Chapter 6

"Forget something you need," Lance said, staring into Keith's blue eyes meeting that look. The look he'd first seen when they were fifteen and Keith had been trying not cry about being bullied for being gay. Lance had never told him he'd seen more than one copied page about Keith's crush on him - still had them, tucked away in an old shoe box, with the key to his first motorbike, the picture of him and his grandfather in the cockpit of his Gramps bi-plane and the pictures of his family (with a lot Keith's mixed in).

The look was one of want and more, the look was both annoyance, anger and confusion. The look was need, lust and frustration brought to a whole knew level and it was vulnerability the only way Keith Kogane could do it. Hands landed, strong and flat on Lance's chest, shoving him hard into his own suite of rooms - bigger than any of the other teams because it'd once served two.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"You," Lance spat out, deciding to go with honesty.

"You didn't even ask who it was. What if that'd been Allura."

"She's seen me naked."

Keith glowered, his hands still on Lance's skin, he was standing too close. Lance wondered if he noticed what he was doing. Lance moved his body forward, pressing against Keith's strength. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be playing host for your new toy."

"What the hell do you mean Allura's seen you naked?"

Lance laughed. "That's what is worrying you most isn't? Why the hell Allura and I might have gotten naked? What's wrong Keith worried we might've..."

One Keith's hands went behind Lance's neck, his nose touch Lance's and all Lance could see was Keith's irises, the dark pupil in the middle. "Tell me you didn't fucking fuck her," he spat out.

"Why?"

"Lance."

"Why would you care?" Lance yelled.

"You're mine," Keith said and then there was tongue, followed by lips. Lance grabbed hold of Keith's head, frowning at the lack of hair to grab onto for a second, but he dug his fingers in, scraping his scalp with his nails, moving backward and navigated them to his couch. They fell in a heap, naked legs tangling with clothed. The thump they make seemed to wake up Keith, however, his mouth popped off of Lance's. Lance tried to pull him back down, but Keith pushed himself off of Lance and was standing in a second.

He was staring though, dilated eyes, down at Lance, hungry and dazed.

"Keith, come on," Lance said, and he swallowed hard. "Please, then we talk," he said.

Keith laughed. "Talk? It's too late to talk, and what what am I doing..." he sighed. "What am I doing. Jesus, has Allura even seen you naked?"

"Yes."

Keith glared.

"No," Lance said, deciding to admit the truth. "It was a quaratine situation at the Academy one day when she was visiting. She liked what she saw, though," Lance said and he stretched on the couch because Keith was still looking and he was still tempted.

Keith looked away. "Get dressed. Bandor's here, he has news, Allura thought we should meet with him alone before dinner. Pidge tried to tell you earlier but you were in the shower."

Sven, Lance thought, and he trumped trying to seduce Keith. For now, he thought, he jumped off. "Give me five minutes."

"Whatever..." Keith grumbled.

~~.~~

Interlude: Tattoo Me: Part 2

He felt it the instant he broke Keith's hand, but Keith didn't flinch and Lance didn't have it him to let go. It wasn't the pain, the pain he could handle it was that he forgot one tiny thing when he decided he and Keith had to get tattooed. Needles freaked him the fuck out. But there was no way he was turning back, he couldn't even if he wanted too, which he didn't.

Keith slipped his hand out Lance's grip and just replaced it with his other hand, Lance lessened his grip and tried to apologize as best he could with his eyes. "It's almost over," Keith said. "It's hot," he said in a lower voice into Lance's ear that the guy doing the work couldn't hear.

Lance hadn't been so discreet when Keith had been getting his tattoo, yet he'd been just as freaked about the needle when it was Keith's skin as he was now with it being his own skin. He'd been jittery, bouncy and taken to talking dirty into Keith's ear, rather loudly to distract himself. Which meant that even his shy, fearless leader commander had had to attack when his tattooing was over and drag him to the bathroom for some alone time.

It'd been worth it. Another side effect Lance hadn't seen coming was that it was kind of turning him on, which was strange giving his anxiety from the needle, maybe it was the weird combination of pain from the needle and the please of Keith sitting there holding his hand, stroking his hair and whispering things to him from time to time about the progress and the hotness.

"This is turning you on," Keith whispered.

Lance looked at his cock and back to Keith and gave him a duh face.

Keith shook his head, blushing, his eyes falling towards the bathroom door again, a small smile on them. Lance grinned. "Hell yeah," he said.

The tattoo artist chuckled, maneuvered a bit around Lance's penis pushing out of the pushed down boxers he had been still wearing. His tattoo going on the lowest portion of his stomach right before the hairline of his groin. "Give me five more minutes," he said.

Which reminded Keith the guy was there and Lance had to laugh as Keith slunk down on the stool he was sitting on, how red his cheeks got and squeezed his hand, and shamefully remembered he'd broken the other one. "Shit, you're hand."

"It's fine," Keith lie.

"Bull."

"It's worth it," Keith said, and their eyes met. They stayed that way for the next five or so minutes, they didn't know because when the tattoo artist grumbled. "Done," they both jumped.

Lance stood up and looked down but he'd been laying down for so long he was dizzy, Keith held him upright and then dragged him into the bathroom. Keith then pulled him in front of a full length mirror, his hands flat on Lance's hips and kissed his neck. "Perfect, right?"

Lance swallowed, seeing it, albeit the letters all flipped around but it was perfect. Keith's name in deep dark red lettering, the T crossed with the blazing sword, one of the two things they'd both chosen. Then above the I were Keith's metal pilot wings, and imposed over them was the Japanese symbol for speed. One thing they both loved, and they both loved to control - in their different ways. Underneath the red letterings were flames, reddish orange, fiery with a small deep dark red for passion. Which wasn't about Red Lion at all, it was about Lance taking Keith's nose out of a book when they kids. Showing him there was more to the world then books and martial arts lessons. Showing him how to fun and live.

"As perfect as yours," Lance said.

"I think I should've added a mine though," Keith said, biting Lance's neck a bit.

Lance laughed. "Oh, I'm yours," he said turning around, kissing Keith soundly and pulling back. "It says so on your ass, baby."

"Show me," Keith said.

"You lock that door?"

Keith blushed and nodded.

"Are you sure, your hand...

"Lance, fucking now."

Lance grinned, he'd awakened the beast, he loved it when he did that. "I'm going to be loud."

"I know," Keith laughed

"Good. Let's fuck," Lance kissed him, pushed him against the nearest wall, started to bite and kiss his way down his neck. Keith's hands were on his head and then there was a muffled squawk of pain.

Lance jumped up instantly, grabbed Keith's arm and really looked at the hand for the first time since it'd left his hand. It was swollen, awful and Lance wanted to shoot himself with his blaster for being so careless and sex driven. "We're going to Gorma," he said.

"No," growled Keith. "Need you now," Keith's lips were on him, his good hand on his hip and his lips locked on Lance's throat, tongue, teeth and Lance felt his eyes roll into the back of his head. His knees threatened to unbuckle but he was on his mission now to be a good boyfriend, a good tattooed for life boyfriend, the problem was that once you unleashed Keith the Sex Fiend it was really hard to turn him off sometimes.

Feeling like a heel for doing it but knowing he had too, Lance squeezed the broken hand hard. Keith squealed like a girl, eyes wide and cursed in ways that made Lance sound like nun. When he finished he wiped his face, from the tears that escaped his eyes and said. "Asshole. Fine, doctor."

"Sorry," Lance said and he meant it, he was sorry for breaking Keith's hand in the first place because the idea of a sharp tiny needle into his skin freaked him out, even though the results were worth it. He'd been handling it out but he kept picturing the needle and his skin and getting all weird about it and squeezing Keith's tighter and tighter.

"Don't," Keith said. "You're right, it should be looked at..." Keith sighed. "I just really wanted too..."

"And you think I don't!" Lance said, as he found where they'd stashed their clothes, quickly got into his and then started to help Keith into his. "Once Gorma fixes you up, with a cast and drugs, I'm in your ass."

Keith grinned and shook his head.

"What, you want me to say that more romantic like?" Lance laughed.

"No, then it wouldn't be you," Keith said. They walked out into the main tattoo parlor and found the place empty. A receipt taped on the door out and request to lock it.

"He didn't want to listen to us? How rude," Lance said.

Keith shook his head and looked down at his feet. "Once was probably enough, plus all the dirty things you were saying while he was doing my tattoo."

"You loved every minute," Lance said, wrapping his arms around Keith, using his nose to move hair off of Keith's neck, then licking as stripe up the skin. His hand fishing into Keith's pants pockets for the keys to the red motorcycle. "Ah ha," he said.

Keith sighed. "I guess I can't drive."

"Hell no, besides, I bet sitting isn't going to be so comfortable either," Lance laughed.

Keith frowned but then he smirked at Lance, as Lance climbed onto the bike and put the key into the ignition. Lance looked back and said, "What?"

Keith laughed, climbed onto the bike, dug his good hand into Lance's hip, leaned and whispered into Lance's ear. "No, sleeping on your stomach tonight, Mr. I can't sleep on my back or my side..."

"Huh," Lance said, then gritted his teeth against the onslaught of Keith kissing his neck from behind. "I cannot drive with you doing that?"

"I thought you could pilot through any situation?"

"Fuck you, Keith," Lance said.

"That's the idea!"

"Damn it, why the hell did I have break your hand," Lance gunned the bike and took off towards the castle at speed way too fast. Especially when Keith didn't let up on the biting and tonguing.

"That's my boyfriend, reckless and awesome," Keith muttered into his ear.

~~.~~

Keith watched Lance retreat into his bathroom, eyes on that perfect ass and try as he might he couldn't get his eyes to turn away from him. Until he vanished and the bastard didn't close the door to the bedroom. Keith collapsed onto the couch, head in his hands in an instant, berating himself in his head. What the hell had been that? Lance baits him and he instantly falls for it? Because that had been classic Lance bait, if anything ever had been - Keith shook his head, when had he not ever fallen for it...

Lance batted those lashes and Keith would cave, almost every time. There were times when his mind would over rule what his body wanted. When they were under the constant threat of battle, when there was too much paperwork, when he had to help out Allura... Keith sighed, all the excuses that had been going on that had led to Lance seeming distance, that had scared Keith when Lance had taken to being distance and secretive and made him think he was cheating.

Lance had wanted to fuck first and talk second, Keith let out a bitter laugh, that was so Lance. Full throttle, fire first face the consequences later. Though, they'd probably never would have started making out if Lance hadn't been like that, Keith thought. He never would have made the first move. He would stared at Lance forever, pining in silence... He couldn't regret Lance's actions, he couldn't regret them.

It was them he was confused on and he'd thought he'd sorted it out until... He'd invited Granger here to the Castle, sure he was ready to go forward with something new but things felt more out of sorts than they had five, no almost six years ago now when he'd taken off in search of Black Lion and anything else he could find on Wade.

It was the tattoo, mix seeing it again in with Lance's body, have Lance imply even when Keith on some level knew there was no way Lance would ever sleep with Allura... it was too much. And when Lance had asked him if he forgot something he wanted, the first thought in his head had been, No, I remember I want you.

But he didn't, he hadn't... He'd been thinking about Granger, thinking about his body, his words of commitment, his sincerity of need and want. He invited Granger to home, to see his family on Christmas. The sound of footsteps cut off his thinking, he looked up to see Lance coming back, slinging a black jacket over a red dress shirt and wearing black jeans. He had two too many buttons unbuttoned but Keith let it go, because it wasn't like Lance would listen to him anyway. He stood up and found that he and Lance were locked in a gaze, they stood there and Lance sighed.

"Keith, I want to talk."

"Talk or fuck," Keith heard himself say and wished he could take it back almost immediately.

Lance shook his head. "Forget it, you made your choice, I forgot..." Lance stalked off to his door. He opened it and looked back at Keith. "Come on, I'm hoping there is good news about Romelle, aren't you?"

Keith nodded and thought, at least they agreed on that.

~~.~~

The news was good, in a way, Romelle was on Crydor with Sven. They were communicating with Bandor and would start to communication with the Castle of Lions soon. At least Romelle would be giving them daily reports and she wanted to hear about Pidge's progress. Pidge turned a shade less green than his lion at that prospect but he also stood up straighter, so Keith knew he'd be doubling his efforts starting the next day double holiday festivals or not.

The baby's name it turned out was Magnus, Keith felt that was quite a load to put on a little baby, a name that meant so much but it wasn't his child. He probably felt like a great gift to Romelle and Sven, who was he to argue with the name. Allura had seemed pleased with it, though and tickled little Magnus feet, who hadn't been put down by Bandor once he'd been handed the child.

Bandor it turned out had had quite a growth spurt since the last time any of them had seen them. He was six feet two, had a deep voice and didn't at all resemble the little kid who was giving to yelling into octaves they couldn't hear at times. He'd grown into his title of Prince that was sure and Keith could see he was well on his way of earning the title of King of Pollux from his bearing.

Keith followed the crowd into the dinning room, trying not to follow Lance's ass with his eyes, trying not to think about how the entire room had turned as one head and looked at him and Lance, when they'd bolted into the room. They'd both walked too fast down the hallway, Lance had opened the door with too much force, he was all contained kinetic fury - which was never a good sign with Lance. He didn't do well holding in his anger, he was better if he could lash out, yell it out or fire at the bad guys with free reign.

Keith hated be the one to make him angry and yet, he was surprised he had made Lance so angry, how hadn't he known? He walked into the dinning room and saw that poor Granger had been cornered by Nanny. He hurried around the table in time to hear.

"Ilya is very good name, you should use it. Using one's last name like some common criminal...Ach... Oh the baby! Prince Bandor, give me that child this instance, it should be in bed not at what this dinning party will likely turn into knowing all these hellions."

Keith had to smile a bit as Nanny beelined it to Bandor. "Thank the baby," Keith said to Granger.

"Uh, she doesn't know I am a common criminal?"

Keith sighed. "You do more good than bad with your criminal activities from what I remember. That doesn't make you a criminal in my book."

"I'm hoping that you biased in favor of me," Granger said and Keith followed his gaze toward Lance, who was on the otherside of the room, leaning against a wall and into Allura's space and talking to her. Flirting probably, Keith thought with a jab of jealousy out of nowhere, at least he told himself that. When they were dating he never was jealous of Lance flirting with Allura, why would he be now... It'd been Lance who had issues with him and Allura, not that he'd ever voiced them out loud, Keith had figured it out anyway but it'd had been nice to hear it he thought, just once... to know Lance got jealous over him too.

"Are you listening?" Granger said.

"Uh," Keith turned back to Granger and sighed. "I'm sorry no."

"You aren't over him are you?"

"What? No. I mean yes," Keith took a breath. "Granger, I am over him. I wouldn't have invited you here if I weren't, if I hadn't had thought it out and known what I was doing. I swear."

Granger studied him for a long moment, then he took Keith's hand and grinned and was about to kiss Keith. Only there was sudden movement, a flash of a tall, lean, young body, red hair and battle cry, Keith's hand being ripped free of Grangers and Bandor's fist in Granger's face.

"Get your grungy hands off of him, whoever you are, he's taken and his Bonded is in the damn room. The awfulness of your heinousness has no words!" Bandor then drew the sword that was on his belt. Keith finally saw the resemblance to the little kid he remembered, between his horror and surprise.