The first thing Lance saw when he woke up was Keith's eyes.
He never woke up at the same time as Keith. They both just tended to follow their own mental clocks, waking up at different hours or having to be awakened by the other.
For the first time since arriving, however, Lance was surprised when their eyes opened in unison. Or perhaps, Keith had been awake for a while and was just staring at him- he wasn't sure. The pounding of his heart was too afraid to ask.
When their gaze's lock within the twilight before dawn, Keith smiled, whispering, "Good morning," the corners of his eyes crinkle in into a fond smile, as if his day just officially started now that Lance was awake.
It has his breath stalling in his chest.
Something… Something was changing.
It was hard to look Keith in the eye anymore. There is an expression there, deep and just so raw, it has him quivering.
If that isn't enough, it just grows whenever Keith stares at him, sparkling brighter when Lance stares back. Soft, warm, and something indescribable through words.
"Morning…" he whispered back, shaky and breathless. This early in the morning and he's already lost his breath.
Keith's hand reaches out, caressing his cheek. His fingers smell like soap- he's been taking baths more often lately. The very touch of his fingers makes Lance's skin tingle, like he's transmitting sparks between them.
"Sleep well?" he inquired
"Yeah. You?" Lance nuzzles into his hand. He shifts and presses himself against the other paladin, seeking more of his warmth.
"I had a dream about a whale or something,"
Lance snorts, "That's weird,"
"Yeah," he says, cradling Lance's head gently.
He craned his neck to look at him, "You know, I was never really a morning person till I got into high school. I hated waking up early, and sometimes I still do- but it's sometimes my favorite part of the day. It's quiet, relaxing, and the air feels different," Keith's periwinkle eyes are dark with understanding and Lance hurried on, "I like how it feels crisp,"
"Back on earth, I would wake up early every day at that cabin I was staying in. The sun rising in the distance was something else. I never got sick of the view,"
"We should go see the sunset in this world someday,"
"I'd like that,"
Smiling, Lance lifts his arms a little, wrapping them around Keith's torso, "Ready for another day of stares, life threats, and awkward social laws?" he joked, nuzzling into Keith's neck, kissing it lightly.
Keith rolls his eyes, "I wish they could just give this whole equivalent thing a rest," he admits,
"Yeah me too. But it is their cultures so we can't do much," Lance, eyeing Keith's adorable little ear, busies himself with kissing it. Keith tilts his head a little to better the angle, allowing Lance's action, "Equivalents are basically like husbands or wives." Lance mumbles against the lobe of the ear.
"You aren't expected or threatened to get married in our world," Keith says. He sounded like he intended to sound rough, but Lance's lips on his skin were making it hard to stay grumpy.
"Well I mean, not where we lived- but I think that was totally still a thing in a lot of different places around the world,"
Keith frowns, "Oh, yeah."
"Plus, mates are super important to animals. Coeihns are probably just more connected with their wild side~" he licks Keith's ear.
Keith shivers, "Still….How is sex such an important thing to these people?"
"It is an important thing to humans too," a graze of his teeth to Keith's pulse and he had the red paladin slowly tilting his head into his pillow, eyes closed in bliss. Lance keeps going, loving the sensation of Keith's neck on his mouth.
"Not this important...It doesn't decide status- ngh… m-most people get looked down on if they lose their virginity at a young age." Keith stammers.
Lance pauses, his gaze saddening, "They do," he agrees with a sigh.
Keith quickly caught himself, "I wasn't talking about you," he says. "I mean just- of course not everyone means to. That doesn't make you're a bad person if you do. You aren't a bad person. I don't mind that you did. Or if anyone did. I-"
Watching him, Lance smiles, "I know." he chuckles, finding it adorable how flustered Keith was getting.
"You just- you got sad there for a second," he reaches for him, brushing his thumb over his eyebrow then trailing down to his jaw, rubbing gentle circles into it. Keith wasn't an idiot, he knew Lance being impure meant that he had lost his virginity. He had meant to say that like he looked down at Lance in any way. It was actually quite the opposite.
"I got it, Keith," he assures him, "You didn't hurt my feelings," he returned to kissing along his jaw, "It was my own fault for going to that stupid party,"
"You lost it at a party?" Keith runs his hands through Lance's hair soothingly.
"There was something in the punch…"
"What do you mean?" Lance hesitated. Lingering for a moment too long on the pause, he sucks down hard on Keith's throat. Keith isn't expecting it and gasps, "Lance~"
Not even realizing Lance had forced a topic change, Keith couldn't think of anything else but the slow hickey being brought to the surface by the blue paladin's lips.
"Hickey, hickey~" Lance sang when he was done.
"Don't… Don't announce it to the world," Keith grumbled, glancing down at it cautiously. He thought it would have hurt, and in some way it did. But oh, it had felt so amazing too.
"But I kind of want to," Lance chuckled, "I, Lance McClain, have bestowed upon you, Keith Kogane, your first hickey. Praise the high angels!"
"Stop,' Keith flicked his forehead. "You said before you weren't an exhibitionist."
"I would totally be one for you,"
"Stop," Keith commands with a little more insistence.
"You're blushing,"
"No, I'm not."
'Yes you are~"
"S. T. O. P," Keith pushes him back on the bed and rolls them over, "I'm giving you at least two for that,"
"Hickeys?" Lance inquired as Keith descends on his throat
He is already kissing his Adam's apple when he husks, "Yes,"
"You even know how to?" Lance smiles, almost purring at the feeling.
"I saw how you did it," he sucked below Lance's ear to show his point
Lance turned his head, smiling, "Monkey see monkey do?" He choked off when Keith allowed his teeth to graze along the spot. Lance bit his lip, trembling at how delicate his skin felt.
"Monkey see monkey do…" Keith pulled away to examine his mark. Something flashed behind his eyes and they darkened. He leaned back down to lick the hickey.
He seemed almost pleased by it.
"Lance," he says sensually. His lips trail to his collarbone. Watching him quietly, Lance struggles to hold his breath steady as Keith took his time to locate the perfect spot for his second hickey.
He chooses to place it right below his right ear, nibbling on the spot till it bruised purple.
With a tingle up his spine, Lance reaches a hand up to touch the spot. Keith stops him, placing his hand back to his side, pinning it there.
"What-?" He surprised Lance when he sucked heavenly along his jaw, assaulting the skin into another budding mark. "H-Hey," Lance pushes him back a short distance, "You already gave me two," he points out shakily, his breath uneven. Taking a moment to appreciate the sight below him, Keith pauses.
Lance inhales when he smirks. He is leaning into him, holding his wrists prisoners. "One more," he asks him. Lance is melting to his touch.
It was only then, watching Lance blush and willingly submit to his will, that he realized how effective his smirks seemed to be to the blue paladin. He would have to remember that for later….
"Just- not too many…" he mutters
Feeling Lance's pulse shot up he says, "I'll try to hold back," he leans down, attaching to the blue paladin's neck once more.
Managing to entice Lance to go with this for another couple minutes, Keith pulled away to brush some spit from his lips. Lance was puffing heavily below him, his neck swelling in a hot mess of red and purple blemishes
"You cheater...," he whined, running his hand along his neck, "I only gave you one,"
Keith shrugged. "You could have told me to stop."
Lance pouts at him, shoving him back a little to look towards the window, staring at his reflection. Keith wraps his arms around Lance shoulders, staring at the sight with a smug grin, "Look at this mess," Lance sighs, "How am I gonna hide this?"
"Don't hide it," Keith requested. With a small pause, Keith's hand slowly lifted to brush Lance's bang behind his ear, "I like to see them,"
With a quickening pace to his heart, he lowered his gaze, "And you claim that I'm the exhibitionist? You sir, are definitely uninhibited sometimes."
"Only for you," Keith mimicked Lance's words from earlier
"You're unbelievable," Lance grumbles, pulling Keith in for a kiss. "This is why I shouldn't show you things."
"I knew about hickeys. I just didn't know how you gave people them.."
"How did you think you got hickeys?" Lance snorts, finding the notion funny.
Keith shrugs a little, "I dunno… your teeth or … you pinched them, or something."
Lance covers his mouth to laugh, "You thought couples just pinched each other's necks? Ooh, how sexy,"
"I didn't know okay! It isn't like you have a manual for this," Keith hits him.
Lance cackled, "Yeah. That is probably why they don't teach you about it in school either."
"They taught about sex in school,".
'No I mean- they tell you about sex, but they don't tell you the details. They don't tell you how to do it- the juicy details and tricks to it."
"Tricks?" Keith frowns.
"You know… like how to give some a hickey properly. Where the sensitive parts of the part are to kiss," he teases.
"Ooh." Keith realizes awkwardly, "I guess so. Your parents probably tell you, right?"
Lance laughed, "You think my parents taught me how to- no! No way, dude. Did your Dad tell you how to have sex with someone?"
"Of course not."
"Yeah, because it isn't a normal thing. I mean, I've had the talk with my Dad and Mom. You know, talking about being safe with it so not to get someone pregnant or get diseases- but like hell they would ever tell me how to stretch someone out." he lifted his fingers and make scissoring motions. Lance regretted to action instantly when Keith titled his head, puzzled.
"...Stretch someone out?"
Lance froze and slowly turned his gaze to him. Constantly forgetting that this was a little baby virgin who did no research into this at all, he slowly lowers his hand, "Nothing."
"No, tell me."
'You don't want to know, dude. It's uh- inappropriate."
"I'm not a kid, Lance."
Lance purses his lips, questioning how they ever came to this moment. In all honestly, he should have expected it. He only has himself to blame.
"It's uh… it's what you do before you have sex. Y-You stretch someone out."
"So not to strain a muscle? I didn't think people took the time to just stretch before they did that. Is it like Yoga?" Keith blinks at him with wide eyes and Lance just wants to kiss that perfect face.
"No… Jeez Keith, no." he was too cute. Lance couldn't take it, "That isn't what I meant. It is to prepare you for sex not- oh my god, it's definitely not Yoga you sweet baby plum.."
"What did you mean? What does stretching mean then?" Keith huffs, embarrassed and humiliated.
Lance lifts his head, staring at Keith hard in the eyes. "Well…" He rolled, moving right over Keith. Starling him, Lance propped himself up using his arms, his hands resting on both sides of Keith's head. Looming over the shocked paladin, Lance smirks, "I could show you, if you wanted~"
The wide-eyed look of shock matched by the reddening cheeks made the very embarrassing suggestion worth it.
Keith took at least a few seconds for his brain to catch up with him and grabbed a pillow. He hit lance in the face with it. Lance laughed.
"I was just kidding!" he cackled.
Keith continued to throw pillows, his face blooming red. "I'm not one for jokes,"
"I know," Lance grinned.
When the pillows were all tossed to the floor, the two got ready for the day. It was kind of chilly out today, lucky for Lance, and he was able to zip up his new jacket he got from Tellru. He adored the collar even more now that he could cover his neck.
Keith on the other hand, let his jacket hang open, revealing his neck for all to see, or more specifically, the single hickey. Lance swore he was trying to show it off, a look of pride crossing his features.
Despite what Lance said before, it was actually very embarrassing to see the mark every single time he looked at the red paladin. He was almost tempted to just zip Keith's jacket up for him, but his pride wouldn't allow him too.
Keith would just smirk and tease him if he tried.
"Here you go," Keith is hanging him his blade. Taking it carefully, he examines it closely. Never normally getting a chance to be this close to it, he admires the purple glint to it.
"Okay," Lance grins as he puts on Keith's belt so that he could place his blade on it. "You have such a little waist," he tells him, noting the worn out hole Keith tended to buckle to when wearing this. He had to go one up from his, making the belt bigger.
"Shut up," Keith huffs, adjusting the holster and placing the blade within. Lance turns around to examine himself, then checks to make sure the sword is secure.
"How do I look?"
"The same- you can't really see it," Keith tells him honestly. Lance hits him a little.
"You are supposed to say I look great."
'You always do."
"...?!" Lance chokes on his own spit,
"...!" Keith turns to escape the room and slams into the door instead. When he fell to the floor in a large heap, Lance moves over to look down at him, eyes wide and sparkling.
"You think I look great?" he gasped.
Keith rolls onto his stomach to hide his face, "Shut up."
"But do you?" Lance persists.
"Shut up!"
"Answer the question!"
"I just said I did! Why do I have to repeat myself?" he wailed. Lance leaped up, enraptured with joy.
"Keith thinks I'm good looking~" he says to no one in particular.
"Don't let it go to your head," Getting to his feet, Keith dusted off his knees, "C'mon already. Let's go,"
"Kay~" he zips up his jacket, securing it. Keith locks in on the motion.
"You're zipping up your jacket?" he asks. Lance doesn't notice his quick peek to Lance's neck.
"It's cold. Why wouldn't I?" Lance inquired as they step out into the hall. Keith's gaze follows him, and then tears away to the floor.
With a little shrug, he locks the door and they head down the hall.
"What do you want to do today?" Lance inquired as they walked down the steps.
"Don't really care,"
"Well, we have to meet up with Dravla." Lance reminds him, "You are on probation, after all. Ya delinquent,"
"Oh yeah," he frowns. There is a sudden pause.
Sensing Keith's stare, Lance turns to him. There is an unspoken hesitation between the two of them and Lance isn't sure what it is caused by. Noticing Keith's hand twitching a little, he tilts his head.
Then, Keith reaches for Lance, pauses, and lowers his palm back down to his side. Not sure what that was about, Lance asks, "What's up?"
"Can I…" Keith clears his throat, unsure," I wanted to hold your hand," he whispers so quietly that Lance almost misses it.
"When have you ever asked to hold my hand?" he snickers, reaching and entangling their fingers. This brings forth a little sigh of relief from the red paladin, his shoulders relaxing.
"I don't want to be possessive," he explains softly. Lance puts his other hand on his heart, touched.
"You're trying," he cooed.
"You told me it bothers you," Keith grumbled quickly. With a little skip to his step, Lance tugs Keith a little closer. Taking Keith's hand, he wrapped it around his own waist, placing the red paladin's palm snugly along his hip.
Startled, Keith's eyes are wide when Lance winks at him. "I'll tell you if it is too much. Just do what you always do," he assures him. Taking the liberty to wrap his arm around Keith's shoulders, he kisses his cheek. "Okay?"
"Oh…" Keith smiles a little, "Okay."
'But don't smack Dravla when he tries to pat my shoulder or anything." Lance warns him.
"I won't." he insists.
"I'm watching you," Lance points to his eyes than to Keith's. "Dravla's done a lot for us…"
"He has."
"So don't be mean,"
"I'm never mean,"
"Oh Pfft, please." Lance rolls his eyes. Looking ahead, he squinted his eyes out the window to the kingdom. His vision had increased tenfold since they had first arrived, but many things were still blurry. It was like he was nearsighted, able to view objects and people up-close, but at distances, things blurred together.
"Do you think Coeihns wear glasses?"
"Glasses?" Keith asks.
"Well, I'm kind of like someone who just needs glasses." Lance tells him, "I could see if I could get some."
"Oh," Keith nods, "We should ask Dravla," Keith pondered what Lance would look like with glasses. He knew they tended to make your eyes look a little bit bigger. To him, Lance would look… adorable. "Hope they do," he mutters more to himself than Lance.
"Would definitely make everything a little bit easier to see," Lance conquers. He paused to look over his shoulder.
He had been doing this ever since they left the apartment. He would pause every few minutes to reach behind him, running his hands across Keith's Galra blade. Check to ensure it was still there and safe, he would nod to himself.
"You don't have to keep checking on it," Keith tells him, eyes warm.
"Uh- yes I do," Lance shakes his finger at him, "This is one of your most important possessions. I gotta keep it safe."
"Lance. I go into battle with that all the time and I've never once even dropped it. It won't just fall off because you are walking around,"
"What if someone tries to steal it while I'm not looking?" Lance questions him. "You trusted me with this, and I'm going to do the best job ever at keeping it safe till I give it back to you."
Keith laughs is lined with so much affection that Lance feels his legs buckle. "Got'cha."
Sitting down at the bench outside of the apartment, they wait for Dravla. They aren't allowed, because of Keith's probation, to go around the Kingdom without him, so they waited most mornings for him to arrive.
They sit in silence, listening to the passing of Coeihns and birds above.
"So…" Lance glances at Keith when he realizes the Red paladin didn't plan on talking as they waited. "You seem distracted," Lance notes. The red paladin shrugs a little, "What are you thinking about?"
Keith's shoulders going stiff and he shakes his head, "Nothing."
"C'mon, tell me," he smiled, nudging him a little, "I wanna know what you're thinking about,"
"It's nothing, just- It's stupid."
"Stupid means more than nothing,"
Keith snorts, "It's…" he lowers his gaze and Lance doesn't understand why he started to blush.
"What?" he questioned.
"I was just thinking about your jacket."
"My jacket?" he glances down at it, "What about it?"
"It's dumb."
"I am already invested in this conversation," Lance puffs his cheeks, "Just tell me."
Glancing at him, Keith makes an unwilling groan. Finally, he muttered, "I just- I would have preferred you unzipped your jacket," Keith admits quietly.
"Unzip my-?" Lance understands in a second, "Dude, I'm not showing off the hickeys,"
"I know, that is why I said I would prefer if you did it and that it was dumb. You don't actually have to," Keith tells him quickly, "I just… would have liked for everyone to see them, is all,"
"...Uninhibited," Lance murmurs quietly in both horror and awe. Keith hits him, blushing hard.
"You asked what I was thinking, so I told you!" he yells.
"I didn't think that was what you were thinking!" he had expected himself to get angry, or scold Keith for even suggesting such a thing- perhaps even consider him a pervert or something.
Of course, he thought he would.
He also thought there would be no possible way he would ever reach up, grab the zipper, and tug downward.
Keith turned at the sound of said zipper being pulled.
"Fine," Lance says shakily. Lifting his hand, he moved the top of the jacket to the side, revealing his neck. Hickeys lined the skin, sticking out for the entire world to see.
Keith held his breath. The sight entranced him, and felt prideful that he was the one who put them there.
But he hadn't expected Lance to take him seriously- he sure was thrilled that he did
"Only for a little while…" The flushed blue paladin adds. Keith tightened his grip on his quivering hand, mesmerized. With a numb nod, he scooted a little closer.
"Okay…" he coincided. The urge to reach out and touch him was staggering, so without a sound, he lifted his hand. With the pads of his fingers, he caressed caramel skin, guiding his touch upward to cup the back of Lance's head.
Delicately, he turned the blue paladin to look at him, entrapping him within his gaze.
Lance shivered, eyeing him wearily, his eyes dark with…
Keith didn't know what it was. A tender and stunning emotion that had his heart going wild.
With an impatient yearning feeling his eyes flicked to Lance's lips.
Licking his own, he leaned forward to kiss him. Their mouths barely graze together before someone yells,
"Ew, Cooties,"
Ruru, and for some reason, Harri, were standing in front of them, faces contorted in disgust.
Lance yelled and pulled back, eyes wide with panic, "Ruru?! Harri?!" He demanded
"Hi," they waved.
Dravla was standing behind them, laughter pouring out of his mouth and into his palm in an attempt to silence himself, "O-Oh yeah. I can definitely see it now. You two can't be Equivalents. It is just normal for two friends to do what you two do,"
"Shut up, Dravla!" they roar at him, faces matching in a crimson color.
"Mr. Lance?' Harri tugged on his pant leg.
He turned his body towards the child, keeping a warning glare towards the adult Coeihn present, "Yeah?"
"What are those weird marks on your neck?"
Lance screeched something incoherent and zipped his jacket up, much to Keith's disappointment. "Nothing! Nothing at all!"
"Oh… okay?"
"Harri, what are you even doing here?" Lance questions, exasperated.
"My Papa let me out of the castle!" the young prince grins! "I mean, I still gotta travel with a guard, but I get to come play with other kids!" he cheered.
"Oh…" Lance blinks. "What a sudden change,"
"I was surprised too," Dravla agrees, "But the King said he got inspired by a new view of thinking from an unexpected source,
"What does that mean?"
With a dazzling smile, Dravla grins, "Who knows?" he ruffles Lance's hair. "Oh… wait," he pulls back, "Sorry, Keith,"
"It's fine," Keith corrects him quickly. "I talked it out with Lance. We're okay."
"Yeah," Lance beams, wrapping his arm around Keith's shoulders, "We got a plan! So go ahead- ruffle away!"
Dravla ended up ruining Lance's well-combed hair, but at least Keith was still smiling by the end of it.
"Lala, look look!" It was Ruru's turn to talk and she was excitedly bouncing up and down. Her feet were … glowing?
"Oh my gosh, are those pink glow shows?' Lance gasps. "He got them for you?" when he looks at Dravla, the older Coeihn nods.
"After what my baby girl did, she earned them."
Ruru leaps up to make them glow, striking a pose. Lance is whooping, throwing his hands up, "Work it girl! Show those super shoes off!"
He jumped to his feet to strike a few poses with her. Keith rolled his eyes at him, a little smile pulling at his lips.
"So, what are we doing today?" Lance inquired
"Oh yeah, I hope you don't mind I brought them along," Dravla says, "They want to check something out."
"Check something out?"
They ended up getting dragged to some strange event. Apparently, this popular toy was being sold today and the kids wanted to go and see them.
The toy was weird, shaped like a square, and kind of just jumped around? Literally, it was a square that hopped around the place.
"So this is popular?' Lance takes one into his palm. He tosses it to Keith, who examines it.
"Weird…"
Ruru ended up getting five of them.
"Spoiling her much?" Lance asked Dravla.
"Anything for my baby girl, the hero," he states.
"Hero," Ruru claps
Keith and Lance couldn't help but agree, praising her, "Hero," they lift her up high. Getting her one more square toy for good measure, Lance pauses when he feels a pair of eyes on him.
At least, he thought someone was staring at him. Ever since arriving at the planet there had been nothing but stares, so this shouldn't be surprising- but something was different.
It felt.. Like someone was glaring at him.
Not sure where the stare was coming from, he noticed a Coeihn towards the other end of the square.
With his sight, he couldn't guarantee the Coeihn was looking at him in particular, but he started to realize this was true when the man started to walk towards him.
The Coeihn was dressed in normal armor, showing that he was part of the guard, and had a large sword tied to his belt.
With a dark look, he suddenly pointed to Lance and spat something in his face. Keith lifted a protective arm over Lance's chest, stepping between them. Regardless of what the Coeihn was there for, Keith wasn't comfortable with that look in his eyes.
"What does he want, Dravla?" he inquires to their friend.
Dravla steps forward, ("What's the issue here?")
("I come with a challenge! I seek a dual with the Blue Champion!")
("A duel?") Dravla frowned.
("For the right of his pure!")
"Oohhhh…." Dravla cringes.
"What? What did he say?" Lance asks.
"He wants to challenge you for the right to Keith," Dravla says with a bite in his tone.
Lance opened his mouth to yell back, but stopped. Stepping back, and leaned towards their Coeihn friend, "Can he do that?" he whispered.
"Yes."
Lance gasped in horror, "He can?"
"Yes. If their ranking is high enough, they can."
"What the hell Dravla? Why didn't you mention this before!?"
"Because I assumed you two would become equivalents by now," he grumbled. "To summarize, until a Coeihn is claimed and actually becomes an Equivalent, with Keith isn't, virtually anyone can fight to make them theirs. You won Keith, but you never finished claiming him because he is obviously still pure. This is why it is usually recommended to make your pure your full equivalent as soon as possible so that no one tries to challenge you for them. If you had required Keith, and made him your full Equivalent, no one could challenge you for him. He would be yours and yours alone. It is against law to be with another person's equivalent. It is bounding, for life."
Lance ran a hand through his hair, "Then what do I do?"
"Make Keith your Equivalent, duh," Dravla tells him
"N-No! That isn't what I meant! I mean, what do I do about this guy?" he motions to the Coeihn.
"Ooh yeah, him. I mean, you could still try to make Keith your equivalent real fast." he wiggles his eyebrows, "I could totally buy you 30 minutes to get Keith, hot and desperate."
Lance screamed and slapped him.
"Dravla!" The two paladins roared, shoving him away. He cackled at their flustered expressions, barely even feeling Lance's slap. He held his hands up in surrender when Keith pulled out his Bayard, his face fuming with humiliating rage.
"I will end your life, Dravla," he warns him
"It was just a joke," he sticks his tongue out, smirking.
"Be serious," Lance hisses.
"Alright alright. You can say no to the challenge, Lance," Dravla says, "There are some cases you can't, but right now, you can definitely say no to the challenge,"
"Then no." Keith grumbles, returning his Bayard to his belt "Lance is still recovering and his eyes have only just started to get better. And I don't appreciate how your people seem to treat me like some object."
Dravla shrugs sheepishly. "You aren't technically a citizen yet, so not many have any respect for you."
Keith scoffs a little, pissed.
"I wouldn't want to fight him even if I was in tip top condition," Lance admits, taking Keith's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze,
"So no fight?" Harri inquires, kind of confused.
"No fight, kiddo." Dravla straightened and called to the Coeihn, telling him to go home and that he was refused. The Coeihn didn't seem to like that answer and started barking things. Lance could assume it was something along the lines of calling him a coward for not accepting.
All normal things.
Then…
Dravla's whole body went stiff, his mouth dropping open in horror. Whatever the Coeihn said, it made the entire clearing stare at him in shock.
"...What did he just say?' Lance says.
The beat of silence had Lance at the edge of his seat. "I'm not repeating it," Dravla concludes, his voice sounding vile, like something diseased just crawled in his ears.
"What did he say?" Lance demands, a little more insistent.
"It's gross and wrong, Lance, no. I'm not repeating it. He was saying…" a chilling look crosses his gaze, "He was saying what he would do to Keith when he got his hands on him."
A fowl feeling boiled in Lance's lower chest when the Coeihn stepped a little closer. He hadn't stopped talking since Dravla started explaining. It got to the point when Dravla had to reach down, covering Ruru and Harri's ears. They gawked at the man in dumbfounded confusion.
("Silence your appalling tongue!") Dravla snapped at the man. The Coeihn sneered instead, jabbing Lance in the chest with his finger. He says something else, but the finger doesn't linger before Keith is slapping it away and stepping in front of him.
"Back off," he warns.
The Coeihn seemed pleased to be so close to Keith suddenly and was eyeing him up and down. The hunger in those eyes had Lance's fingers twitching against his Bayard.
"Keith," he whispers, urging them to just go. Keith didn't object, and moved to step back. The Coeihn reached out, snagging a strand of his hair between his fingers.
Lance choked a little at the sight, his blood running cold.
The Coeihn twirled the black lock of hair possessively, looking over Keith's shoulders to meet Lance's gaze.
Rage, was a pathetic attempt at describing the emotion that embodied his chest.
"Don't touch my hair-" Keith was starting to remove the Coeihn's appalling touch and then, a rush of air to his right. Lance had moved faster than anyone could stop him, his fist held high.
He punched the Coeihn right in the nose, making it curl upward with a sickening crack.
The entire square of citizens cringed at the sight, some covering their eyes.
Keith hadn't expected the sudden burst of Lance's wrath- no one had. Even the blue paladin himself couldn't fully understand what he had just done until after he did it. He had just felt so livid, and that was before this guy had the gall to touch his Keith!
...Keith. Touch Keith. Not his Keith, just Keith.
"Lance," Keith grabs his arm, tugging him back, "Hold on," with wide eyes, he takes his hand into his own, examining his reddening knuckles. "What in the world was that?"
"I… I uh…" Lance huffs, looking back and forth from Keith to the slowly rising Coeihn. He was holding his nose, blood dripping from one nostril.
Steadying them both when they got close enough, Dravla sighs, "You just had to go and do that, didn't you?" he groans.
"I didn't mean to," Lance knew that was a lie before the words even came out of his mouth. He would do it again if that guy so much as even looked at Keith for too long.
Frowning, Dravla shakes his head, "Whelp, I hate to say this… but now you just accepted the challenge by initiating a fight,"
"I did?" Lance whispers hoarsely
"Yes,"
"I- I'm sorry," he stammers, "I didn't-" he glanced back at the Coeihn. He was turning, eyes wide and dangerous. There was no getting around this. With shaky fingers, Lance started reaching for his Bayard. Keith's hand stopped him.
With a set gaze, he inquires, "Can't I do the challenge instead?"
Lance turned violently, "What?" he demanded.
"I don't see why not," Dravla says to the red paladin. As they talked, Dravla called to the Coeihn to tell him what was happening.
Lance makes a grab for Keith when he reaches for his Bayard. "Wait wait- no. It's my challenge. I'm the one who caused this," he tells him.
"Relax Lance- this will be over soon,' Keith lifted his blade, examining its sharpness.
Lance refused, sidestepping around him to block his way. "Keith, no," he didn't want Keith to fight for him. To get hurt for him…
Lifting his eyes, Keith inspected him.
"Remember when you said we would talk about things that make us uncomfortable? We'd try to work something out when things got dangerous?" he asks. Waiting for Lance to nod, he adds, "Well this does. You've had to do everything since we got here. Fight, appease the Coeihns, you've done it all. I want to put in my part too," he reaches forward, cupping the side of Lance's face. "I want you to let me do this," Tracing the other's jaw, Keith stepped closer. Removing the space between them, he pressed into Lance's shoulder. "Let me protect you,"
Lance's throat began to tighten and he felt as though he understood what Keith meant. It was unfair for him to say no, wasn't it?
"I don't want you to," he admits in a hushed tone,
"But you'll let me?"
"Yeah." he embraces him, "Be careful."
"I'll end this quickly," Keith nuzzles into him for a few seconds before stepping back. His eyes were burning. Without breaking eye contact, he reached his hand up, twirling his finger against the top of Lance's coat zipper.
Slowly, purposively taking his time, allowing Lance to stop him if he wished, he tugged the zipper downward. Swallowing thickly Lance watched as Keith opened the collar of the jacket, his neck greeting the world, marks and all.
His heart fluttered when Keith husks, "Keep it like this, just until the challenge is done. Okay?" There it was, that smirk. It was something more dangerous than any blade.
Momentarily forgetting how to breath, he sputters, "Y-You really are uninhibited, you know that?"
"Is that a yes?"
Keith draws an answer from his lips with a kiss, "O-Okay. Okay yeah, sure. Just- give him hell,"
"I will," grinning, Keith steps away to face towards the Coeihn. The two move towards the center of the square, allowing some time for the citizens to back away, making a circle around the two.
Twirling his Bayard, Keith bends his knees, holding his sword out in front of him. He motioned for the Coeihn to make the first move. Insulted by Keith's almost cocky request, he growled and charged forward.
Their blades collided with a metallic screech that sent shivers up Lance's spine.
Keith lunged once, twice, swinging and ducking with expert precision. The Coeihn wasn't half bad himself, blocking Keith's attacks with narrowed eyes.
Each swing hand Lance holding his breath- pleading for Keith to dodge, to end it quickly like he said he would. He had seen Keith fight on numerous occasions, sometimes ending the fight quick or sometimes struggling to get through it. He had seen him fight.
He had seen him get hurt.
So why did his chest feel so tight? Why was it a struggle to breath and stay where he was? Why did his legs itch to run out there and put a stop to this? To take Keith into his arms and shield him from everything?
"Come on, Keith!" he yelled words of poor encouragement, his voice weak.
Was this how Keith had felt?
Minutes roll by, both fighters growing sweaty and out of breath. The crowd was ecstatic, calling out cheers and taunts. Ruru and Harri even seemed to enjoy the fight- which was no surprise since the culture was based off of such conflicts.
"Kick his ass!" Ruru yelled. Lance choked on his own spit, gawking at her.
"Ruru!" he scolded, shocked she would even know that word. And in English no less!
Dravla was confused, "What did she just say?" he inquired, puzzled. Lance froze up. Obviously, Ruru had to have learned that kind of language from one of them. He didn't remember saying anything like that in front of her, but who knows about Keith!
So he fibbed, lying through his teeth, "Oh uh- she said….. Butt. Kick his butt,"
"Oh," Dravla started to chant it with her, thinking it was okay, "Kick his ass! Kick his ass!" to Lance's horror, Harri started to join in.
Keith paused for only a moment to gawk at them. Lance shrugged weakly, not sure what else he could do.
Motioning for Keith to focus back on the fight, he watched with baited breath. The Coeihn was good- of course he would have to be, wouldn't he? The Coeihns lived off of duals like this, all of them most likely training since a young age to fight.
Calling for Keith to do his best, Lance clapped and cheered to the best of his ability. Ten minutes rolled by slowly, the crowd pressed tightly together to watch.
Suddenly, Lance felt something moving behind him. The citizens had crowded around all of them, so it shouldn't have been this startling for someone to press against him… but then he felt fingers on his back.
Lance feels an icy hot flash go down his spine, curdling in his gut.
Something behind him gripped at his waist, tight and bruising. It tugged sharply, causing him to stumble back a step or two, and then the sensation was gone.
Not sure what happened till he noticed a lost of weight along his belt, he screamed.
Keith's blade had just been pulled from its holster.
"HEY!" he whirled around in a panic.
An all too familiar Coeihn loomed behind him, gripping Keith's blade between his fingers.
"Rashra!" Lance yelled at him.
The Coeihn blinked, uncaring and wicked. He lifted Keith's blade to his face, examining the details of it.
"Give that back!" Lance stepped towards Rashra. He scoffed and lifted his hand up, keeping it out of Lance's grasp. Lance didn't hesitate to leap at him, trying to get the guy to fall over. "Give it back! That isn't yours!" They stumbled back, their outburst quickly catching the attention of the crowd.
His nails caught along Rashra's lower faces and chest as he scrambled to reach for Keith's blade. Rashra was yelling something he couldn't understand nor care for.
Almost snagging the blade back from Russia's grip, something pulled on his jacket and tugged him back.
"Lance, stop!" Keith had ducked away from the fight to stop him, "You'll get in trouble!"
"He took your blade!" Lance yells, fighting his grasp.
Keith's grip falters, "What?"
("Rashra, that doesn't belong to you,") Dravla calls to him, narrowing his eyebrows.
("This is a Galra blade!") Rashra roared, holding it for the public to see. They give a small startled gasp. Dravla tenses, glancing at Keith in a panic.
Quickly he translates, "He says it is a Galra blade," The crowd is beginning to murmur, whispered to themselves about what this could mean.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that if they claimed the blade as theirs, it might just insinuate they worked with the Galra.
Lance wasn't thinking of this, of course, his only objective to return what was Keith's, and moves to take their belonging back from the Coeihn. He yelped when a hand snagged his wrist and pulled. Falling back into Keith's chest, the red paladin wrapped his arms around his torso, holding him in place.
"Keith?" he demanded.
"Lance, stop." the other instructs.
"Wha- no! He has the blade!" he squirmed to get out of the grip. "Keith, let go!"
Keith ignored him, and opens his mouth, "We took it from a Galra soldier we defeated," He says, gaze set and voice calm. Dravla blinked a few times, dumbstruck. When Keith shot him a look, he quickly translated it to Rashra in their common tongue.
Rashra closes his mouth, staring at him.
"It was a means of a victory prize, nothing more." Keith insists,
"Keith, what the hell?" Lance squirmed. He was usually one to just leap into action in these situations- how was he so calm about this?
With void expression, Keith says, "You can take it,"
"What?" Lance gasped. "No-!" Keith threw his hand over his mouth, silencing him.
"Tell him he can take it. It is just a blade we took from a Galra we killed," Keith instructs Dravla. Hesitant, knowing that was a blatant lie, Dravla speaks loud enough for every Coeihn in the area to hear him. Rashra isn't at all pleased to hear this, and tucks the blade away in his bag.
With nothing more to go off of, he turns and leaves them. Lance wants to stop him.
Screw what these Coeihns thought of them, that blade was something precious to Keith!
"Keith-!" he screams under his palm, elbowing him in the chest. With the challenge forgotten due to Rashra interrupting, Keith manages to drag Lance through the crowd, ducking into an alleyway.
Dravla doesn't follow them; knowing Keith needed to convince Lance to calm down. But, due to his probation, he stuck close enough to at least see Keith's form.
"Lance, calm down!" Keith instructed. Once they were out of earshot, Keith loosens his grip.
"Why did you do that?!" Lance demanded, yanking away, "Why did you let him take it?!"
Keith shakes his head, "It's fine, Lance,"
"Fine?!" he yells. "How is this fine?!"
"It just is, Lance. Drop it and calm down,"
"Didn't it mean anything to you?!"
"Of course it did," he huffs.
"So how are you giving up so easily!? How could you just let that brainless lug head take it?!"
"Lance," Keith bites, irritated, "I mean it-."
"No! I said I would watch over it for you and you just let Rashra take it! Why didn't you fight for it?! Why didn't you let me get it back! This isn't right!"
"It's not!" he finally snaps, "I- jeez, of course it isn't Lance! That blade is mine! Of course, I want it back!"
Lance stumbled, "T-Then why-?"
"Because you would have gotten in trouble for it. Rashra is looking for any reason to throw you into jail or get you executed! It is a Galra blade, Lance. Only Galra's have that. How else was I supposed to explain to everyone why we had that other than I'm Galra? With how distrusting these people are to outsiders, they might have listened to him about cutting off your head since you were the one who had it!"
"That doesn't mean you should have given up the blade!" Lance barked. Keith had almost killed himself when the Blade of Marmora had attempted to take it from him. He never let it out of his sight. How could he just throw it aside like that!? "It's the most important thing to you! It's the only thing you have left from your mom, right?" Lance choked out.
Keith gripped his shoulders tightly, "It's not the most important thing to me, Lance. It's just a blade,"
"It's your blade! A blade from your parents! Yes it is the most important thing! I've watched you Keith- I know how important it is to you!"
"But that doesn't mean it's on the top of my list!"
Lance tugs at his hair, frustrated "How is it not?" he demanded, "What kind of list of importance do you have where that isn't the top thing on it?"
"It just is! It's like- It's fourth on it," Keith screams,
Blood rushed to Lance's ears, making it hard to think, "Fourth?!" he questioned, "What in the world is more important to you than that?"
Keith opens his mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. With an airy noise, he closes his mouth, lowers his hand and turns away. He eventually mutters something heated under his breath, "I just didn't want him to have any means of hurting you, okay? Just leave it at that…"
Dropping his arms to hang loosely at his sides, Lance inhales a few times to calm himself. Letting some clarity wash over him, he nods. Watching Keith's shoulders go tense, his hands trembling with anger, he says, "I know." he steps forward, hugging Keith from behind, "I know, I'm just upset. M' sorry, Keith," holding him close, he buries his face into the back of his neck, inhaling his scent.
Leaning into him, the red paladin said, "It's okay. It isn't your fault. I'm sorry too,"
"I told you I would look after it and I failed on day one," Lance whispers, spiteful to himself. Keith forces them to turn around and look at each other.
"Rashra would have noticed the blade eventually," Keith tells him sternly, "It probably would have happened if I wore it today, so don't blame yourself for that,"
"But-"
"No. You did fine," Keith concludes. Making sure Lance looks at him, he says, "I don't need a blade to remember my parents by. I don't need the blade to know who I am, either."
"Keith…"
Sharing a small embrace, they exit the alleyway to join Dravla again. He bows his head.
'I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more in that situation," he tells them, "I honestly wasn't even aware you had a Galra blade, Keith. We don't actually really ever see Galra outside of their ships,"
"It's okay, Dravla."
Straightening, he tilts his head to the square. Tensing, he quickly motioned for everyone to start moving, "Oop, that Coeihn is looking for you. Probably wants a rematch since your duel was interrupted. Go go go!" they turn and bolt down the road.
"That was awesome fighting though, Mr. Keef!" Harri exclaims as they run
"Keef best fighter!" Ruru leaped up, clicking her heels together. "He go swoosh swash! With his blink!"
"Blade," Dravla corrects.
Running till they got a few blocks away, Harri turns to them with a curious look, "So, that blade really was yours then?"
Keith tenses and glances at Dravla for help. When the older Coeihns says nothing, he hesitantly says, "Uh… yeah."
"But Rashra said it was a Galra blade? The purple aliens?"
"Galra?" Ruru adds in. Keith is looking nervous, scratching the back of his head.
Lance is quick to his aid, "He is half Galra. His Mom was Galra and his Dad was human,"
"Ooh," they nod,
"Is your mom a nice Galra?' Harri inquires.
"I dunno…" Keith glances away, "I don't really remember her. My dad passed away when I was little so I didn't really get to ask him what she was like,"
Harri's eyes go wide, and he steps back. Realizing he said something that made Keith think of something sad, he lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry…" he bites his lower lip, a surprisingly understanding look in his eyes, "I lost my daddy too…"
Lance holds his breath when Keith takes that in. Lowering himself to his knees, he pats Harri's shoulders. It is a quiet gesture, but ones that spoke volumes.
When Keith stands up, he takes Harri's hand and they walk together, talking and speaking of their parents. Lance is mesmerized by both of them, finding the event gentle and filled with so much care.
He tries to talk to Dravla, who talking about Tellru or something, but his eyes refused to draw from Keith for too long. The fact that he seemed comfortable talking with about his Father, welcoming the conversation with open arms, while simultaneously opening Harri up to it, getting the young prince to smile, was beautiful.
Lance felt tears pricking his eyes when Keith laughed, recalling a time his Father had found a chicken in their cupboards. He was grateful to Harri for bringing that out.
So very grateful.
"You okay?" Dravla inquired. Pulled from his thoughts, Lance turned his head to dab his thumb to his eyelashes, catching his tear.
"I'm fine," he says quickly. This caught Keith's attention and he stopped, reaching for Lance.
"Hey, what's wrong?" he reaches up to brush the skin under Lance's eyes, scanning him over.
"I got something in my eye," he lies.
Keith doesn't believe him, "If this is about the blade…"
"It's not. I'm fine, Keith,"
"You're crying," Keith follows him when Lance tries to turn away, persistent.
"Am not,"
"You are,"
Leaning forward to shut him up with a kiss, Lance twirls around him. "I'm just happy," he skips ahead. Left in utter confusion, Keith follows after him dumbly, almost upset Lance didn't give him a chance to kiss back.
"Wait up!" he calls.
00000-000000
"You still never told me why you were crying," Keith announces, as the two were getting ready for bed.
Lance stops fluffing his pillow, exasperated, "Seriously?" he sighs, "You still haven't let that go?"
"You never told me why,"
"I wasn't crying,"
"I saw the tear!"
Lance groans, over dramatic and frustrated, "It wasn't a big deal, Keith!"
"You were crying, yes it was. It was a big deal to me," Keith follows him around the room as Lance combs his hair, refusing to just let to topic go.
"You are unbelievable," Lance gets himself some water, frowning at the red paladin. He hovered around Lance, eyebrows narrowed in determination. Taking his time to slowly sip his drink, Lance met his gaze with an equal challenge.
The slurping noise resounded between them.
"..."
"..."
"I can do this staring contest all day long, Kogane,"
Keith reaches forward, resting his palms along the counter, trapping Lance between them. Lance stepped back, pressing his back to the counter to put a little space between them. Calmly sipping, Lance wiggles his eyebrow, hoping to hide the fluttery feeling in his heart.
"Do you really want to know?" he teases
"Yes," Keith says, taking this too seriously.
Lance would never actually tell him, but knew he needed something to put himself at ease, "Your mullet. It was so intense in the lighting it made me cry,"
Needless to say, the red paladin was enraged.
"Lance!"
He ducked under his arms to flee towards the bed, "You were the one who demanded I tell you!"
"C'mere!" Keith attempts to grab him. Lance is too quick, scurrying over the mattress to the other side. "Take this seriously!"
"I was! I told you the truth,'
Keith lunges, snagging his wrist and pulling him back. Tossed to the bed, the two roll around, using pillows to hit each other, "You are always causing trouble," Keith huffs at him.
"Ooh, like I'm the only one,"
"At least I didn't go picking a fight today," Keith rolls his eyes.
"No, you just go picking fights every other day. Besides, the Coeihn deserved it!"
"I can't believe you punched the guy. You get yourself into too many dangerous situations," Keith chided him, chucking a pillow at his face.
Lance grunts, and instead of tossing it to the side, he buries his face within it, "I don't get why you are the pissed one- I'm the one who has to listen to him talk about you like your some… sex object." he grumbled. "And then when he touched your hair…" he cuts off abruptly, biting his lower lip.
The silence is deafening.
"What?" When Keith speaks, it makes Lance want to curl under the bed and never come out, "Is that why you hit him?"
Unable to see but still feeling those purple irises on him, he cleared his throat a little. "Um… I guess?"
"You guess?" A dip on the bed is Lance's sign that Keith is getting closer.
"I suppose,"
"You suppose?" Keith crawls close, his breath ghosting along his burning ear.
He attempted to remove the pillow from Lance's face, but he held it in a death grip, "No, I...W-Well, you- a little?" he quivers, "I can't help it,"
That smirk is pressing to his forehead, "Can't help what?"
The pillow is torn from his fingers before Lance can react, leaving his face too exposed in the cold air of the night. "You know what I mean…" Lance murmurs nervously, caught in Keith's eyes. They pull him in deeper, threatening to drown him.
"I don't. Elaborate for me,"
"Keith…" he crinkles his nose, embarrassed and annoyed, "It's because you're… you know,"
"Hmm?"
Lance wants to punch and kiss him at the same time. "You're… not his. You weren't that Coeihns Equivalent," with trembling fingers, he reached out, "You're my Equivalent."
Keith sharply inhaled. Amazed at his speechless expression, Lance listens to him stammer, "U-Um…"
"Sorry," he says quickly, "Was that too weird?" he starts to pull his hand away.
"No," Keith clears his throat, grabbing his palm to keep it there "I just wasn't expecting that." There is a small pause, "Though… I'm technically not your equivalent since I'm still pure,"
Grinning when humor flashed to Keith's eyes, Lance says, "You just had to ruin my awesome line, Mr. Virgin."
"Don't call me that."
"I think I should be allowed to with how unknowing and pure you are."
"I'm not that pure- I know things." Keith insisted with a frown.
"Hickey's don't count," Lance informs him, "But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for now," cupping his face, Lance pulled Keith down, plopping them both onto the bed. Keith grunted, squealing in shock when Lance's nimble fingers worked around his sides, tickling them.
He squirmed on top of the blue paladin, cackling his name to get him to stop, "I said don't tickle me!"
"But you are so ticklish!" he grinned wolfishly. "Tickle tickle~"
Keith keeled over, laughing till he snorted. Realizing that seemed to be Lance's goal all along by the way he whooped in victory, he smacked his stomach. "Lance!"
He grabbed Lance's cheeks, pinching them painfully till he stopped. "C'mon Keef~" Lance slurred, "Is all-in go'd f'n,"
Keith released him to understand him better, "What?"
"It's all in good fun," smiling, Lance took a moment to examine Keith's face. Batting his eyelashes at him, he admits, "I'm still upset about your blade,"
"I know, I am too. We can try to get it back later," Lying across Lance's chest, his elbows propped around his head to stare at him, and Keith can see Lance's thoughts swirling behind his eyes.
"It's weird that you have some sort of list to what is important to you," Lance tells him. Keith rolls his eyes.
"It isn't like I own that many things. And I don't write the list down or something. It is just an… idea. A concept of things that are precious to me,"
The blue paladin is curious, "What kind of list is it? How many things are on it?"
"A few things. I've never really thought about it too deeply."
"What are your top 5 important things?"
Keith raises his eyebrow, "That seems a little personal, don't you think?"
Lance pouts a little, "You would think after all this time you wouldn't mind sharing a few things about yourself,"
"I've told you a lot of things about myself,"
"And I want to know more. A lot more," the earnest look in his eyes is enough to make Keith's heart stall in his chest.
"...Oh," he whispers.
Lance grins, "How about a deal? I'll make a list or whatever too. I'll tell you my top 5 things that I think are the most important, and you tell me yours."
Keith considers it. He gives in at the little pleading pucker to Lance's lip. "Fine…"
Lance cheers. Adjusting a little, making sure they were both comfy, sprawled across the other, he says gently, "Number 5, go,"
Keith didn't take long to answer, "My hover bike back on Earth,"
"Really?" Lance snorted.
"List yours," he grumbled.
"My skin care products~"
"And you laugh at my hoverbike,"
"Shut up- list the next one,"
"Number 4, my blade,"
"Number 4, my cat Violet."
"I didn't know you had a cat,"
"She is back on earth- If we ever go back I'll show her to you," Lance tells him. "Number three,"
"The team,"
"The guys are number 3 huh?" Lance pursed his lips, "For me, it's my eyes,"
"Your eyes?" Keith questioned.
"..." Lance smiled dryly, "When I was younger, I was terrified of going blind. It was my worse fear. You can't pilot if you are blind… Would this be considered cruel irony?" he inquired.
"Lance…" Keith grabs his hand. Lance squeezes it and quickly says.
"Number 2?"
"My dad… and Shiro. They are kind of on the same level, you know? Just- they guided me a lot."
"Aww," Lance puts a hand to his heart. "Space Dad is on the same level as your Dad? Keith," he cooes affectionately.
"Shut up-" Keith blushes, "He's just- he's helped me when I needed someone most. I wouldn't be who I am today without him. My life almost went down a completely different direction,"
"You don't have to explain," Lance says warmly. "You two are like brothers. Back at Garrison, I thought you were,"
Keith appreciates the comment, "You did?"
"Everyone did. You two were the perfect big brother-little brother duo,"
Keith leans a little into Lance, "What's your number two?"
"My family… the team falls into that category, by the way. I couldn't imagine my life without them." glancing away with a nostalgic sigh, he glances back at Keith. A moment of silence falls between them. The air suddenly felt heavy, the next question bearing like a great weight on their chest, "And number one?"
Keith doesn't answer for a while and eventually mumbles, "Y-You go first."
Lance isn't prepared for this and panics. He isn't actually sure he is ready to admit what his most important thing to him is yet, "You go first."
"You," Keith quickly counters
"You,"
"Lance," he huffs,
"I asked you first," Lance frowns.
There is a long pause, "You,"
Lance clicked his teeth in annoyance, "I told you already Keith, you go first."
"No, You," Keith says quietly, averting his gaze. Lance doesn't notice the blush dusting his cheeks.
"Keith-"
"Y-You…" Keith's hands start to tremble, "I'm saying you, Lance… that is my answer,"
"What do you- oh." Lance's eyes widen. "Ooh," shocked, he covered his mouth. Behind his palms, his muffled voice inquires, "M-Me?"
Keith confirms it with a nod
He leaned forward, bumping his forehead to Lance's, "You are the most important thing to me right now, Lance," he admits softly, eyes heavy with worry. He was desperate for Lance to accept this… To understand and hopefully, feel the same.
Lance can barely hear him through the pounding of his heart.
"More important that the blade… t-than Shiro or the team…" Everything feels suddenly very real.
Their breathing is loud, their eyes too wide to be normal. The warmth of their connected hands is too vivid for their minds to handle,
"Keith,"
Opening their mouths, they kiss.
The first soft pecks leap to something deeper, hotter, in a second.
They press together urgently, embracing as tightly as their arms allowed, Between their lips, Lance spoke slowly, "My number one… Most important… you… Y-You," It wasn't the most elegant way to confess something so important, but it was enough for Keith to hesitate.
With flushing cheeks, he eyed Lance, mouth open wide. He smiles, beautiful and loving, and Lance realizes something horrible.
It kicked around in his heart, threatening to tumble out of his mouth.
He was in love with Keith Kogane.
Lance surprised Keith when he surged upward to kiss him again, the new realization making his mind go numb. He loved him. He loved him.
Caught in the whirling of their tongues and the ecstasy it brought, the two didn't notice the hour that ticked by through their make out session. Originally pacified with kisses and small touches, Lance was growing impatient.
The want for more was growing in his gut.
With a heavy pop, he tore apart from Keith's mouth, forcing their eyes to meet. Keith froze up, eyes growing to the size of saucers.
Lance eyes were glazed over below him, his chest heaving and flushed. "K...eith…" he whimpered
From the look in his eyes, Keith realizes he is waiting for something- pleading him for something else. Something more that kisses...
Ever patiently waiting for Keith to take the next step further.
The problem was, Keith wasn't sure what that next step was. Lance was right before- he was unknowing and unsure about anything they were doing.
Kissing his lips, his face, his neck- those were the only things Keith had some experience with when it came to Lance… or anyone, for that matter.
What exactly was he supposed to do? What was okay to touch and what wasn't? What would make Lance feel good?
It was mind blowing to understand that he wanted that. He wanted to help Lance feel good- to relax around him and drown in his touch. A means of helping him forget every bad thing they were going through and just think of him.
How was he supposed to do that?
"Keith?" Lance's touch burns on Keith's face when he reaches up to him, concerned at his hesitation.
His next action was stupid, regrettably embarrassing, and a cowardly thing to do;
…. He rolled off of Lance, buried himself under the blanket and muttered, "G-Goodnight."
The other is quiet, completely shocked.
The second's tick by, slamming down with a mortifying weight to Keith's ears. There is a shift in the bed, like Lance sitting up. He could feel his blue eyes looking at him, betrayed and pissed.
"Are you serious?" he eventually hears Lance hiss into the air.
Keith doesn't reply, pretending to be asleep.
Quiznack.
Quiznack!
He messed this up. He messed all of this up!
"Ooh," Lance draws out, livid, "You will pay for that, Mullet," Lance swore quietly, his voice pinned with disappointment. Turning the other way, he muttered into his pillow until sleep came to him
Keith stayed awake from another hour, listening to the sound of Lance's breathing through his raging heart.
He had wanted to do more
Soo much more. But he just got so nervous!
Kneading his bottom lip between his teeth, he mentally punched himself. Stupid! Stupid!
What if he never got the chance like that again? What if he had just ruined things forever?
Of course, there was no use worrying about this now. Lance was asleep and what's done was done. He would just have to suck up his choice and deal with it.
He would need to find someway to figure this out.
He doubted they just had books about these kinds of things as a means to learn. And he couldn't just ask Lance about it- that would be too embarrassing.
Mentally struggling, he collapsed into his pillow, exhausted.
He should just sleep on it for now.
Just about to drift off to sleep, Keith had a thought.
Coeihns tended to shoot Galra down before they reached the planet. They never normally have to physically engage them or fight hand to hand with them.
Tellru herself says she's only ever seen one Galra in her life, and he doubted it was someone from the Blade of Marmora.
So then…
How did Rashra recognize the blade?
Extra
"Tellru?' Dravla inquired as he fluffed his pillow, crawling into bed beside her. Pausing from her reading, she sent a smile his way.
("Yes, treasure?")
Contemplating something, he inquires, "What does ass mean?"
She lowered her book, eyes wide, "Ass?"
("Yeah.")
Shocked he would even inquire such a thing, she tells him, ("It means ass,") she translates to Coeihn tongue.
Dravla leaped to his feet and started screaming, (THOSE PIECES OF BUBBLEGUM ICE CREAM!)" his natural dad filter was kicking in when he realized Ruru might hear him in the other room, ("Those boys are dead meat!")
Tellru blinked at him, ("...Huh?")