Lance had been on bedrest for a few days and finally deemed strong enough to start physio therapy. He was still on some pretty heavy pain meds, and he had no feeling in his bad leg, so physio was only having someone else stretch his leg out for him.

Keith, being the overprotective and jealous boyfriend he was, insisted that no one would be touching his man but him. Lance laughed as he lay in his floating bed; which had been moved to his and Keith's bedroom now that he was in recovery.

"Your man, huh? I think I like it when you get jealous."

Keith smiled and climbed on top pf the bed. "Yeah? I think you'll like the physio a whole lot more."

They had been supposed to gently stretch Lance's bad leg out, making sure the muscles were used so they wouldn't atrophy. But Lance couldn't have his boyfriend gripping his thigh's without making some sort of comment, and they didn't stay on task for long.

After just fifteen dobashe's, they'd forgone the task completely, with Keith laying on top of Lance, and the blue paladins good leg hooked around Keith's back. Keith ran his hand up his boyfriend's thigh, and up across his chest, pulling his shirt up to run his fingers over his skin. Lance moaned into Keith's mouth just as Hunk walked in.

"Oh! Sorry, I honestly thought you two were doing physio. I wouldn't have interrupted if I knew you were having….fun times."

Keith blushed furiously and sat back on the bed, as Lance laughed and tugged his shirt back down.

"No problem, big guy. We may have gotten a little distracted."

Hunk laughed and entered the room, offering the space equivalent of juice boxes to the two still in the bed.

"Coran won't be happy if you don't do the stretches like he asked, although personally, I think it's nice to see you two romancing it up again. I've kind of missed you're over the top PDA."

Lance smiled as Keith snuggled up beside the injured paladin, half laying on his chest. Lance watched his friend for any hint of green.

"You sure our gross amount of love isn't going to make you sick?"

Hunk shrugged and watched his friend with eyes that held too much emotion for such a conversation.

"I'm just glad to see you happy, man."

Lance nodded, knowing he'd worried everyone with both his tunnel blowing stunt, and his tantrum the other day. He would admit he'd been having a hard time with it all. Not only with handling the pain but also the emotional toll it took, as Shiro said it would. He was permanently damaged, and he knew it, and the nightmares wouldn't let him forget. It would just take time.

He smiled at his friend and offered his hand in a fist bump. "I'm good, really."

Hunk looked a bit teary eyed, as he touched his knuckles to Lance's, and the blue paladin couldn't help but smile. His best friend was such a softie.

Hunk sniffed and tried to look stern. "Get back to work you two, and I don't mean making out. We need our boy fight ready."

Keith gave a salute and raised his juice box as the other boy left. "Thanks Hunk."

Lance tried to repress a sigh as he stared up at the ceiling, while Keith set their drinks down and knelt near the end of the bed. He took Lance's bad leg as gently as he could and slowly stretched out the limb, before easing the limb towards Lance's chest. He watched as Lance winced at the movement and apologized softly.

"Sorry, I know it must still hurt. Coran said it won't always be this bad though, we just have to try and strengthen the muscles so they hold themselves together properly again. Then you can start trying to walk and we'll get you a cane or something."

Lance nodded but he didn't seem to be listening. He was chewing his lip like he did when there was something he really didn't want to say but had to. Keith paused his movements, concerned.

"Babe? What's wrong?"

Lance had lost all the joy he'd held just moments before, and as his eyes met Keith's, the red paladin's shoulders sagged.

"You don't have to wait for me to get better, you should just find someone new and go."

Keith frowned in confusion, his dark eyebrows crowding over his eyes, as he his hands slowly resumed their task with Lance's leg.

"What are you talking about?"

Lance was trying to be strong, to act as if he were indifferent but it hurt to even ask.

"When are you going to get a new paladin? We all know I can't pilot Blue anymore and you need to be able to form Voltron if you want to stop Zarkon. You don't have to wait till I'm better to find someone."

Keith shook his head, a humourless laugh huffing from his downturned lips.

"We aren't replacing you, Lance. You know Blue would never let us, even if we wanted to."

Lance pressed his lips together and glared at the ceiling, his hands gripping the mattress as the pain from his bad leg clouded his head. He couldn't think clearly enough to formulate his words like he wanted. He hadn't wanted to cry, or get upset over it. He wanted to at least look like he was okay handing off his beloved Lion to someone else. A real hero would gladly pass on his responsibility if it meant saving the universe.

"I can't… we have to be smart about it, Keith. Voltron can't have any weak links, and I'm pretty weak right now. It's… okay, with me. I know what has to be done, and it's fine. Just drop me off on earth and go save the universe with the new blue paladin. Maybe one of the Mamora fighters, I'm sure they'll be great at it."

Keith wouldn't look at him anymore, and just shrugged, as he concentrated on being gentle with Lance's leg.

"That's stupid, you aren't going anywhere, we need you."

Lance slapped the mattress, annoyed at what he thought was illogical sentiment and nothing more. The smartest option would be to replace him and defeat Zarkon, and the only reason he wasn't being listened to was because they didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"Keith!"

The red paladin finally looked up, mouth set into a frown. He looked more impatient than mad.

"No, Lance. I know what you're thinking but it's not about the fact that we love you too much to just drop you somewhere and leave without you. Do you remember when we first started training with the lions? We were terrible; we hadn't bonded with our lions, or each other and we had no idea how to form Voltron, let alone work as a team. It's been almost six years now, and we know each other so well we barely have to speak to know each other's next move in battle.

"We need to be at the top of our game if we want to defeat Zarkon, and we can't do that if we have some newbie in your lion, that doesn't even know how to activate his bayard. If you aren't in that cock pit, we won't be able to form Voltron, and we'll fail. So, I don't want to hear any more of this, replacing you, crap. You are going to work hard and get better, and get back in your lion and we will save the universe."

Lance had to admit it was a pretty damn good speech, he sniffed and tried to wipe his eyes without Keith noticing, as his leg was moved again by those gentle hands.

"Okay, but I still won't be able to walk."

Keith had calmed down a little, now that Lance had seemed to get the idea of being replaced out of his head. His tone lightened as he replied.

"Hunk and Pidge are modifying your Paladin suit and adding tech that'll take your weight from you bad leg so you'll be able to walk during battle. But you can't wear it all the time, otherwise your muscles will atrophy and you won't be able to walk at all, so it's only for emergencies. They're making you a cane for everyday use though, so you can use it when you're strong enough. I think I heard them talk about adding lasers to it or something, but I don't know if that's a good idea."

He looked up at Lance and sighed, face softening.

"We aren't giving up on you Lance and this isn't the end, you just need to be patient and have a little bit more faith in yourself and your team."

Lance nodded and offered a small, grateful smile.

"Thanks."

Keith smiled back, and nodded.

"You're welcome. Only a few more minutes of these stretches and we can get back to our fun times; I've missed you love bites."

A laugh burst from Lance and he raised his eyebrows, throwing off his bad mood.

"Uh, you're the one that likes to use his teeth, Mr half Galra."

Keith laid Lance's leg down and crawled over to him, straddling him as he leant down to press his mouth to his boyfriend's neck.

"Hmm, you love it."

Lance weaved his fingers into Keith's hair as he held the back of his head, closing his eyes at the touch of teeth and tongue on his skin.

"I love you."

Keith sat up, pressing his forehead to Lance's and smiling.

"I love you, too."

Keith could taste Lance's smile in their kiss, and this time, Hunk didn't interrupt.