Ooh boy, this was an eventful chapter – okay, technically this is an eventful story, but you know what I mean. Warnings for drugging and the start of a rape scene. The cuter stuff doesn't need a warning but that does! Keith was so adorable to write this chapter and Allura too. I hope you enjoy.

6. Call of the Heart

Keith had to replay the last few moments in his head and wonder how he had ended up trapped in a literal broom closet with Allura. Sure, he had wanted to protect her but now, his heart was racing, and his palms were beginning to sweat at how close she was. Had she always been this beautiful? As his arms came to wrap around her shoulders, why did it feel so right? This was really not the time.

"Keith?" Allura said softly, leaning into him and his heart skipped a beat.

"Y-yeah?" Keith replied, trying to force his voice to sound normal but it stuttered slightly as he tried to speak.

"Are we really safe here for long?" Allura asked and he could sense the slight fear in her voice, but he also knew that fear was not for herself. It was for his safety because of Lotor's threats but he meant what he said earlier.

"I'll protect you no matter what it takes," Keith promised her. Right now, he wished for his jacket. He could wrap it around her shoulders and give her some warmth. She was probably quite cold given the fact that the sleeve of her pilot suit was torn. It was obvious what Lotor's intentions for her were. But his intentions did not matter. As long as Allura kept saying no, he would do whatever he could to respect her wishes. Still, his stomach was tying knots within himself.

"I don't want to lose you either," Allura admitted. "I wasn't arguing back there just to be stubborn…but I don't think I can handle losing another person I…another person I love."

Keith did go red at that, and he could not be more relieved at this moment that the broom closet was dark, and she could not see his face. He always knew she cared about him – about all of them really, but her calling him someone she loved, made his heart race even faster than it had been before.

"You realise the more you run from me, the more I'll take my time to kill and keep the princess for myself," Lotor called out and this caused Allura to flinch. He felt it and he tightened his grip around her. Dammit, Lotor…he didn't mind dying but he knew it bothered Allura and somehow knowing that it bothered her made his heart waver a bit. Did he really want to die here? He had never really had a one-on-one fight with Lotor but for the first time in his life, he wasn't sure if it was a fight he wanted to risk.

There was a chance he would come out of it, defeating him but there was also the chance that he might not survive it. And Allura wanting him to survive, wanting him to be okay made him want to do better and live a little longer. What was wrong with him? He had never been one to want to run from a fight so where was this coming from? He wanted to live with Allura, live protecting her from Lotor even when she could protect herself rather than die at Lotor's hand.

"I'll watch the light leave your eyes, Keith," Lotor called out again and this caused Allura to struggle, her leg brushing against Keith's causing his face to heat up again, silently cursing his body's reaction to that.

"I have to go," Allura said struggling against him, moving to open the closet. "Please, Keith, I have to try to reason with him at least until we get to the others."

"Do you really think that will work?" Keith asked in a hushed whisper, holding her tighter to him. "He wants to hurt you, Allura."

"I know what he wants," Allura said, a little indignantly. "He already tried to…he already tried to rape me once before. But I know at least he will not take my life. Can you say for a certain he won't try to take yours?"

"No, but…" Keith shook his head and exhaled. He could feel the footsteps getting closer – and he knew it was because of Allura's struggles and possibly due to them talking but at the same time, he just couldn't let her give herself up to Lotor. She deserved so much better than that – she deserved the world and even if he wasn't the person to give it to her, neither was Lotor. "Allura, you deserve so much better than that. You deserve so much better than Lotor…but also, I really want to see you happy. I…" Love felt like such a small word here because so many people used it and even abused it so saying 'I love you' didn't feel right. It described the basis of what he thought these emotions were but still, there had to be another way to say it than outright saying 'I love you'. "I don't want to see you suffer anymore. You're too precious for that." His hand cupped her face in his own and he leaned in closer even though he knew they didn't have much more time here. What he did not expect though was for her to place her own hand over his.

"I do not wish to see you in pain either," Allura whispered, and it was as if her words had frozen him in place. Just the way her voice had spoken her and her hand against his own. Despite the circumstances, this moment felt right, and the words came to him before he could filter.

"Allura…can I…can I kiss you?" Keith whispered. He would forget any of this ever happened if she said no. She had that right. She would always have that right. Either she'd kick him in the groin and scold him for taking advantage of her in this moment and it'd destroy their friendship permanently. Or she would feel the same way and return how he felt about things – they had been friends for a while, so surely, she would know he would never take advantage of her – not now, not ever.

"Yes," Allura said so quietly that Keith had to strain to hear her for a moment. Luckily, since their bodies were already closed, he didn't have to lean in any closer to press his lips against hers for a small moment before pulling back. They would have time to talk about it later but for now, he held her closer as the door of the broom closet was yanked open. He tried to keep a hold of Allura, but Lotor was able to yank her away. He shook his head.

"No!" Keith snarled, not caring that he wasn't fully recovered, and he lunged towards Lotor, at least managing to push him away from Allura. Where was that power now? The boost he had gotten earlier? He wasn't even sure what it was – was it his Galra strength? Why wasn't it coming back? Was he still not healed and that was why it wasn't coming back to help him?

"Unlike you, Black Paladin," Lotor said calmly pushing him back, bars appearing in front of Keith, locking him in, separating him from Allura. "I tend to keep my word and stick to a fair fight. I wouldn't try that, Princess." He glanced back at her. "You cannot summon your bayard here. Altean mechanics do not work here."

"You've always been a coward, Lotor," Allura said clenching her fists. "Are you afraid we'll beat you in a fair fight if you face us in one?"

Keith gripped the bars, wishing he could break them somehow. Dammit, dammit, dammit! Was there really nothing he could do?

"He really must be afraid of us if he has to use tricks like these," Keith snarled. "Lotor, if I ruined things for you, then why not punish me instead?" He had to spare Allura somehow.

"Because you deserve to witness how tough you made things not only on me but on your own friend," Lotor said simply. "Besides, this doesn't have to be a punishment. It's just what would have happened naturally had you not intervened."

"She doesn't want you!" Keith snapped. "Are you that stupid to realise that she isn't interested?"

"If she is not interested, why did she initially not react to my kiss if she were not enjoying it?" Lotor asked simply. "She did not push me away immediately, after all."

Allura's fists slowly unclenched at those words…she hadn't been able to push him away at first and she still didn't understand why. Her mind had flashed back to the first kiss she had shared with Lotor before she had known what he was truly like, and her body had yearned for that same man she had once been in love with. She had forgotten the present reality when he had gotten that close but how was she supposed to explain that to Keith when she could not even reason it out within herself?

"Keith," Allura began but to her surprise, Keith cut through her.

"Don't let him get into your head, Allura," Keith said firmly. "I don't know what happened or how it happened, and it doesn't matter. Feelings aren't always in our control. Look at him now – think about it. What do you feel toward him?"

Lotor bristled. "I need to find a way to shut you up. Stop interfering with us!"

What did she feel towards Lotor now? Feelings were not always within their control – she had been in a relationship with Lotor and there hadn't been too much time for closure afterwards. But the man she had fallen in love with – the one who made her heart beat fast and slow at the same time was someone she had thought would help promote peace – someone who would help make the universe a safer place. This was not the same man. He had the same face; he had the same way of talking but he was not the same man. This was a genocidal monster, someone who talked of promoting peace but sought only power. What had made her not resist that kiss were her feelings towards the man she had once thought she loved. But she had been in love with a lieand the curtains had finally closed.

"Monster," Allura spat, replying to what Keith had asked. "You're right, Lotor. I was unable to resist your kiss because it was a reminder of the relationship that we once shared – of the person I thought I loved. My mind flashed back for a moment, and I was weak but not anymore. I hate you. I hate the sight of you. I won't allow you to manipulate me any longer."

Lotor bristled again and this time, struck her down. "It doesn't matter anymore."

"Allura!" Keith cried, gripping the bars so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

Allura touched her cheek. "Is that really the best you can do, Lotor? Getting handcuffs to block my Altean abilities, tying me down, blocking out my senses, trying to force yourself on me? Keith was right about you – but even he didn't know how much of a coward you were. What are you afraid of? That if you even the playing field, you'll lose? Is that why you've separated all of us? To increase your chances of your winning?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," Lotor said calmly. "I have nothing to be afraid of."

"Then why are you playing it out like this?" Allura asked. "Why not even the playing field instead of resorting to blackmail and manipulations?"

"Why do you think, Allura?" Lotor asked simply. "Look at your condition, look at how exhausted you are. The only thing that comes out of fighting is pain. I do not wish to cause you pain. I wish to bring you pleasure."

"You've already brought me pain," Allura said, glare becoming harsher if possible. "The least you could do is fight fairly." She wasn't sure if anything she would say would make a difference and her body was starting to slouch, her eyes drooping a bit. She had to keep it together, but she was exhausted – from being trapped without her senses for a few days, all the running and all the emotions that were far too much to handle right now. She wanted to curl up into the bedding of the Blue Lion and fall asleep, but she knew she couldn't do that – she needed to stay alert, she needed to stay awake because she wasn't safe yet.

"Lotor, get away from her!" Keith snapped at him. "I will kill you if you touch her!"

Allura flinched as she felt Lotor's hand brush against her cheek and she forced herself to look at him. She stumbled back a bit, not wanting him to come any closer but she wasn't sure how much she could resist – she was too tired.

"Just relax, you don't need to fight anymore," Lotor said and Allura shook her head, barely able to see her blurred vision but she did see a small bottle in Lotor's other hand as well as something sprayed in the air. She could not make out what it was – whether Lotor had done something, or she was just that exhausted because she could no longer hold on as everything faded to black.