Chapter 2

It'd been almost a year since that fateful day.

The mass destruction of most of Earth's largest cities, the discovery of their lions, and finding a section of the Garrison mysteriously in tact. Pidge theorized that someone must have used the place as a shelter. That was the only option that made any sense. What with how the new technology was at the very center of the maintained area.

Lance took her word for it. He sure didn't know anything about the secret experiments the research branch liked to do. Besides what Pidge would tell him and Hunk. More so Hunk. Lance tended to zone in and out of those conversations.

They'd managed to find a few survivors that had actually made it to the bunker. Just a handful of cadets like themselves. As much as they were happy to have found more people, Lance had been a bit distraught at the idea of no actual higher up to look to for direction.

All the teens had been.

The first year had been rough.

Not only did they have no commanding officer to advise them, they only had a small group of people to work with. Ten. That was all they had including himself, Hunk and Pidge, and the lions. Only four people had made it to the bunker.

They never found any other survivors.

Thankfully, the four they did find were people they knew. Well versed and capable students from their program.

Unfortunately, there was a lot of budding heads at the beginning.

Lance argued a lot with the self appointed 'leader' of the other four, James Griffin, at first. It wasn't that Lance felt like he should lead them or anything, he just didn't think that James was thinking of the bigger picture all the time.

Guy was a bit of a hot head if you asked Lance. And a prick. As well as a jackass. But that was beside the point. James worked well with his team, but wasn't able to properly utilize Hunk and Pidge's genius. See, not incorporate them into plans at all. And while Lance wouldn't ever claim to be as valuable as Hunk and Pidge, he too was left out of all the planning.

The lack of direction caused Lance to search for an outlet. A way to feel like he was contributing to the camp they were all attempting to establish within the still standing part of the Garrison. So he did the only thing he could think of.

He made plans. Mostly for himself, Hunk and Pidge so they weren't bored out of their minds. But after a few months, he incorporated the others. They didn't seem to mind, except for Griffin.

One issue mostly resolved with Team Griffin (as Pidge snarkily referred to them in the first weeks. It stuck) lead them straight into another.

Team Griffin remained wary of their lions.

The trio had decide to name the cubs amptly off the colors of their skin. Blue, Gold, and Green, believing it best to keep things as simple as they possibly could. The lions had grown fast. Faster than should have been genetically possible, according to Pidge. By the time a year had rolled around, the lions were the wild equivalent of fully grown. But they showed no signs of having reached their peak yet. Their size along with the fact that they were lions, made Team Griffin uneasy.

Especially Blue.

Poor girl. It wasn't her fault.

While Gold and Green had more subdued personalities that eerily matched Hunk and Pidge, Blue had a more... playful nature. Which, when she was the size of a house cat, cute, no harm done when she'd wanna play and jumped into someone's lap to get their attention. After a year though, she was the size of a full grown lion with the attitude of a cub and those things didn't always mix well. Lance didn't really mind most days. She was his lion and she was fun and lively just like him. So where as he had come to love her with all of his heart, and the other two knew her quirks, the four weren't as forgiving all the time.

It was a slow process but eventually everyone, James included, had started looking towards Lance for orders. It was subtle. Asking opinions here, informing him of the results of a scouting mission there, and progress on getting the small intact portion of the Garrison up and running.

Lance hadn't even noticed it until Pidge had called him out on it one day.

"Lance!" She shouted his name excitedly from their makeshift engineering garage. "Hunk and I finally got it working!"

"Really?" Lance practically skipped towards her in bliss. "That's amazing! Fire this puppy up!"

Hunk and Pidge had been working for months to get one of the more intacted vehicles to work. In the bombing of the base, hardly any vehicle had been spared from total demolition. Their only saving grace were the few prototypes that had been within the shielded area of the compound. It took them awhile to find the area, but once they did, Pidge and Hunk made it their mission to get the thing up and running.

It would make scavenging a hell of a lot easier if they had wheels.

"Alright." Pidge beamed, just as eager. "You heard the man, Hunk!"

"Roger!" The large man nodded behind the wheel of what Lance would classify as a small armored RV.

Hunk turned the key, tounge out of his mouth in concentration.

Vroom.

"Yes!" The three of them cheered loudly. Hunk hopped out of the RV and squeezed them both in a hug.

"You guys are fucking geniuses!" Lance breathed after the larger man released them. "Seriously. This thing will be a huge help!" He pat the side of the van affectionately. "So much easier than riding the lions out everytime we need something.

A chorus of protesting growls came from the far corner of the 'garage'.

"Ah, he didn't mean it like that, guys." Hunk pacified the three annoyed lions. "Just that well… you know." He gestured to the other two humans, looking for help.

"This gives us more options." Pidge supplied simply. "Before only us three could go out farther than the nearest town. But now we can send out Griffin's team too."

Green lowered head, understanding the logic. Gold nodded and went back to sleep. Blue seemed even more worried. She strolled up to Lance and nudged her head into his palm.

'You won't leave us behind?'

"Course not, girl." Lance took her face in his hands. "Wherever we go, you guys go." He placed his forehead against hers. "You're kinda stuck with us."

Blue responded with a small lick to his cheek.

That had been yet another, in the long list, of surprises the lions held. Not only were they able to erect their own personal barriers, they could mentally communicate to an extent. It wasn't all the time. Mainly when they were feeling a strong emotion. Anything from amusement to worry. And only with the human they'd bonded themselves too.

Lance shook his head and patted Blue's muzzle. "Suppose I should go tell the others, huh?" He asked Hunk and Pidge.

"Well," Pidge cast Hunk a knowing smirk, "that is your job."

Hunk turned away to tinker more with the van. But Lance could see his shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

"Whaddya mean?" Lance furrowed his brow at the pair. "You making fun of me?" A horrible thought struck him. "Wait, Hunk didn't tell you about-"

"No!" Hunk spun around quickly throwing a greasy hand over Lance's mouth.

He threw the large hand away. "Oh dude, gross!" Lance wiped fruitlessly at his mouth.

"Sorry." The man apologized sheepishly. "Just… no I didn't tell her about that."

"But now one of you will." Pidge commented lightly as she sat on the steps of the RV. Her amber eyes started between the two of them expectantly.

Hunk shared a look with Lance. "She won't stop til she knows." Hunk shrugged with an understanding smile.

"Ugh!" Lance through his hands in the air. "Fine! Kinkade is hot, okay?"

"That's all?"

"And I kinda wanna see if he'd be up for banging?" Lance added uncertainty.

"Ew." Pidge made a disgusted expression. "… Have you made a move yet?"

"Not really," Lance admitted with a sigh. "Not sure he'd be interested. Might have better luck with someone else."

Pidge snorted. "He wants you. Trust me."

"That's what I tried telling him!" Hunk frowned deeply. "See! I told you man!"

"But how do you guys know that?" Lance's features pinched together, unwilling to take their word for it. "I mean we hooked up once already but that hardly means-"

"WHAT!?"

Fuck. Lance mentally cursed in a panic. I wasn't going to tell them that.

"You did what already?" Hunk took his shoulders and began shaking him. "Tell me you did not engage in relations without first consulting us!"

"I-I-"

"Let'em breathe a bit Hunk." Pidge, ever the voice of reason, recommended. Hunk, thankfully, stopped. "So, already hooked up, huh?" Her sharp eyes bore into him, daring him to lie.

"Yeah…" he confessed, dragging a hand down his face. "Last time the two of us went on a scouting mission-"

"Duh." Hunk slapped his forehead. "Of course that's when it was. You came back all fidgety and-"

"-and," Lance cut him off with an intense glare. "The only source of heat we had for the night was Blue and each other so, uh, one thing lead to another and…" He gestured his hands for them to fill in the blank.

"In front of blue?" Pidge quirked a brow, wicked smile on her face. "You dog."

"N-no!" He felt his whole face heat. "She went and did a scan around the area and I uh… just sent her some real strong vibes to stay outside for awhile…" He scratched the back of his neck anxiously. "She wasn't real happy with me when she got back in but she got the message."

His eyes drifted to his faithful companion who appeared to be sleeping. Thankfully. She had been a bit bitter about the whole thing at the time and still held some strong feelings against Kinkade because of it.

Pidge snickered and Hunk shook his head.

"Top or bottom this time?" Pidge asked way too casually as she picked up a part and began to tinker with it.

"Pidge!" Both men shouted at her.

She rolled her yes. "Please. You guys act like I'm fucking twelve."

"Sixteen, close enough." Lance told her with disapproving 'big brother' expression. One Hunk very much matched.

"Don't go there with me McClain." Pidge warned sharply. "Should we talk about all the shit you were up to at sixteen?"

Lance opened his mouth, ready to tell her… something. He couldn't really find an argument within him on that front. The only difference between him at sixteen and her at sixteen was the post apocalyptic world they now found themselves in.

"Alright. Enough of that you two." Hunk shook his head. "Back to the reason we even got onto that topic… go tell Griffin's team we finally got them a ride." He beamed with pride at the mention of the vehicle they spent so long on getting ready.

Lance really didn't feel like it anymore. Most of him wanted to just crash on his bed after this trying ordeal. "Why me?"

"Cause that's what leaders do." Pidge responded without missing a beat. "They give people the good and bad news."

"I-I'm not the leader!" Lance sputtered out in disbelief.

"Of course you are, dude." Hunk smiled kindly at him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders.

"Have been for months." Pidge nodded. "Rather impressive actually that you were able to get Griffin to fall in line. Guys a bit of a prick."

"I'm telling you that I'm not-"

"Actually I totally thought that you'd be banging him before Kinkade."

"Who raised you like this?" Lance slumped, choosing the safer route of ignoring her words all together.

"I've spent the past two years with you soo…."

"She has a point." Hunk chimed in helpfully.

Lance grumbled incoherently, not really knowing what to say.

"Anyways, we're proud of you." Hunk said in such a Hunk way that had Lance feeling all warm and gushy. Hunk squeezed him. "You've really grown up this past year."

Lance flushed, pushing away from his friend's broad shoulder. "Ugh, don't say shit like that. I'm not doing anything."

"Sure, sure," Pidge waved him off. "Just go tell team Griffin."

"I will!" He began stomping away.

"And tell your boyfriend we say hi!" Pidge teased.

"He's not my boyfriend!" Lance flung himself back towards them. Pidge squeaked at the unexpected reaction. "It was one time. Won't happen again."

"Lance…" Hunk started but trailed off.

He held up a stubborn hand. "It won't happen again."

-.-.-.-.-

It happened again.

Lance hadn't meant for it to turn out like this. Really he hadn't. But he was just so fucking happy that they finally got a working vehicle for Griffin's team. He knew the team was antsy. Team Griffins main focus for the past few months had been trying to map out the underground tunnels they discovered within the bunkers.

Nyda theorized that they were from WWIII. The paths often lead into dead ends and finding routes they could actually use while also drawing up a realistic map for future use was a frustrating process for the four to figure out. Thankfully, Nyda was another genius on their side. Team Griffin only had to take a path once for her to have it memorized for sketching out later.

So when Lance brought them the news of finally having a vehicle ready for them, the team was, understandably excited. Even the stoic Ryan Kinkade cracked a smile at the news.

They decided it was a good occasion to break out the liquor they found in one of the offices. Pidge and Hunk joined them eventually. Really making it a night of celebration.

If it had been hard to say no when Ryan approached him first on that scouting mission, it was damn near impossible last night. Alcohol pumped through his veins and the promise of what he already knew would be a good time had him giving in without a second thought. Pretty boys made him weak and he really needed the release. Again, one thing lead to another which ended up with Ryan back in his room. In his bed.

Yeah, pretty boys made Lance real weak.

He awoke the next morning with a mild headache and a tan arm draped across his waist.

Lance stared at the flawless skin, shades darker then his own. He allowed himself to trace the other man's cheek lighty. He brushed a thick lock of hair out of his bedmate's eyes to get a clearer picture. Ryan's plump lips were parted slightly, tiny puffs of air leaving them. He was a good looking man alright. Every part of him.

But Lance couldn't help but nibble at his lip in thought. Last night seemed different then the first time. Almost more… intimate if Lance had to put a word to it.

The blue eyed youth rarely regreted a hookup, but he wondered if maybe Pidge and Hunk had been right. Maybe engaging like this without setting up some ground rules equaled a bad idea.

Before Lance could disappear too far down the rabbit hole of 'stupid choices', a knock reached his ears.

"Lance." An irritated voice shouted through his door. "Wake the fuck up." Pidge. Definitely Pidge.

The body next to him grumbled, rolling away from the noise.

"What do you want Pidge?" Lance responded, eyes now idly running up and down Ryan's spine. He could revisit the 'bad ideas' and 'stupid choices' pit holes once Ryan was out of the room. He wanted more and the hookup wasn't really over until then. That's what he told himself, anyways.

Just as Lance reached out a hand to reacquaint himself with the other man's skin, Pidge answered.

"We found another camp to check out." He noticed the now excited hitch in her voice. "Think this one's the real deal."

Lance launched himself out of bed, all thoughts of another romp between the sheets gone.

"No shit?" He called as he frantically searched for clothes. "Give me five minutes. Meet you in the conference room? We'll go over what you found before pulling in the others."

Pidge hummed and Lance thought she was gone when, "tell Ryan good morning from me," filtered through the door. Her snickering lighting up the hall.

Lance groaned, falling back onto the bed.

Ryan moaned, rolling again and flopping an arm around Lance's chest. "Time?" His large hand moved to palm Lance's wasit.

"Uh." Lance glanced at the clock. "6:30? Oh fuck you, Pidge!" He shouted as loud as he dared.

"Come back to sleep."

"Can't." He wiggled himself out of the other man's hold. "Need to dress, grab some food and meet Pidge and Hunk in the next five minutes." He slipped from the bed and began dressing.

Ryan stirred as he leaned up on his elbows. "What's up?"

"They found another camp." Lance explained briefly as he zipped up his pants. Pulling a clean shirt over his head, he continued, "Hopefully one with some Garrison survivors to help us get this place up and running."

Ryan said nothing.

Lance grabbed the short range communmicator Pidge had come up with, attaching it to his belt. He then threw on his shoes and was almost out the door before he paused. "Uh.. well, I'll um… see ya later?" His voice wasn't as steady as he wanted it to be. "I mean, you and the others. In the conference room after we hash out the finer details."

He nodded. "See ya."

Lance waved lamely and darted out of the room.

The first year had passed by in a blur.

Keith and Shiro had spent their time trying to find any trace of Adam and the buses that had left the Garrison.

With no results.

They didn't have the technology they needed to find out where anyone was being held. Mostly they wandered from town to town trying not to die. Their lions helped immensely with that goal. They ended up keeping it plain. Simply calling Shiro's lion, Black and Keith's lion Red. From what either of them could tell, the cubs already seemed to be the same size as full grown lions. Though Black had a handful of inches on Red and more strength. Red was far superior in speed.

Between the two Lions and Keith and Shiro's own tactical skills, they were able to infiltrate a few Glara bases. Mostly they came up with some alien provisions and weapons. It didn't take them long to figure out how the alien weaponry worked. A blessing since the two only had a few handguns from the Garrison. The human weapons were both inefficient and out of ammo.

Oddly enough they found what looked to be medieval swords among the Glara's supplies. After brutal weeks of training with them, both were sufficient enough to try battle with them.

The swords were much more effective than the Garrison guns. At least for Keith.

He took to the sword like a fish to water. Perhaps because he had his own dagger that he carried with him and spent most of his life fiddling with. Something his father had left behind for him after he passed. Keith didn't wish for much, but his father surviving the fire was one of them. Along with wanting to know just where the damn blade came from. But, because of it, a blade just seemed at home in his hand. Taking up something a foot longer than his trusty dagger didn't take long for him to get use to.

Keith, Shrio and their lions had made it a few states over in their quest for more survivors. The lions were just large enough to be able to transport them and had the stamina to carry them for hours at a time. If it wasn't for them, Keith didn't think they would have been able to branch out as far as they had.

But with no signs of anyone they knew, they were heading back towards the Garrison. Shiro suggested that it was a good idea.

"Chances are someone will be there." His brother insisted with a small smile. "The chances of people leaving something like that empty in times like these is low."

Keith could hear what Shiro didn't put into words.

Maybe Adam went back there.

It was a hope they both carried each time they found another Glara basecamp. But neither ever put it into words. Too anxious to give purchase to what had so far been a fruitless venture.

A day later they stumbled across something they'd yet to encounter on their journey.

Humans.

A lot of them.

"Thank god." Shiro mumbled under his breath. "I was starting to get worried." He admitted with a heavy sigh.

Keith quirked a brow. "Worried? Why?" He nudged his brother's shoulder, knowing the reason and trying to lighten the mood. "You didn't really think that we were the only survivors right?"

His brother let out a soft laugh. "No. Of course not. If our race is anything, it's resourceful."

"Yeah," he nodded, "like an invading alien species would keep us underground for long."

"Well, let's go talk to them." Shiro smiled for the first time in what seemed like months. "Maybe they'll know where others are hiding."

'Something isn't right.' Red's voice echoed in Keith's mind.

He immediately shot a hand out around Shiro's wrist just as the man stopped moving.

"Red says-"

"I know." Shiro cut him off. "Black's got a bad feeling too." He hunched back down, watching the group of people.

About twenty of them littered the clearing. From what Keith could tell, they seemed to be searching for something. A closer look and he noticed their clothing. Torn, tattered, like they hadn't changed in months. It shouldn't have set off warning bells like it did. Keith hadn't had a change of clothes for months. But Shiro and him did frequently wash them and bathe themselves.

He knew for a fact that there was a water source nearby. That the people below would be using it. Humans needed water after all. So why did they all look in such rough shape?

A familiar ominous sound echoed through the clearing. A sudden hum they'd learned to recognize. In their excitement of finding more survivors, they must have missed it completely.

Keith's eyes snapped to shiro's, finding the man already looking at him with worry.

"Shiro, that's…" he cut himself off, unable to finish the horrendous thought.

His brother nodded anyway. "Yeah. Galra."

The humans below suddenly fell into line. Then they waited.

A door opened up in the middle of the large area. Keith stared around it, finding only the same scenery he had on earlier inspection. He peered past the Galra that walked out and noted the inside of a building.

"A shielding cloak." Shiro mumbled under his breath. "It's no wonder that we haven't been able to find anything besides a few supply bases."

"You don't think…" Keith glanced at Black and then Red. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Have you guys been avoiding these bases?"

Red tilted his head, scarlet mane shifting along with him. 'We avoided places that felt weird.'

"So why didn't we avoid this place?" Keith ignored whatever Shiro mumbled to Black, focusing on Red and his answer.

'Humans.' He replied simply.

"Because they were outside?"

Red dipped his head.

"How many of these places have we passed?"

His lion didn't answer.

"Red." Keith growled in frustration. His anger creeped up from his stomach, ready to let lose in one way or another.

'We kept you safe.'

Keith deflated at the firm words. Anger disappearing as fast as it came. He swallowed, placing a hand on Red's head and nodding. "Yeah. Yeah you did."

Shiro sighed heavily, resting his forehead against Black's snout.

"I'm guessing you just got the same information I did?" Keith ran his hands through Red's mane.

"If it was something along the lines of 'avoiding bases like this the whole past year', then yes." He glanced back to the clearing. A handful of droids had appeared along with the Galra guard while they had been distracted.

His hand formed a fist at his side. A year. They'd been traveling around for a year probably just missing the places they'd actually been looking for. "Our whole year was…"

"It wasn't." Shiro shook his head with a small smile. "It wasn't wasted, Keith. We've come a long way in that year. Both us and the lions. Chances are if we would have stumbled across a base, we would have been captured."

'We can protect you better now.' Red assured Keith proudly. 'We're no longer useless cubs.'

Keith snorted. "You've never been useless, Red." He scratched his ear. "Even if you would have stayed the same size when I found you, I still would carry you around with me."

Red huffed.

Shiro laughed. "Apparently neither of them are a fan of that scenario."

A loud snap rang through the air.

Both of them stared back at the clearing with wide eyes. The Galra soldier stood over a human on the ground. A buzzing whip like item in his hand. It was obvious what had just happened.

Keith stood. Shiro yanked him back down harshly.

"Still nothing?" The Galra's deep rumble of a voice echoed in the area. "What good are you humans for if not excavating? Should I send you to the pits?"

He couldn't hear the answer.

"That's what I thought." The Galra smugly responded. "Get inside."

A few humans hunched down to help the one who had been struck, carrying him inside. The soldier lead the way and the droids brought up the rear, making sure each person stayed in line. The door shut and the mysterious base disappeared once more.

Silence followed the closing of the base. Only that low hum remaining.

Keith's stomach churned as the realization of what exactly must have happened to most of the remaining human population in the past year they had been searching. What the invaders were doing with them.

The Galra were using the human survivors like slaves.

A/N: I love me some snarky Pidge! lol And the lions. They're so sweet and just looking out for our peeps, just like their robo counterparts do ;) As you noticed there's some minor Lance/Ryan. Trust me when I say anyone with Keith and Lance are by no means going to stick around for too long. I'm a sucker for Klance and that is what this story will be! XD

Thanks so much to everyone who took the time to read the first chapter and this one! Like I've mentioned, this story is going to be LONG so hopefully I can deliver all the plans I have for it in an entertaining way ;) Things started to pick up here with the year skip. There will be one more major time skip but it'll be a bit before that one happens so enjoy the ride! See you guys next chapter!

Luv~