Lance was rubbing his swollen cheek when he said, "So, I've come to terms with the fact that what I just said was probably very, uh- rude, of me to ask," he says slowly, hating this angry silence between them and wanting to mend it as fast as possible.
An hour had passed since they spoke last, Keith still fuming that Lance had the gall to even think the question. "Rude isn't even close to cutting it."

"Right…" he nodded. Whistling a little, he says, "But the whole Pure thing had to mean something and I was just trying to figure it out."

"So you instantly just turn the topic to my virginity?".

"Well- yeah! You heard Tellru! And then she called me unpure and you know, I'm not a virgin- so I just assumed?"

"You aren't?" the question was quiet. Lance felt nervous because of it, shifting uncomfortably.

"I'm not. Back at Garrison- yeah…" this was an awkward question that Lance never really talked about with people. It was just common knowledge that Lance wasn't. He was a very flirty guy who had been with a lot of people- most of them never too serious and lasted just a few shorts weeks. And not all of those people lead to sex of course, but he had done it at least twice so far.

Like hell, he was going to reveal any of those details to Keith though.

So why was this guy looking at him so intently? He could feel those eyes burning their way into his soul. It was starting to make him feel self-conscious and he had to rub at his arms.

"Who was it with?"

"That- that feels more private than the virginity question." He points out. "And you still never answered that one, you know."

Keith clears his throat, sounding tense and nervous, "Oh uh- yeah- sorry, you are right. Let us focus on escaping."

"Yeah..." Lance tapped against his cell, bored and waiting for Keith to figure out some sort of plan, "You think the others are having a better time than we are?"

"I hope so,"

"Yeah, me too…" he sniffed a bit, feeling cold, "Got any plan yet?"

'No."

Keith had already described everything he could within the room, so there really wasn't anything else to say between them. Honestly, it was strange, Lance had never been alone with Keith for this long. Sure they've gone on missions together and he honestly spends most of his day with the Red paladin but the others were always present.

This was a new experience; being just the two of them. Lance wasn't quite sure how he felt about it. So far they could talk easily, and even held hands for a given hour… but now that topics were dwindling and it would just be repetitive, Lance was at a loss.

He wanted to talk to Keith. He was practically frantic to hear his voice, "Can you uh-" he cleared his throat, "Can you say something?"

"What do you want me to say?" Keith inquires sourly.

"I dunno- anything? Just talk to me,"

Keith ran a hand over his own face, grumbling. There were too many things to deal with for him to force words out of his mouth for Lance's comfort. Even if the request was super cute and he was reaching out his fingers to him all pleading and crap-

Keith reached out and took Lance's hand, "We've been in here for almost an hour, they are probably going to come get us soon. I don't know what will happen when they do but we should try and come up with a plan before then. If we get separated, I'll come get you-" Keith banged his forehead into the bars. Curse Lance's quivering bottom lip- he couldn't say no to that!

Lance was nodding, breathing steady, soaking in Keith's voice word for word. Keith had never had anyone focus so deeply on him before- it made him embarrassed about his own voice. The more he thought about it, the more it wavered when he tried to make it sound calm, "O-Okay? I'll come get you, don't try to find me on your own. Who knows where you'll end up. And don't pick any fights with anyone." He felt like a nagging parent. But Lance simply nodded from time to time. It was so unlike him to agree with Keith and just do as he says- but given Lance's current situation, he really didn't have a choice. The only thing he could trust and rely on right now was the red paladin- he wasn't going to start picking fights with him anytime soon.

"If I can get a weapon, we can get out of here,' Keith says, glancing down at the Blue paladin's knuckles.

Lance had complimented his hands earlier, but it was Lance's hands that were soft. Wasn't surprising knowing the amount of time he put into his skin every day. Now if only he trained with that much vigor.

"Keith," Lance whispers a warning, "Someone is walking this way," he was spazzing when there was a large bang. Almost jumping out of his skin he let out a startled little breath, clutching his heart to calm it. Keith brushed his thumb to Lance's knuckles- he hated seeing him so… vulnerable. That wasn't how Lance was. He was over confident and cocky- not clingy and jumpy. Though Keith can't say he really minded the uh- the clingy part.

Holding Lance's hand tight, Keith barred his teeth at the multiple guards that were walking into the room. They were just like the ones who attacked them in the woods- all bearing the same markings and armor. They were talking, chattering to themselves in a language neither of the two paladins understood,

("These them?")

("Should be.)

Keith tensed when one moved closer, kneeling down to Lance's cell. Opening it, he reached in with a large hand, gripping Lance's torso and dragging him out. Lance yelped in a panic, hand slipping from Keith's. Keith helplessly called out his name.

They threw him to the floor, hovering around him. They seemed to be sizing him up, writing down different things every time he moved.

"Keith…" Lance stumbled to his feet, flinching whenever one of the Coeihns grabbed his arm or nudged him. With the way they acted, they weren't even considering Lance a threat to them- most likely thinking that with his eye injury there was no way he could escape or hurt them.

"Keith-" Lance slapped his hand around when one tried to examine his nails. It was like they were trying to write down his physical characteristics.

Keith didn't really want to know why.

("Has its eye injury improved?") A high voice inquired, like nails on a chalkboard.

("No, sir.")

("Then he is useless,")a hand was placed on Lance's head the Coeihn tugged on his hair, forcing him forward. Unable to do anything else but follow the painful tugging, Lance grit his teeth, ("I suppose we could place him in the arena, but the fight would be too one sided- completely unenjoyable.)" Something leaned towards his face and sniffed.

Feeling a horrible chill run up his spine Lance pushed away from it, holding his hands up to block himself. ("He smells unpure, sir.")

"Keith?" he said weakly, unable to hear him through the aliens crowding him, poking and prodding at his injuries, bickering amongst themselves.

Keith was gripping the bars so hard he thought they would crack under the pressure, "I'm here!" he tried to say in an even tone but his fury was getting the best of him. He wanted these stupid aliens to leave Lance alone. He wanted them to stop touching him and bring him over here so he could hug away the fearful tremors coursing up the blue paladin's spine. "I'm here, Lance." All he could do was talk to him. It was pathetic, but if it even gave Lance the slightest comfort then Keith would scream to the heavens if he had to.

("Can't even use him as a decent prize- shame, considering his skin is immaculate.") the Coeign ran a hand across Lance's arm, feeling the smooth skin.

He blindly swatted their hands away, yelling in a panic, "Get off! Keith?" he kept calling to him in a small voice. It was the only thing he had from breaking. This helpless feeling was horrible- his body wouldn't stop shaking. If he could just see it wouldn't be that bad but he couldn't- he was trapped against the cruel touch of darkness. The only hope was Keith's voice- distant but there.

Keith was kicking against the bars, "I'm here!" he grunted, "Just- hold on. I'm stuck in the cage! I'm here!"

The hands on Lance's shoulders retreated, but the grip on his hair remained, using it to hold him in place. It hurt- especially with the injury towards the side of his skull. It was screaming at him.

The next few seconds he could hear the other cage door open. Keith, who could see the people trying to grab him, wasn't as easy to get out. He was kicking and punching- it was a good thing they brought so many guards for this because it took almost every single one of them to hold him down- injury or not.

He had even tried to make a break for Lance several times- kicking enough to knock the air out of one Coeihn and grasp Lance's arm.

Lance wasn't expecting the contact and let out a little sob- fingers barely able to graze Keith's face before they were pulled away. It was torture- worse than anything either of them had ever encountered. They just wanted to get to the other- hold them, comfort them... was that so wrong?

Tugged back, Keith flinched away when a few of these aliens started to smell him. Tellru had done so earlier, but it wasn't nearly as creepy as these guys.

("This one is pure, sir-") the Coeihn made a startled sound as if it had been punched. Keith probably punched it, Lance assumed. It almost made him laugh because that was totally what Keith would do.

"Don't sniff me you creep," Keith's voice was hissing so dark and rough that a few Coeihn almost let go of him in fear.

("What shall you have us do with him, Rashra sir?")

Lance, though he couldn't understand any other word, recognized the name- it was the one Tellru mentioned earlier. Rashra was the head of the guards and would be the one to decide where these guys took them. Having not said a word the entire time he had been here and letting his subordinates handle the situation, he finally stepped forward.

("Hold him still,") Rashra spoke and Lance swore he almost threw up. The sound of ones voice, or any sound in general right now, were his only clue to what was happening around him. They either put him on edge or calmed him down. Rashra, this guy, his voice just gave him the creeps. It was deep, slurring slightly, and there was just this undertone. It was sick and twisted and wrong. And the weirdest part was, Lance had no idea what he was saying.

It really said something when he felt this sick of a feeling towards something he couldn't understand.

("Raven hair…") Rashra gripped Keith's chin, ("How beautiful.")

"Don't touch me," Keith was saying.

"Yeah!" Lance startled them when he snapped, "Don't touch him!" he wasn't even sure if they were, but he had big warning alarms in his head. As frightened as he was, he was willing to throw himself at whatever was messing with Keith. The thought alone gave him a little burst of courage. He needed that.

These Coeihns though, they didn't listen. Their hands continued to wander, touching Keith's delicate locks of hair like they were as precious as gold. He bit the hand of one then lashed out at the other.

"I said don't touch me, you scum bag-!" the sound of a heavy thump could be heard. If Lance had been able to see he would have witnessed Keith lifting himself upward, using the grip of the Coeihns, and slamming both of his feet into Rashra's face. Injury or not- it made a painful crack.

("Feisty.") Rashra chuckles through a tight voice, blood dripping from his broken nose, ("He shall make an excellent prize. The people will be quite pleased. Take them away,")

Shouting when he was lifted into the air, Lance fought against the hands with all him might, calling out for the only name he could, "Keith! Keith!" He didn't understand what they were saying, but he knew they were being separated. Did they decide something?! What was happening?!

He could hear the sounds of struggles behind him, the angry roars of the Red paladin echoing all the way down the hall, "Lance! Let go of me! Where are you taking him!?"

It was the last sound he heard before a door closed and he was dragged away.

"Lance!"

Ugh... This story is killing me. In a good way XD But it is definitely going to be a journey. Our poor red and blue paladins- they just wanna cuddle and be cute! Is that so hard to give to them!? Let the babies be together dang it!