam the tower they stayed in. However, Keith didn't find that movement quite enough. They would have the meeting with Ko-gane in the Olkari Gazebo at the end of the week, but Keith needed to keep on his toes. The stress made him antsy and he wasn't use to going so many days without practicing.

When servants brought him breakfast on the fourth morning, Keith was informed there was a practice arena in the basement floor of the tower that was reserved for the royalty and their personal entourage. Keith decided to attempt going there though Shiro wasn't technically part of Altean royalty and wouldn't be as it stood now. But, as Shiro had been allowed guarded visits to the infirmary to meet his rescued fiance, Keith had time to busy himself exploring if the training didn't work out. Perhaps he would run into Lance.

The basement of the middle tower in the Crystal Castle was darkly lit and had many walkways with nothing beneath them. There was so much empty space that Keith wondered if anyone had tried jumping off or been pushed. One of the walkways led to a large door and Keith could smell running water. He pushed it open to be met with a pool of water, its surface rippling with the slow motion of its filtering system into the earth. On the other end of the pool was another set of large doors and Keith moved to them only for it to open into an arena area larger than any Keith had seen before, little platforms stationed around it for different elevations in battle.

It wasn't empty, though.

Lance stood in the middle of the arena heaving heavily with a long pole in his hands. His blue eyes were trained on another figure, tall and graceful. Princess Allura ran at Lance with another pole and smashed it against his. She wasn't wearing a dress as Keith usually saw her in, but a set of training hides dyed pink and her long white hair was pulled up in a bun. The door behind Keith shut with a loud creak and both Alteans turned to look at him.

"I...was told there was a training area. I will leave since it is occupied," Keith said.

"Keith," Lance called out first.

Instinctively, Keith's ears perked up hearing Lance's voice. His lover's voice. Lover. He suddenly missed the other very much.

Lance's eyes held an eagerness to them before suddenly darkening and he looked away. "Aren't you supposed to remain on your floor?"

Keith's ears flattened. "I'm allowed to move around the tower now. But, I'm disturbing so I'll leave."

"You don't have to leave, Lord Keith," Allura's voice came. "This is a training area free for you as well. It's plenty large enough."

"Princess," Lance warned.

"Lord Keith saved my life. I have already mistreated him once and I will not do so again. Your involvement with him should urge you to see past your own prejudices far better than I," the princess said and glared at Lance.

Lance glanced over at Keith. Keith wanted to hide how desperately he wanted to go back to how things were before Ulaz showed up. They were doing well. However, Lance truly loved Allura.

He was attracted to Keith. He liked Keith. That wasn't love.

Lance looked away. "If you trust him then I'm going to the pool. My body aches from how hard you hit me with that stick."

"Lance," Allura called out to him as Lance pushed past Keith careful not to touch him.

Keith's chest tightened. He wanted to call out to Lance, too, but his words fell dry on his tongue. Did he really have a place to tell Lance he was being ridiculous. It wasn't Keith that kissed someone else. He wasn't even Shiro's actual family, he was his protector. It was his job. But, he did hold love for Shiro like Lance did for Allura blood ties or not.

"Lord Keith, don't let him push you around, alright," Allura said.

Keith turned to her surprised. "What do you mean?"

"I may not know you well, Lord Keith, but I know Lance. And I know what he holds for you. However, he puts his family above all else. And his duty, much like you. I am to be Queen of Altea and that puts me in both categories."

"I know why he doesn't want to be around me right now," Keith said. "But, what do you mean about his feelings?"

"Well, he tried hiding it from me, but Shiro let your feelings slip so I put two and two together," Allura said. "I don't think it is bad, but he doesn't know how to handle it."

"Neither do I," Keith said.

"You're far more innocent than I took a Galra to be," Allura said, her face soft.

Keith looked away. "What does being Galra have to do with it? We bleed the same, I've seen it. Ulaz bled. And they can love."

"Yes, I'm...I have my own sins and I ask Voltron every day to help me be more understanding so that my actions are just," Allura said. "I think it was those prayers that allowed me to be unselfish with Shiro."

"Are you sure you're okay with me being here?" Keith asked. "It is our fault."

"You hold no fault, Lord Keith. The only fault lies with Prince Shiro, but he deserves to be able to move on," Allura said. "I know that. I promise you I do."

"But you're heartbroken," Keith said.

Allura laughed and put one end of her pole to the ground to lean on. "I suppose it was more than a crush. He is a charming man and strong. He is what I thought I wanted in a consort, but perhaps what I think I want and what I need do not coincide. I want to be crowned queen, but the court wants me married first so that there is an heir to be had, that was my initial reason for proposing the marriage."

"But, it doesn't have to be you."

"No. I have cousins. Distant cousins, but cousins all the same. Besides, I don't need a consort to have a child," Allura said and grinned.

Keith flushed.

"Ah, truly innocent. I see what Lance finds in you, though I talk too much for the little experience I have," Allura said then picked up her staff. "Will you train with me, Lord Keith?"

Keith's eyes widened in surprise and he looked towards the door that Lance had left through. "Is that smart? I would rather not cause you harm."

"Oh, do you think I'm incapable of fighting?" Allura asked.

"By how Lance looked, that is not the case," Keith said.

Allura turned and walked to a wall of the arena main floor were other poles and staffs were aligned then threw one at Keith. "All you have to be is a punching bag for me. You're my commander's Right Hand, you should be able to block me easily."

"A punching bag?" Keith asked. Well, he would rather punch something, but perhaps feeling the princess' fury would calm his own anxieties. He caught the staff and held it awkwardly not as familiar with the weapon as most others. "Do you have something shorter?"

"Not available currently. Most of the practice weapons that were here have been moved to the training camp. Staffs are my specialty so they wouldn't dare take them."

"Alright," Keith agreed and swung the staff around before getting into position. "I will only block."

"That's what I had planned," Allura said then immediately came at him.

The princess was fast, much quicker than Keith had given her credit for. Everything about her was much more graceful and long without the large skirts. He barely managed to block the attacks, his arms screaming as the whack of the poles connecting vibrated through him. He started dodging, but that gave Allura opportunities her longer weapon could reach. She was indeed skilled with it and Keith had to roll back when his block was too slow. Allura's staff's end landed between his legs with an echoing smack.

Keith breath hard as he looked up at the princess. Her blue eyes were furious, but she smirked and looked away then held out a hand. Keith took it and was pulled up. He glanced around the gym and noticed Lance looking through a crack in the door, but he ducked away when Keith saw him.

"If you want to smack him around a little bit, he can take it. Lance is usually my sparring partner, has been since we were very young. Of course, I don't mean that literally. But, perhaps for you two a literal fight now and then is good," Allura said and took up her staff readying a stance.

Right, Keith had confronted Lance before, but he felt like it was his fault, too. And it wasn't like they'd had this lovers relationship very long. He wasn't unaware that relationships could be short lived.

"Lord Keith," Allura called.

Keith snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the princess. It was then that he noticed ice beginning to crawl across her staff in an intricate pattern.

"I...these staffs are wood, I can't use my mastery," Keith said.

"Oh, but can't you?" Allura said challenge in the quirk of her lips.

Could he? Keith huffed then took a stance and let fire cover his arms. "Come at me."

The princess did. With every connection, Keith tried to lick at Allura's staff with his flames only to reign them back when they fell to hot onto the staff. There were small burn marks already when he managed to flee far enough away for a moment's breath.

"You lack confidence, Lord Keith. I know of your flying skills and your skills on the battlefield, but mastery is mastered through emotions, not just skill. I understand now why, though worthy of an upgrade, you have not fought for one. You can't just close off your emotions. They are what will drive your inner flame. Let them burn," Allura instructed.

"What are you saying?" Keith asked.

Allura twirled her staff around, ice crystals falling from it and taking the form of tiny dragonettes. "I am a level 0 Ice Master, a Grand Master. Being the heir I haven't been able to devote myself to the potential of teleporting with my ice, but I have a very good compatibility with the ice around me. You could say I have bonded with the snow of Altea itself. I imagine it is not the same as a bond with a dragon, though. Ice, water, is not alive, but it reacts to an emotional state perhaps because it has no emotion. It is controlled by the heat of the fluid and all that makes it. I understand that fire is similar. It's natural occurrence isn't as abundant as snow or water, but it is still controlled by heat. Your heat. Your emotions. So if you feel something, let it be known. Be comfortable with feelings. You can apologize later. Perhaps it is not my place to say such things, but my people suffer from hiding their unhappiness. From hiding many things. I don't want them to suffer, I don't want Lance to suffer."

"I have control over my feelings," Keith said. "Lance...I will talk with Lance after some time. I know space is important."

"Yes yes, that is true," Allura agreed. "But, too much space and too much time will be forgotten. Too much control is also a problem, Lord Keith"

The look in the princess's eyes was sad, but far off. It wasn't Shiro she was thinking of. Keith wondered if perhaps she knew more about her parents than Lance gave her credit for.

"Basically, I've had many talks with Shiro about you. He talks about you often and in return I talk of Lance. I thought we bonded over that, but perhaps that was all we really had to talk about were other people. Perhaps, I think, I would like to talk to him like that again, as friends and comrades, but as you said, space is needed. But so is confidence. And you lack confidence in emotions. Shiro would never tell you so, but I am much colder than him."

Allura smirked at Keith and Keith felt shivers run through is body. It was a similar look to when Allura had found out he was Galra, but this time it was friendly and it terrified him all the more.

"His stories told me you were very angry and very lonely when young. It seems you grew out of the anger for the most part, but you accepted being cast out too easily back when I was close to giving you a death sentence for simply existing. How unfair was that? You should have been angry, so get angry, Lord Keith, and stop me," Allura said and came after him again.

The rush was unexpected. Keith didn't understand what the princess was getting out of this. Perhaps trying to teach him something was her way of getting out her own feelings. But, Keith though she just wanted more of a challenge. There was a storm raging inside of her from heartbreak, but she needed a mature way of getting it out.

Mature, Keith thought he had matured. Perhaps he was still a long way from that.

He began feeling his heat grow. He was missing his blocks and Allura's staff came down on his flesh, but he didn't call out. He took each beating. He was a punching bag. He could have told Allura about Matt. He could have told Lance. But, so could have Shiro, so could have Pidge. Any trainee that had gone with Shiro to the Builder's lands for adventuring could have spread the rumor of his lover. It hadn't been a secret, but nothing important enough to speak about. Shiro was gentle and Matt was gentle.

Allura was not.

Keith groaned.

"If it hurts, say so," Allura said before swiping at his feet and knocking Keith down.

No, he had to keep it in. He couldn't look weak. Everyone already thought he was weak, easy prey.

Wait, no, Keith hadn't thought that in years. Or, perhaps it had just become part of his daily life. But, he had grown stronger. He was the protector of a prince, him, a Galra hybrid born from a rebel Galra and an orphan father. This was more than he could have asked for. He shouldn't have chased Lance down for an answer. Lance was already a duke's son and potentially an heir to the kingdom of Altea. What was he thinking confessing? They should end it before anyone else found out.

"Get up," Allura commanded. "You're not even trying now. You look pathetic and I've seen you fight. I've heard Lance complain about how good you are more often than I care to."

Lance complained about him. No, Lance complained about how good he was. Lance flirted with him and kissed him and paced in Keith's hallways waiting to ask him on dates. Lance was cute.

Keith didn't deserve Lance.

Suddenly, Allura's staff connected with Keith's head and he was tossed back.

"By Voltron! Lord Keith, are you alright?"

Keith laid on the arena floor and held a hand to his head. It hurt, but he'd had worse. But it hurt.

He didn't deserve to be beaten. He'd never deserved to be beaten. He had to eat to survive. He had to fight to win.

Win what?

Dazed, Keith sat up and reached for his staff stopping the approaching Allura. He narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth at her feeling his flames spring forth. It wasn't about winning, it was about what Keith wanted. Whether he deserved it or not was unrelated, he would work for it. He had wanted to prove himself so he became Shiro's Right Hand. He wanted to be happy and Lance made him happy, so he should fight.

His flames spread across the wooden staff, but they didn't mark the wood then he began taking unsteady steps towards Allura. "It...hurt."

Before Keith realized he had fallen back to the floor, he heard a voice calling from the door.

"Voltron's ass, Allura, you can't go knocking out my lover just because you broke up with yours!"

"I didn't mean to! I told him to tell me if it hurt."

My lover.

Keith smiled a bit to himself as he watched the arena platforms above him swirling around. His head really did hurt. The platforms were replaced with a face of tan and blue twisted up in Keith's blurry vision. He reached up and tried to catch a cheek. He managed to graze it weakly with his fingertips.

"Lance."

A light knock on the medic bay door brought Keith's attention away from his business. "Yes?"

There was a moment of quiet before the door creaked open and Lance poked his head in, eyes widening seeing Keith's state of half dress. "Oh, sorry."

"N-no, it's fine," Keith said and grabbed his shirt from the bed and slipped it over his head. He pulled his long hair out from the collar then went back to tying up the laces on the crotch of his newly brought silk breeches. His heart was beating quickly. He had woken some time yesterday afternoon in a bath of healing salve, his hair coated in the thick goo then cleaned and was shuttered into a medic room for observation over the next twenty-four hours. It was almost night now and Keith was ready to go back to his room.

Through all that time, he hadn't seen Lance once.

"If you're ready, I'll lead you back to your rooms. The court is antsy about your health since they think Ko-gane will use it against them at the meeting," Lance said.

"It wasn't the princess' fault," Keith said. "I should be a better fighter."

"Yes, but Princess Allura knew better as well," Lance said. "We're on even terms now."

Keith sighed and touched the spot on his head the Princess had whacked him. It was a little tender, but nothing more than having his hair tied too tight would cause. "I'm ready. Did they send you as a guard?"

"I said they were worried," Lance said and held the door opened, "so I came."

He came, but he wasn't sent. Keith held onto those words as he led the way back to their floor shared with Shiro. When they started down Keith's hall, Keith's ears twitched. He didn't hear the second set of footsteps behind him and turned to see Lance had stopped in his usual pacing area.

"Lance?"

"Um, you're okay now, right?" Lance asked, half of his face contorted as if he was trying to cover up his discomfort.

Keith wasn't allowing him to get away, though. He knew this was uncomfortable, but he had at least understood one thing from Allura's knock to his head. "Shouldn't you make sure I'm comfortable if they're worried."

Lance's eyes lit up. An excuse, but it was enough. He hurried to Keith's side and followed him to the main door in Keith's hall. Inside, Keith moved to the sitting arrangement he had before a large fireplace. Lance stood awkwardly by the door.

"Is there something I should get you? I can go inform the servants to come check on you once an hour. That's probably a good idea," Lance chattered.

"Sit down, Lance," Keith instructed.

"I really...uh."

"Sit."

Lance tensed up, but moved to the sitting area. At first he went for an arm chair opposite Keith, but Keith sent him a glare and patted the space beside him on the loveseat. He sat as far away from Keith as he cold.

Keith sighed. "Are you ignoring me?"

"No," Lance replied quickly not looking at Keith.

"You've been avoiding me, though," Keith pointed out.

"I've been busy."

"I know that, but you've also been avoiding me."

"What else do you want me to do when the court isn't on happy terms with you?" Lance asked.

"They're not on happy terms with Prince Shiro, not me. I'm just an accessory. I did nothing wrong."

"You didn't tell anyone about Matt Holt and Shiro."

"I didn't know they were engaged, but others knew about Shiro's relations with with a Builder. Most people thought it was just playing around. I was with him more often so I knew it wasn't a fling," Keith said. "No one expected Matt to come back after so many years. Lord Pidge knew, perhaps more than I did. Yet, you didn't seem to avoid her sending her to do your job."

Lance shivered as if Keith's words were like a cold wind. "Pidge...I...Shiro hurt Allura."

"I know," Keith said. "But, how many times has your heart been broken from worse? She's strong."

Lance's fists moved to his legs and he scratched at his breeches. "She's my princess!"

Translation: my sister.

"Don't you have multiple siblings, Lance? Are you protective of them the same way?"

"What, no. We grew up the same. If I tried to get in their way...it's not like I haven't, but they're Alteans through and through. Allura doesn't want us to be so suspicious of each other," Lance said. "She has an innocence to her that I want to protect."

Innocence. It pissed Keith off. "I don't like it when you're too overprotective of the princess."

"What! It's my job. Are you jealous?"

"Yes," Keith answered and turned to glare at Lance. "Yes, I'm jealous. Why shouldn't I be. I understand duty, but we are suppose to be something more than comrades. I don't want you to unnecessarily chose her side all the time. She can be wrong. I mean, did you even come see me at all when I was in that medic bath? You certainly didn't come by when I was on floor arrest."

"I was busy doing my job," Lance yelled turning to glare at Keith. "And the court would have gotten suspicious."

"The court is probably already suspicious, but friends can hang out, too," Keith said. "All I wanted was to see you. All I've wanted was to see you for these past few days. And yet you won't come see me when I'm in a healing bath unable to move or open my eyes. Vulnerable. I spent hours on hours watching you when you were hurt."

Lance leaned away, surprise obvious on his face. "Hours? I...but Allura was the one I woke up to."

"Obviously, because I knew she was the one you would want to see."

"I thought they were joking when they said you spent hours at my side," Lance said. "But, you were just doing it out of guilt, right?"

Keith turned away. His face was red. He hadn't wanted to admit to watching Lance sleep in the medic bath all those months ago. "Would guilt cause me to memorize every scar on your body? I didn't just sit beside you, I watched you and wondered about you and missed you. You're the first person I've felt this way for and you said you felt the same, but I don't think we're on the same page."

"We're not," Lance said softly and Keith's heart dropped. "However, you're wrong. I did come see you. I went, but they would only allow me a few minutes. They thought I might try and finish the job or something like that. But, I did go. You...don't sleep very peacefully."

"I'm not a heavy sleeper," Keith said. "I'm...glad you came to see me, though."

"Yeah," Lance said and moved a hand closer to Keith on the couch. "I also wasn't told to come get you. It was an excuse."

"Do you need an excuse for everything?" Keith asked.

"They sure make things easier." Lance's hand moved closer.

Keith wanted to take it, but he wasn't done. He wasn't going to be a pushover. He was going to fight for this whether he lost or won. "I can handle arguing, Lance. We've always argued, but it was never something serious. Not only for our personal relationship, but our professional one, too. It's not good to only yell at each other."

"You've already approached me about that," Lance said. "It's...difficult. I can't yell at anyone else."

Keith scoffed. "Don't you have friends?"

"Well, Pidge just gives me a mean look and leaves. She's not very sympathetic. But, she's very honest and doesn't beat around the bush. And Hunk...he gives me a look like he understands and it's okay except it's not okay. Sometimes I just want to yell."

"Then do it," Keith said.

"I want to yell at someone, be angry with someone," Lance said. "You'll yell back. I like bantering with you, but it's too much sometimes."

Keith pulled his bottom lip between his teeth. He understood. Usually, he put all of his anger out during private practice, but he had to stay closer to Shiro in Altea and he had felt his fury trying to rush out more lately. But, he remembered also calming down simply by hanging out with Shiro or Red. He finally reached out and took Lance's hand. Lance immediately flipped his over and let their fingers entwine.

"There are other things we can do besides yell if you just need someone to relieve your stress on," Keith said.

Lance chuckled. "You don't really know what you're talking about."

"Not really, but I know enough," Keith said.

"Do you want me to kiss you?" Lance asked.

Keith's ears perked up, but he didn't say anything. He jumped feeling a hand on his ear and turned his head.

"Oh, sorry, I just wanted to touch them. Can I?"

Keith flattened his ears, but ducked his head a bit towards Lance. "Just don't tug on them."

"Okay." Lance moved his hand from Keith's and into the mass of Keith's dark hair then brushed over the base of his left ear up and down a few times before scratching. "They're soft. I'm glad you don't hide them anymore."

Keith tried to respond, but only a soft noise escaped his lips.

"Does it feel good?" Lance asked and moved his arm around Keith's shoulder and began to scratch the other one.

"What do you think?" Keith shot back, but his voice was soft.

The seat dipped as Lance moved closer. He dropped his his hand from Keith's ear to tug him closer as well until their warmth melted into each other. Keith tried to relax against him, his right shoulder on top of Lance's chest and head almost in the crook of his neck. Lance sighed and moved his hand back to scratching Keith's ear, one finger occasionally moving over the hole in the left where the Galra bullet had blew through. Lance's other hand moved to grab Keith's and held his wrist, thumb moving against the more prominent veins there.

"You're purring," Lance said.

"You already know I do that," Keith said pausing the rumble in the back of his throat.

Lance brought up Keith's wrist to his face and kissed it. Keith's heart jumped and he turned his head a bit to look at him. The Blue knight kissed his wrist again then moved to look at him as well. He moved his hand from Keith's ear to hold his chin up and placed his forehead against Keith's.

"I'm sorry for being rude," Lance said.

"I forgive you if you understand," Keith replied.

"I do understand, but for all the experience I have, I'm not good with this," Lance said. "I can romance the pants off anyone, but anything past that is new territory for me really."

Keith grinned. "Well, you could try actually romancing me. It wasn't ever like you really did that."

"You're right. It's just that this feels...I like how this feels...but you're right. I'll keep that in mind," Lance said and kissed Keith's forehead.

Keith let out a sigh, a sweet warmth filling him from the kiss. It felt good to be kissed by Lance, treasured by him. "Lance."

"Yu're asking me for something," Lance teased.

Keith moved his head up more. "You know what I want."

"Then take it," Lance challenged.

Right, Keith also had to fight back. He turned into Lance, one of his legs going across Lance's lap and grabbed at Lance's collar, pulling him down until their lips met. Lance's one hand moved from his chin onto the back of Keith's hair and his other quickly wrapped around Keith pulling him closer. Encouraged, Keith pushed upwards with his mouth trying to remember every kiss they had shared up until then and how to make it deeper, how to make Lance as pliant as Keith had become all those times. He wanted to make Lance melt.

Keith licked Lance's lips. Lance groaned.

Then there was a knock on the door and Keith felt himself being pushed onto the seat cushions while Lance stood up and looked around the room as if frightened.

Keith rolled his eyes and picked himself up going over to his door and opening it not caring that Lance was there.

"Shiro, you have the worse timing."

The Ko-gane prince chuckled. His eyes, though still swirling with restlessness, glinted with the know of what he might have ruined. "Well, I'm afraid that will have to wait, we need to have a talk about what we're going to present to my parents at the Gazebo."