Present Day

Oh god. So much blood. Please don't be dead. Lance's vision blurred as hot tears streamed down his face. Keith's head fell back and his eyes stared lifelessly at Lance. No, no, nonononononono. Lance was hyperventilating, but he knew he needed to keep it together. Keith needed him. He pressed his hands into the gaping wound in Keith's stomach. "Keith! Stay with me. Please, please. Look at me. Don't leave me. KEITH! BLUE!"

7 Months Earlier…

"Happy birthday, Lance!" Hunk shouted when he walked through the door in the morning. He held a pile of pancakes on a plate and set them in front of Lance when he sat down. Lance smiled and hugged Hunk.

"Thanks, buddy." In the past years Lance had been more enthusiastic about his birthday. But not this year. This was his first birthday spent away from family.

"Sooooo," Pidge sat down next to him. "Excited for your party later?"

"Totally." Lance did his best to fake excitement.

"We're stopping at a planet to restock soon, want something? Like a birthday gift?" Shiro asked as he set more food down in front of Lance. Feelings of guilt began to rise as he watched his friends in front of him. He couldn't bring up a happy front today.

"Nah." Hunk raised an eyebrow. "I mean these cakes look great. Why would I want anything else?"

"Really? You don't want anything else?" Keith tilted his head. Lance's heart rate sped up slightly. Does Keith want to give me a gift?

"What? Like you're going to get me something?" Lance asked, not quite sure what he was hoping for.

"Maybe. I mean be realistic, we are in the middle of nowhere." Keith smiled teasingly, but he also held a nervousness in his eyes.

"I'm afraid all my wishes are unrealistic." Lance stood, hating that he was here and not on Earth. Would I ever make it back? "Anyways…You guys have fun on the trip to the planet. I think I'd prefer some me time before the big party." He wandered back down the hallway. Are they grieving me? Have they given up hope to find me alive? Does anyone know what's happening out here?

...

"Lance?" Keith knocked on his door. No answer. Keith pounded on his door. "Lance!"

"What?!" Lance opened the door, his eyes were red and swollen.

"Come with me?" Keith offered his hand to Lance. He took it without a word. Keith led him down the hall and into the Red Lion and before Lance could register what exactly was happening, they were taking off into the deep space.

Lance stood next to Keith, trying to figure him out. What is he doing? Where are we going? He doesn't seem interested in talking about the kiss, but now he wants to take me somewhere on my birthday without telling me? If I didn't know him better, I'd think it was a date.

Keith broke his train of thought by standing and offering him a blindfold. "Put it on."

"Why? Where are you taking me?"

"You know my project that I've been working on?" Lance nodded. "I want to show you, but you have to trust me."

"Fine." Lance tried sounding nonchalant as he finally put on the blindfold. In reality, he was beyond excited. He was finally about to find out what this big project was. Lance was also excited to be involved in this part of Keith's life. For now, he could put away his disappointment about his birthday. Maybe this isn't a terrible birthday, even if it is bad.

"Perfect, now hold on." Keith warned, but Lance didn't have a chance to support himself on anything before the rocky entrance began. He reached for support but instead Lance fell right onto Keith. "Hey! I'm trying to steer."

"You're the one who blindfolded me and started jerking me around!" Lance lifted the blindfold to glare at him.

"Keep that on!" Keith scolded, and Lance pulled it back down. "Sorry." Keith mumbled, and Lance felt one of Keith's arms wrap around his waist, holding him still.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, the lion settled, and Keith stood up, still holding Lance. "Come on, I'll guide you."

"Are you going to tell me where we are?" Lance clung to Keith's arm, not wanting to let go after Keith would eventually take off the blindfold.

"I would but I actually can't pronounce the name of this planet." Keith explained and Lance giggled. Once outside, Keith positioned Lance to face the mountain range, they had arrived just before the planets' sunset. It was perfect. Romatic. Keith pulled the blindfold off, and Lance saw a near replica of Earth. Mountains and a beautiful sunset with oranges, yellows, reds, purples, and more. Fluffy clouds and rain, sparkling in the sun. Oh the rain…

"Dios..." He breathed in and it smelled just like Earth. Lance could stare at it all day.

"It's safe to stand in too. I tested it." Lance looked back at Keith in awe. This was his freaking project? Finding a replica of Earth? Why? Keith was chewing on his lip and his cheeks were slightly pink.

"You are crazy. Why were you obsessed with finding this replica of Earth?" Lance stepped out from under the Lion's head and felt as the rain hit his face and breathed deeply.

"For you." Lance spun around in disbelief. "I knew I couldn't take you to Earth, but I wanted to. I thought this was the next best thing. It wasn't about research, Lance, it was about your birthday."

"Keith," Lance walked up to him and hugged him. "You stupid mullet. Thank you."

"Sorry it took up so much time. And sorry it's not the real thing." Keith mumbled.

"This is incredible, Keith." Lance pulled back and smiled at him. "This is the best gift. I can't believe you."

Keith could stare at Lance's face all day. His big smile, bright blue eyes, he was just gorgeous. Kiss him. A small voice whispered in his head. Panicking, he changed the subject, "I brought snacks if you want to watch the sunset?"

"Hell yes." Keith pulled out of Lance's embrace to lay down a tarp then a blanket on top. He pulled out Lance's favorite snacks from the ship and more blankets in case it cooled down.

They watched the sunset get brighter and more colorful then dim slowly. Surprisingly, the rain nor the setting star was making it cold out. Or maybe it was that Lance and Keith were wrapped up in blankets, leaning against each other.

Lance closed his eyes and imagined himself on Earth. He imagined his siblings running in the yard. He imagined his father dancing in the rain while his mother yelled that he would get a cold. He imagined his father running to and hugging his mother. She hated it when he got her wet, but she loved the attention. He imagined his mother joining his father and dancing happily. Lance imagined his family gathered around the table. Smiling. Laughing. Not missing him.

"Lance…" Lance looked at Keith with blurred eyes. He must have been crying.

"I'm sorry, I uh was just thinking about my family. If they were here, they'd be running around and dancing in this beautiful light and rain."

Keith stood and offered his hand to Lance. "Then let's dance in their honor."

"Seriously?" Lance jumped up.

"Yeah, I really suck, but why not?" Keith smiled and Lance could barely stop himself from saying I love you. So instead, he grabbed Keith's hands and pulled him into the rain. Keith did his best to not trip and as Lance twirled him, he felt embarrassment rise. He probably thinks I look ridiculous! "You can't tell anyone about this!"

"I'm telling everyone about this." Lance laughed as Keith struggled. He was awkward and clumsy, but it was endearing and adorable. Keith blushed more and more as they danced.

"Then you have to tell them that I know how to dance. Ahh!" Lance giggled when Keith fell on to him. At this point they were both soaked and shivering. The sun was gone and the lights from Red were washing over them.

"We'll see about that." Lance pulled him back up and took a moment to look at his face. His wet hair stuck to his face, droplets on his eyelashes, red cheeks, and full lips. "I suppose we should go back in before we catch something."

"Probably already have." Keith retorted with a smile. Lance chuckled, his heart doing a backflip. They stood in place, arms wrapped around each other. Lance stared at the clouds and then at the mountains. He didn't want to leave, not unless he was going home. Keith cleared his throat, bringing Lance's attention to him and his dripping mullet. His face was redder.

Before Lance stopped to think, he leaned in and kissed Keith. His lips were surprisingly warm for how much he was shivering. Lance leaned in closer and slipped his hand into Keith's soaked mullet. Keith relaxed against him and pulled Lance closer, resting his hands on his waist. Lance moved his mouth against Keith's and cupped his face, deepening the kiss. Keith slowly moved his hands up and gripped his back and shoulders, as if he was afraid of what may happen if he let go. Lance nibbled Keith's bottom lip causing his hands to tighten, then he slipped his tongue inside Keith's mouth. Keith moaned softly then pulled away again. Shit. I went too far.

"W-we should get back." Keith's legs were turning to jelly and if he didn't sit down soon, he'd fall over and probably drag Lance with him. Lance stepped back and let his arms fall to his side. Keith immediately missed his embrace and warmth. What am I doing? Why did I stop him?

"Yeah, you're right." Lance whispered, trying to keep his voice even. The blushing boys walked back into the lion. The ride back was silent and more awkward than the way there.

...

When they stepped out of the lion and into the hanger, the rest of the team came running. They had noticed their absence. Shoot, we were gone longer than I was expecting. Keith thought just before Shiro's voice boomed through the hanger.

"Where the hell were you guys?! Why are you both soaking wet?!"

"Oooooh, it happened." Pidge popped up behind Shiro with her teasing grin that made Keith want to chase her around the ship. "You guys did the nasty, didn't you?"

"Keith," Shiro covered Pidge's ears, and loudly whispered. "I swear to God if you two had sex-"

"Shiro!" Keith was now redder than his lion. "Nothing happened!"

"Then where were you?" Shiro kept glaring and Pidge wiggled out of his hold.

"I thought you said you were sick?" Hunk interjected pointing at Keith.

"Loooove sick." Pidge wagged her eyebrows, having too much fun with it.

"Were you just trying to get out of helping?" Shiro glared at Keith accusatory.

"No, I-"

"He was surprising me for my birthday." Lance spoke up. So much had been happening at once, it was the first time he'd been able to pull a sentence together. Lance couldn't let Keith get attacked and accused for doing something for his birthday. Finally everyone was quiet. Shiro raised an eyebrow. "Turns out his research project was my birthday present."

"I didn't tell anyone, except Pidge," Keith glared at the matchmaking teenager. "Because I didn't want to risk the secret getting out, but I couldn't do it without her expertise in computers and science stuff. I'm sorry I lied about being sick, but I wanted it to be special and personal."

"Wait, what did you do?" Hunk asked.

"Dude!" Lance jumped up and down, glad the tension was easing. "He took me to this planet that is almost exactly like Earth. We landed near the mountains and it was raining and oh dios mio, it was beautiful. The sun was also setting on that planet, but it was also raining. Can you believe it? I got to feel the rain on my skin and I even got him dancing-" Lance couldn't hold in his excitement anymore. He stopped briefly to laugh, and to let Hunk interject with bouts of awe, but not for long because the words kept pouring out. His cheeks hurt from smiling so much. It really was the best gift.

"I see why you did it." Pidge nudged Keith, and he raised an eyebrow in response. "He hasn't stopped smiling since you got back, and you haven't stopped staring at him. Heck, you're smiling. It's weird."

"So? It's his birthday."

"Just saying. It's just as much for you as it is for him."

"Mhm, and don't forget that the only reason you're still alive is because it worked." Keith put Pidge into a headlock, and she laughed knowing all her hard work was paying off, even if it was taking longer than expected.