Chapter 5

- two years later -

A simple scouting mission.

That's all Lance planned on doing in this deserted town. Hunk and Pidge were a few towns over, doing much of the same thing. Gathering supplies they could find and staying out of trouble. It wasn't often that one of them would go and scout alone, but Lance just had a feeling about this place. Coming here sounded far more appealing then where Hunk and Pidge went.

Why, he couldn't really say.

But it reminded of him when he got the urge to look for Blue, so he just went with it.

They were on a bit of a time crunch though. Supplies were running low after their week excursion and they either had to split up or give up this town all together. Lance refused.

Hunk and Pidge had been anxious. Rightfully so when most towns were at the very least populated by a handful of Galra droids. But he assured them that he and Blue could handle it.

And they were. It'd already been a day and it'd been smooth sailing so far.

The two of them mostly kept to the rooftops. Lance's skill rested in long range combat and Blue didn't seem to mind lounging about as he surveyed the area. He had another day here before he was set to meet Hunk and Pidge and honestly? He was getting bored.

"I thought something important was going to happen here." He complained as he paused in scoping the landscape to flop on his back. "But so far nothing! Just a few droids who don't even know that we are here until they're scattered across the ground."

Blue hummed comfortingly in his mind. Offering what she could to state him.

She'd grown even larger the past two years. She officially passed the 'regular' female lion size and finally capped out at with her head falling just under nine feet when she stood her full height. Her coat developed into a beautiful dark blue. The same lighter color of her underbelly also littered random other spots on her back and around her face.

"I know, I know." He sighed heavily. "I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth and all that crap. But it's so boring!" He tossed an arm over his eyes as he flopped onto his back. "I gave up routine scavenging for what? To come chill out on rooftops in this boring town all because of a dumb feeling."

His lion huffed.

"Of course it isn't so bad with you here, girl." Lance shot her a sheepish smile. "Couldn't ask for a better feline to have at my side in any kinda situation."

She promptly laid her head down. A dismissal.

He groaned. Even Blue wasn't up for their normal shenanigans. Maybe he should just follow her lead and take a nap? It wasn't often he got to relax anymore. The past two years had been a whirlwind after the rescue mission.

The addition of the Holts to their ragtag group had been both extremely bountiful and headache inducing. Colleen, along with Hunk, had been able to start the vegetation back up. Meaning they were able to grow a good chunk of their own food. Not something any of the teens had been able to focus much on in the first year.

Having Sam and Matt Holt around really helped them spruce up their already running technology. Electricity wasn't something they were worried about running out of anymore. The three managing to make the most of the alien power sources they had in abundance. Pidge found a way to more reliably find hidden bases along with the help of her father and brother.

Which was great, really it was.

It was just that with the more reliable technology meant they were sent out of base more often than not. This past year they'd been on the road far more than they had been back at the base. Not that Lance could complain. They were helping out their own kind. Getting them out of questionable situations and out of the hands of the Galra. Saving the human race one base at a time had its merits, of course.

But with more rescues came more people. And more people came more responsibilities.

Lance had somehow shifted from a leader of seven teens into a leader of a seventy something little colony they had built within the Garrison's walls.

He'd tried to hand the reins over to Sam when the Holt's first settled into the base. It made sense. Sam was a senior officer by Garrison standards and the normal adult standards.

But when Lance brought it up to him, Sam merely chuckled and shook his head.

"You seem to be holding up just fine before we got here, Lance. You kids got something good going. Don't let me interrupt it." He kindly declined Lance's outright offer.

The bastard.

Lance meant that in the nicest way possible. This just wasn't something he ever pictured himself doing.

Leading a large group was… exhausting. Of course not everyone they rescued wanted to join them, no matter how much the base insisted, so that helped keep the numbers somewhat manageable. But the larger they grew, the more pressure Lance felt.

Like he couldn't do it.

Like he'd fuck up.

Like literally anyone would be better at it then he was.

He tried telling his best friends about it. But neither would hear him on it. Both sprouted words of encouragement (Hunk) and laid out the facts of the matter (Pidge). He supposed both of them were comforting in their own way. And most of the time he really was too busy to ponder on his place at the Garrison most days.

No those few spare moments he had were usually devoted to trying to figure out the missing puzzle they'd been handed two years ago.

Voltron.

They were no closer to knowing what it was now, then they had been back then. Even with all of Pidge's digging and growing knowledge on the Galra, they still had nothing to show for it. Nothing but the name. Repeated over and over. On computer systems. On the Galra communication network. Just the same damn phrase.

The topic staled for Lance. He popped his head into the discussion whenever he thought there was new info. Otherwise he tried staying clear of it. The whole thing was frustrating and he had enough to worry about without that.

Though, his mind occasionally wandered there. He couldn't help it. Wondering what could be so important to drag an alien race to an 'insignificant planet' like Earth was just too tempting a question to ignore. But even those thoughts couldn't state him. To many unanswered questions always came with those thoughts.

But he was so bored.

Lance ran a hand through his short hair with a sigh. He didn't want to think anymore. He rolled back onto his stomach and took a look through the scope. Maybe a droid had stumbled back out into the street. Perhaps even a small little army he could distract himself with.

Practically anything would have been better then the figure that caught his eye.

"You've got to be shitting me." Lance blinked, pulling away from the scope and then stared back through it. "No way. No fucking way."

Blue nudged his side, urging him to explain.

Lance followed the body of a young man as he darted towards a droid. A single swipe of his blade dropped the robot. Another one approached. It too met the same fate.

He bit his lip and frowned.

Black hair whipped in the wind. A bandanna pulled over the person's mouth. The same stupid red leather jacket and black shirt and jeans they'd always favored during down time.

It was him alright.

Blue smacked Lance with her paw.

"It's Keith." He answered, not taking his eye off the other man. "Keith fucking Kogane and-" He paused, eyes widened as he spotted a red male lion with him - "He has a fucking lion, Blue! A red one. What the actual fuck!?"

Blue rested her chin on his head to see where he was looking. She peered over the landscape and finally voiced her thoughts.

'So he does.'

"That's it?!" Lance squeaked out indignantly. He needed her to be more upset about this with him. "Just a 'so he does'? Come on Blue, give me something to work with here."

'But,' he could hear confusion in her voice. 'I don't know this… Keith? Or the lion with him… I don't think.'

"We went to the Garrison together." Lance explained briefly. "The hotshot of the class. Excelled at the simulators. Had everyone in class wanting to get into his pants. He got kicked out like a month before everything went down."

'You were… friends?'

"Oh hell no!" He spat back immediately. "Couldn't stand the guy! He always thought he was better than me! We hardly talked."

He sensed Blue's confusion at his indignation. 'How do you even know it's him?'

"I'd recognize that mullet anywhere!" The response was immediate as his blue eyes followed Keith's lithe figure.

Now that he'd seen him, Lance had a hard time looking anywhere else. It had been over three years since he saw the guy. The realization caused an odd churning in his gut.

Blue remained thoughtful at his side.

Lance felt her unvoiced question.

"We're just gunna wait and see what they do." He scowled at Keith through his scope. "If we run into them, we run into them. I'm not going out of my way to approach him."

Lance finally pulled his attention away from the other young man. A few more droids had littered the street while he'd been distracted. He half debated letting them make their way to Keith. But decided against it.

He needed an outlet for his sudden nerves.

This had been a stupid idea.

Keith struck down another droid as he moved quietly through the streets.

Shiro had taken off in the opposite direction, Keith managing to convince him that they should split up to cover more ground. The town appeared fairly deserted from what they could tell. Not much in life forms anyways. A stupid amount of droids, but that was usually how these towns were. Bigger ones full of untapped resources but just far enough off the beaten path that most wouldn't bother to check.

Keith assumed this would be an easy win. Quick stroll through the town to hit up the normal spots. Grocery stores and pharmacies. Maybe grab some new clothes and if easily available, bathing supplies.

Yeah. Super easy.

He hadn't counted on the sheer number of droids though. A good chunk of which weren't even functioning.

A large number laid down in the street. A single hole pierced through either the chest or the head. The main two ways to stop a droid in a single blow when using a long ranged weapon.

So now Keith kinda wished he would have just went with Shrio. Because he had no idea who was taking these damn robots down.

Friend?

Foe?

Keith didn't went to find out. They'd run into enough rouges on the road to know better then to press his luck with unknown parties. If he could avoid them, he would. Especially being split from Shrio. An enemy was the last thing they needed when the two of them were separated.

The dagger wielding man cautiously peered around the corner. Amethyst eyes staring down the new street.

A shot pierced the air.

Red emitted a low growl. A warning.

Keith scowled and scanned the area, unable to find a trace of anyone or anything that may cause such a reaction. Both of them knew someone else was here. Gunshots weren't quiet and this town had been letting out a steady spew as soon as they'd parted from Shrio and Black over an hour ago.

"Where, boy?" Keith mumbled under his breath.

He fingered the blade at this side, ready at a moments notice. If Red thought it was worth checking out, Keith wouldn't deny him. He trusted his lion's instincts just as much as his own.

His lion silently lead the way to a four story building at the end of the street. He ducked behind the structure and Keith followed. There they found a set of well worn stairs. Red sat down and glanced up with a tilt of his head. A fairly laid back reaction from his lion. Keith frowned, debating if it was worth going to investigate further. Red didn't seem worried or anxious in the slightest. And Keith wasn't going to lie, that made him curious.

A shot rang through the air again.

Keith gritted his teeth. The sound of gunshots always made him uneasy. He assumed the shooter was on a rooftop, likely this one from Red's actions. Not knowing who was firing set him on edge. It could be anyone. Though the chances of a Galra enemy were low considering they were taking out the droids. Still… didn't mean he liked it.

He glanced back around the corner.

Galara drones littered the street. The very same he'd been in just five minutes before. He narrowed his eyes as another shot pierced through the one nearest to the building. Still a hundred yards away.

Red nudged him. The lion again gestured towards the stairs.

'If we go up. We can hide.'

"But…" Keith argued, gaze back to the street. "We could be trapped as well."

'There's something odd on the roof. I want to check.' Red's gaze bore into his own, determined to have his way.

Keith sighed. His own curiosity itching to be scratched.

Up it was then.

The climb was a bit of a struggle given Red's size. He'd grown a lot in two years and weighed probably close to a thousand pounds. How exactly the fire escape managed to hold both of their weight, Keith wasn't about to question. When he arrived at the roof he paused at the unbelievable sight before him.

Another lion.

Female given the lack of a mane, but seeing another lion out wasn't even the shocking part. No that went to the curious markings she had. Deep blue covered her coat with lighter patches dotting across her back like the sun's rays on the ocean. The color of her coat rivalied Red's in its intensity. His lions own fur a blood red with a more vibrant shade painting the back of his neck and underbelly. She was larger than Red too, but only by a handful of inches. No where near the size of Black.

Her eyes were on them instantly as she lounged lazily at the feet of a man sprawled on his stomach. Keith noticed the sniper in his arms aimed at, what he assumed, was the drones below.

The man fired a few quick shots.

A light chuckle carried through the air. "You see that one, girl? One of those shots was a two for one. And they told me I'd never amount to anything."

The lion pawed at the man's foot sluggishly. Probably trying to relay some type of warning.

"No-no, don't try to distract me from my genius." Another shot. "A few more minutes. That should be enough."

The female made a low grumble in her chest as Keith tried to get closer.

"Yeah well-"

Keith kicked a rock and cringed, hoping he went unheard.

Faster than he thought was humanly possible, the man whirled around. A handgun suddenly in his grasp.

Blue.

That's the only thought to pass through his head as the stranger held him at gunpoint. Blue eyes the same shade as his lions fur. A deep ocean framed by short chocolate brown hair and tanned skin. The man was young. Probably near the same age as Keith. He wore light blue jeans and a large green military jacket with what looked like a white tee underneath.

"Oh," the man spoke first, not an ounce of fear at being caught unaware, "it's you." He said flatly. Like he expected him. Or knew he'd been up there the whole time.

"What?" Keith frowned deeply at him. Something in the other man's tone rubbed him the wrong way. "You know me?"

The stranger quirked a slender brow as he studied his features. "I mean we were at the Garrison together, but that was years ago." The man lowered his gun slightly to get a better look at him. As if he just realized he did actually know him. "I meant it more as I just saw you." He poked his thumb behind him. "Out on the street." He clarified.

He furrowed his brow further, knife still held defensively up. "I don't know you."

The man snorted and rolled his eyes. "Go figure. The great Keith Kogane has no idea who little ol me is."

He bristled at hearing his name from the strangers lips.

The odd man then switched back over to watching the street with his sniper. A moment later, he fired another shot.

What is wrong with this guy? Keith couldn't help but think. Who the hell turns their back on a stranger? Er, okay he knows me... But still! I have my fucking knife out!

His eyes drifted to the female lion watching the two of them. Her posture remained relaxed. Clearly she wasn't threatened by them. She didn't make any warning snarls, unlike Red, but he could see the threat in her eyes. All it would take was one wrong move towards the man and they'd be in trouble.

Her eyes spoke of high intelligence.

Just like Red.

"Where'd you find her?" Keith asked before his rational brain could catch up.

"What?" The man didn't spare him a glance as he fired a shot.

"The lion." He answered simply. It was already out there, may as well continue with the line of questioning.

"You're awfully chatty with some guy you claim not to know." The stranger responded flippantly.

Two more shots.

"I don't know you." Keith took a menacing step forward. This guy was really starting to piss him off. "Answer my question."

He snorted. "Better watch your step amigo. Or change your tone." He advised releasing another few shots, not even bothering to look at him. "Blue generally doesn't take too kindly to strangers threatening me."

It was then he finally noticed how much more menacing the blue lion looked. She's just barely raised off her belly, shoulders low and ready to pounce at a moments notice. Her eyes narrowed not on him, but on Red who had somehow maneuvered in front of him.

'She's warning us not to move closer.' Red's deep rumble sounded off in his mind.

Before Keith could process the fact that Blue could fucking talk to Red, the bastard on the ground was speaking.

"You tell 'em, girl." He encouraged her with an amused tone. A pause and then a small chuckle. "I know right? That's what I was talking about! Just as ridiculous now as it was then."

Keith gritted his teeth, annoyed that he could only hear one side of whatever conversation the shooter and the blue lion were having. "What are they saying?" He mumbled under his breath to Red.

'Something about your attitude... and your hair?' Red's brows were knitted together.

Blue purred.

Red frowned deeply. 'Now she's making suggestive comments at me?'

"What?!" Keith shouted.

"Dude, relax, will ya?" The shooter soothed mockingly as he fired off another shot. "She's just messing with him. Nothing wrong with having a little fun with some old friends."

"Stop talking like you know me." His caution flew off the roof. Like this guy soon would be. The more Keith talked with him the more he forgot the need for discretion.

At that the shooter shot to his knees and spun around to level Keith with a sharp glare. He stood a second later, his guns still on the ground. He placed his hands on his hips and scowled. All of it an impressive flow of movement for someone with such long dangly limps.

"The name's Lance." His blue eyes zipped over Keith's face, searching for something. "Lance McClain. We had the same fucking classes at the Garrison before you got yourself kicked out."

Keith defensiveness spiked. "The aliens invaded like a month later!" He threw his arms in the air in angry protest. "What was the point of staying?"

"I don't know, to graduate?" Lance spat back.

"There was no graduation!"

"That's besides the point!"

"That's exactly the point!"

Keith growled, pushing against the Lance's shoulders. When they had gotten so close in their shouting match, he had no idea. "You're an idiot. While you were wasting your time in school I was trying to find out how to stop them!"

"By yourself?" The other man scoffed in disbelief. "Yeah right. We knew what was happening and weren't able to catch a whiff of anything! Even with a guy on the inside."

He opened his mouth and promptly shut it as the words registered fully. "What? You knew?"

"Hell yeah we knew!" The tan man crossed his arms and stuck his chin up in the air.

"How?"

"None of your business, Mullet."

He furrowed his brows. "Mullet?"

"Your hair."

"It is not a mullet!"

'Trouble...' Red warned.

Both stilled in their argument. Keith assumed Blue told Lance the same.

"Shit." Lance scrambled to the edge of the roof, Keith right on his heels.

Both peered over.

"Shit." Keith echoed as he caught sight of the Galra soldier leading what had to be twenty more droids towards the old fire escape behind him.

He turned to his left to look at Lance, finding the young man already gone. He heard scratching along the roof, alerting Keith to Lance's presence. The tan man dropped down by his guns.

The shooter gathered his equipment swiftly shouting a, "We gotta go!" The sniper's strap draped over his chest and shoulder. The handgun now holstered at his hip. His blue eyes searched the area.

"Jump to the next building." Keith ordered, already climbing up onto Red's back.

"Are you nuts, Kogane?" Lance bellowed at him with wide eyes. "The nearest building is twenty-five feet away!"

He quirked a brow, both at the attitude and Lance addressing him by his last name. A smirk crossed his lips at seeing the shooter with an expression other than arrogance. Even if it bordered on panic.

"What?" Keith taunted with a slight tilt of his head. His voice took on a playful edge he hadn't felt in years. "Don't think you can make it, McClain?"

Lance bristled, panic replaced by irritation, and Blue growled at his side. "Course we can!" He immediately responded. He rested a tan hand on her blue coat. "Let's show em how it's done, girl."

The other man shot him one last snarky glare before he jumped onto the back of his lion, sliding into a saddle of sorts that Keith hadn't noticed before. Keith nodded at him and then patted Red's shoulder. The male lion shot forward, running towards the edge and then leaping in the air. Wind flew through Keith's hair and he smiled at the familiar sensation.

They landed a second later.

Another five and a thud sounded off a little farther in front of them.

Lance patted Blue with pride. "That's my girl." A second later he was sending Keith an irritatingly smug grin. "Looks like we win!"

"It's not a competition." Keith started at him, attempting to keep his anger in check. This guy did nothing but push his buttons. But the fact remained that they may have to work together to get out of this one. He couldn't afford to lose his cool.

Patience yields focus. Shiro's mantra reminded him.

"Says the loser!" Lance wiggled his eyebrows at him.

Keith's jaw slacked. "Fine!" he snapped. "Next building. You're going down."

The tan man's grin merely widened. "You're on."

'We won't lose.' Red echoed Keith's own thoughts. He wondered if his lion was getting the same kind of treatment from Blue to urge such a response.

Lance made eye contact with him and Keith narrowed his eyes. Not a word reached the air as their lions lurched forward in sync. The next building settled underneath them.

Keith grinned. "Oh, would you look at that."

"Shuddup." Lance grumbled, his bottom lip popping out in a pout. "You cheated. You only beat us by a hair."

Keith almost laughed at the audacity of it. Was this guy for real?

"Another building over and I think we should be able to hop down." Lance spoke as he stared back the way they came.

The first droid just appeared on the rooftop. And fired.

"Better make it fast." Keith huffed as Red sidestepped a shot, not even bothering throwing up his shield.

Lance grumbled something under his breath that sounds suspiciously like, "that's what she said," and shot across the gap to the next, shorter building.

Keith followed right after him. This time there were no words exchanged over who 'won'. Instead both peered over the side of the building. Still quite the drop.

Shots fired over their heads.

"Stairs, over here." Lance waved him over. Blue started down the steps at a surprisingly agile pace for her size.

They reached the ground and Red took over the lead. Tentatively, Keith surveyed the area. It appeared clear. He made a hand single to Lance, who nodded in understanding, maybe the kid did actually go to the Garrison with him.

They quietly moved out. They needed to get out of town. Out of the now dangerous area.

Almost to the outskirts, they heard a horrible sound. A vehicle whirled towards them. Outpoured more droids and one haughty commander. Before either made a move the droids circled them.

They were surrounded.

A/N: There it is! Keith and Lance finally meet! It's been about 3 years since they've seen each other so you can't really blame Keith for not recognizing the man. So rough age for our main gang would be Keith-21, Lance and Hunk-20, Pidge-18, and Shrio-28. Which I think is around what they end up being by the end of season 8? I'm not going to claim to know exactly what age everyone ended up being. Especially with Keith and his two year gap and the chunk of time the team lost and all that jazz. *clears throat* Uh, ignore my nonsense. Age doesn't really matter after they're over 20 anyways ;) haha

I'm super excited to show you guys what I've been thinking for this story! Seriously these first few chapters are just the tip of the iceberg. These beginning chapters have just been mostly setup for the big things coming. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and will stick around to see what's next!

Thanks for reading! :)