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It had been 3 weeks since Lotor had arrived at the Castle and Lance already had enough from the purple copy of Draco Malfoy.
He had nice hair though.
Not that Lance would ever admit that.
Right now he was sitting in his room trying to contact Keith, to rant about the latest scene that happened with Lotor.
Keith -His boyfriend since a couple of weeks- seemed to be the only person who shared Lance's opinion about Lotor.
Lotor mustn't be trusted.
But Keith wasn't with them in the Castle of Lions. No, the former red paladin went to the Blade of Mamora a couple of weeks ago.
Lance tried not to be bitter about it, he knew the Blade was important for Keith. I the end he just wanted to know more about his Galra origin and his mom.
But that didn't change the fact that he left Lance completely alone.
The longer Keith was gone, the better the other Paladins seemed to get along. With Lance being left out.
"LANCE!" Keith's face appeard on the screen in front of Lance. He looked exhausted and Lance got frustrated that he couldn't do anything to help him.
"Hey Key, Wow have you seen yourself? You look awful" Well... that wasn't very smooth. But Keith had to take care of himself.
"Thanks, You too." Keith frowend.
Lance sighed, "I missed you"
"It's only been 3 days"
"Yeah 3 days in wich I didn't know if you were okay or where you were! I also had no one to talk about Lotor's latest great idea" Lance raised his hands.
Keith chuckeld "So this is about Lotor again? I don't know if I should be concerend that he's going to be your new rival" He fake pouted.
"KEITH, he could never replace you! His hair doesn't look like someone time traveld from the 80's and got into a racoon fight afterwards"
Keith frowned and raised an eyebrow,
"What the hell? But... I'm gonna believe you for now.... also I'm looking over the insult about my hair cause I know it's been growing on you" He smirked.
"Pfff never Mullet. But anyway Lotor, that snake, really wanted to train with me!" His voice went up. "Like he came up to me and was all like 'Oh red Paladin, nice sword you-"
"YOU HAVE A SWORD?" Keith shouted eyes widend.
Lance groaned "That doesn't matter now. What matters is that he told me that I should train with him because he's like a good sword fighter or anything...eww"
"LANCE.YOU.HAVE.A.SWORD. Oh my god I love you. Even though a knife would have been better though but still-"
"KEITH! You loved me before having a sword and also it's no big deal, Lotor is worse"
Keith was probably annoyed from all his rants about Lotor but he was the only person he knew, he could turn to.
It was just a bonus that Keith was also hella cute.
Keith rolled his eyes "Listen Lance, I don't have much more time but just know, when ever I get the chance to visit over, it's gonna be us against Purple Grape, okay? Also I'll go on a mission for the next week so we'll talk to each other after that. Don't make something stupid. And take care of yourself"
"One week? Keith, you have to get a break! Don't they give you vacation days or something? You can't go on a mission, looking that tired!"
"Well eventually I have to?" Keith shrugged his shoulders.
"Just come back alive,okay? I love you"
Keith smiled sad, nodded and waved, than he was gone and Lance was sitting alone in his dark room.
Lance really hoped that Keith would soon realize that he didn't need all of this Galra stuff and that his real family was team Voltron ...esspecially him.
-------------------
Lance survived 3 days without something bad happening. But then Lotor -Who else?- came up to him and reminded him of his trainig offer.
Lance didn't have anything to do, so he eventually agreed but regreted it the second he realized that he had absolutely zero chances against prince Purple.
A few seconds later he regretted it even more, Lotor had him pinned to a wall and smirked at him like he was flirting? No way.
"Got you all pinned down, haven't I?" Lotor laughed.
Lance tried to escape but he couldn't move because Lotor was too close and his grip to tight. But everything in him screamed Run.
"Hahah very funny, enough training for me now, I don't have a chance" He let out a fake laugh and wanted to free himself, but Lotor still didn't let go.
"Who says you don't have a chance? Maybe you just need to let it happen?" Lotor said and raised an eyebrow and Now he was totally flirting.
But why? Didn't he notice that Lance couldn't stand him? Or was that, what was attracting him?
Maybe Lotor always wanted to get, what he couldn't have?
"Well, here's no chance for me in any way, so could you please free me?" he gritted.
"Aww need help?"
"Yes" Lance snapped. Who did Lotor think he was?
"Calm down, here you are" Lotor let go and grinned at him.
Lance didn't return it and simply ran away into his room.
He was about to call Keith, then he remembered that Keith was still on his mission.
Stupid Blade of mamora. Stupid Mission. Stupid Lotor.
The rest of the week, Lance tried to spend as much time as possible in his room to get away from Lotor. That worked at first but at the same time he also found out that his friends didn't really care about him not coming out of his room.
Hunk visited him twice to ask if he needed anything but after Lance declined he didn't come back.
When they sat at their dinner table, they all talked about random stuff, where Lance couldn't take part in because he wasn't an engenier or as good at making war plans as the rest of the team.
------------------------
He was about to fall asleep when he saw his screen lighten up and Keith's head appeared on the screen.
"KEITH! You're okay!"
"Yeah, seems so" He smiled softly at Lance and suddenly Keith was all Lance could think about. Yeah, he had that effect on him sometimes. Basically always.
"You can't imagine how much I missed you" Lance swallowed and added quiet "still miss you"
"Me too, Lance. But I'll come back some day. I promise."
"Please hurry up, I really need you here" Lance didn't want their conversation to get all sad but he couldn't think of something light to add so he waited for Keith to repond.
"Is everything alright? You can tell me." Keith looked concerned.
"No everything's great, just got a bit sappy that's all, nothing serious" Lance tried to fake a laugh.
"Lance stop. You don't have to tell me, if it makes you uncomfortable but you don't have to lie to me. Something's up and I'm here and I have time for once so if you trust me enough, you can try to tell me"
Keith's face was full of concern and Lance felt tears, forming in his eyes.
Nope he wouldn't cry in front of Keith. Not when Keith was talking to him through a screen and not face to face.
"No... it's just-- ugh it's so stupid!"
"Lance it's not. Belive me"
"I think Lotor's flirting with me" Lance blurted out.
"WHAT!" Keith shouted then cleared his throat "Sorry... it's just...are you sure? Did he make you uncomfortable? You have someone there you can talk to right?"
"No Keith, I don't." Lance hissed, then added calmer "And Lotor, I think he just wants a fast flirt, don't worry though I'm not returning anything he does or says."
"Lance? What do you mean with 'you have nobody there you can talk to?"
Lance sighed, he had to tell him.
"I tried to hide in my room...you know because of Lotor and I did that for like four days and the only person who came to check on me was Hunk and every time we eat, they don't notice me and they're all getting closer but I feel like I'm drifting away and they don't notice because they don't need me and... you're not here and all I want is to hug you and touch your stupid mullet and never let you go but you're not here and I feel so selfish for wishing you'd be here. But I can't help it... Keith I miss you and I know, with you here, Lotor wouldn't dare to even look at me. Not that I need you to protect me or anything. Ugh I just need you here with me."
Lance felt somehow relieved for finally saying out loud everything that has been on his mind the past days.
"Oh my god Lance! They do need you. They really do. And I need you and we'll get through this.
I'll come back to you, I promise. And Hunk is no bad friend. He probably doesn't notice what he's doing. Talk to him. Promise me that you'll talk to someone on the ship, okay? Oh and I'm not talking about Kaltenecker or the mices. I mean a human-- or Alien. Anyway no matter what happens, always remember that you're important to so many people. Don't try to convince yourself otherwhise. Lance, you know I'm bad at comforting people but everyone with you on that ship cares about you... I care aout you so fucking much."
"Thanks Mullet" Lance muttered.
"You really outthere still calling me Mullet?" Keith threw his head back. It looked funny and Lance chuckled a bit. At that sound Keith's head fell back in place and his bangs fell into his eyes.
"You really have to cut it. You know?" Lance told him.
"You're gonna cut it, once I'm back"
"No way, you're trusting me with your hair?" Lance couldn't deny the fact that he felt proud.
"Seriously Lance. If I wouldn't trust you. I would trust nobody. Oh and in case you mess it up I'm gonna team up with Lotor and we're gonna burn all your skincare products" Keith threatened.
"You wouldn't dare" Lance screamed.
"Oh I would" Keith's serious face fell and he started to chuckle.
"You bastard. What did you do to the sweet and comforting Keith?"
"Pff he never lived and you know that"
They looked at each other and started laughing.
It felt so good to just laugh at such stupid stuff, especially if it was with Keith and hearing Keith's laugh was rare and Lance enjoyed every second of it.
Even though it was just through a screen but for a few seconds, Lance pretended that they were normal teenagers on earth and not forced into an intergalactic war.
They kept laughing for a while till they both just gazed into each other eyes and Lance knew that no matter what was still coming up, Keith was only one call away and soon he'd be right by his side again.
"Keith?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you"
"Why?"
"For just being there"
"...."
"Lance?"
"Hmm?"
"I love you. Always remember that"
"I love you too"
They stared at each other for a while, neither of them wanting to cut the connection.
"Keith?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you put your screen next to you? So we fall asleep together?"
Keith started smiling. Not a big smile but it was there.
"That's so cheesy Lance, I told you no cheesy stuff"
"Sorry, but you were the one who just gave me a whole speech about how important and great I am. Also you love cheesy stuff, stop denying it."
"If the cheesy stuff is coming from you then yeah"
"Ughhh Keith! You can't say stuff like that, go and put your screen next to you"
Lance saw how Keith moved and he moved too.
He lay down and streched than he lay down on his side with his face to the screen and saw that Keith did the same.
"You're not really sleeping with your Blade uniform, are you?" Lance was shocked.
That boy didn't know anything about relaxing. It was a wonder he survived one whole year in the desert just by himself.
"It's better like this, in case there's an emergency or something" Keith yawend.
"Oh my god babe, how could you ever survive alone? ..Ugh goodnight, Lone wolf" Lance whispered.
"Goodnight, Loverboy"
Then Keith closed his eyes and fell asleep.
Lance whispered "I love you" and closed his eyes too.
--------------------------
It went on like that for a few weeks.
Lotor flirted with Lance and Lance didn't know how to react and ran away.
Today they were about to have a screen conference with the Blade of Mamora which meant he would see Keith again.
The two of them didn't have much time to talk to each other since their time zones seemed to be different plus Keith had been on a two week long mission so Lance was extra excited to see him again. He couldn't show it though, although he didn't really care about keeping their realtionship a secret anymore. Maybe Lotor would stop pinning him down in every training or stopped sitting on Keith's chair just to sit next to Lance.
"Lance, you coming?" Hunk asked. "Kolivan's gonna call us in like five minutes".
"Five minutes! Oh my god, hurry up Hunk"
"Ehh yeah, since when are you so excited for a conference?"
"Hello Hunk? Keith's gonna be there? You're not excited to see him?"
"Of course but don't you two talk like once a week?" Hunk sent him a questioning look.
Lance threw his arm around Hunk's shoulder and sighed. "Let's jut go"
When they arrived, Kolivan was already visible on screen but no one was talking yet.
"Lance, you can sit with me here" Oh no, Lotor. He pointed to the chair on his left side. Lance didn't want to cause drama in front of Kolivan, so he just sat down. Although, when he saw Lotors grin he wished he would have sat down anywhere else but there.
"So, are you complete now?" Kolivan asked.
"Yes Kolivan" Allura answerd.
The picture around Kolivan zoomd out and now there were 3 more Blade members around Kolivan. They all wore their masks.
Since they were all sitting, the height difference wasn't that visible but Keith was still easy to spot out.
He was smaller and all he did was staring at Lance. Even though it was hard to figure out in which direction the masks were looking but the two other Blade member's heads moved around the whole time, only the smallest out of them was focused only on Lance.
He only looked away when someone asked him something.
Lance didn't pay much attention to the conversation. He was too busy looking at Keith or better at his mask.
But knowing that Keith was alright and right there was everything that counted.
"...Just Like Lance here, he's such a good fighter"
What? Lance looked around to find out who said that. It was Lotor, who was now smiling at him.
What did they talk about?
But Lotor wasn't finished- or maybe he was answering someone and Lance had missed their question.
"He is so good. Sometimes when we hang out together, we fight together and he's learning very fast"
"You don't hang out together you Purple Malfoy.
And nobody asked for your opinion on Lance.
So shut up and let people talk who really know him!"
Keith's mask disappeard and it showed an angry face.
Everyone else but Lance stared shocked at him.
Lance send Keith a small smile. The shorter boy nodded back. They had to talk later.
"Keith! Stop! How dare you!" Shiro shouted angry.
Kolivian seemed also angry "We'll talk about that later. But don't think I will forget about this kind of behaivor".
"It's no problem. The half Galra is just mad he's not the best sword fighter here anymore." Lotor smirked an evil smirk at Lance and then threw his arm around him.
Keith's eyes widened and shooted to Lance's. Lance shook his head and hoped Keith would get the message that he shouldn't say anything about it.
But Lotor's face was way too close. Lance could feel his breath on his face.
"Let him go" Keith hissed.
"Keith no. I can manage that" Lance said and mouthed We'll talk later.
Keith shrugged his shoulders and leaned back in his chair. His eyes switching between Lotor and Lance.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what happened to me" Keith said quiet, narrowing his eyes.
Kolivian send him an angry look.
"We'll talk about that later, it's not important right now"
With that, they went on with whatever they talked about before.
Lance noticed Lotors arm around him gripping harder.
He looked at Keith who now had his mask on again. Lance mouthed thanks and hoped Keith saw it.
---------
"...But did you see that? He grapped my shoulder" Lance whined to Keith.
Lance had called Keith right after the conference to make sure Keith was okay.
"And his smirk was disgusting, why did nobody of the team say anything?"
"Ugh they don't notice that what Lotor is doing, makes me uncomfortable... I think?" Lance said in an asking tone.
"Talk to them, you promised me, remember?"
"But I'm talking to you, Keith"
"And I'm not there"
"I know. But you'll come back right? Once you've figured out your Galra side, you'll come back.
You promised"
"I will, Lance. But I don't know how long it will take" He sighed. Lance heard someone shouting and Keith turned around.
"Yes I know" Keith shouted back.
"I'm sorry. I have to go. Listen Lance I don't think I'll be able to call you a lot in the next time, Kolivan is really pissed about me snapping at Purpletor so just promise me, you'll talk to Hunk or whoever. And Lance you'll get through whatever is happening there, with you right now."
"Take care of yourself, okay? And if Kolivan punishs you or is unfair to you or whatever just call me and I'll go and fight against the whole Blade to get you out of there"
Keith let out a laugh "Hah get out of the way Lance the sword man is up for a fight"
"Just for a fight to save my boyfriend"
"Your boyfriend Mr. Grapey Rapey?"
"What the fuck Keith? Mr. Grapey Rapey? How do you always come up with names like this?
Oh and just to be clear I meant my boyfriend with the horrible hair"
Keith fake gasped "You admit you got more than one boyfriend? Shall I be concerend?"
"Oh shut up. You're cute" Keith started blushing and Lance laughed "Awe Keith, I thought we were over that blushing phase"
Lance heard a shouting again and Keith shouted back "I'm coming"
"Sorry I have to go, Talk to someone and try to keep your hands on yourself when white haired people are around....Stay safe".
"I'll try hah. Stay safe too, te amo Keith."
They smiled and then the connection was gone.
------------------
"Lance, come here" Lotor came up to him and threw his arm around his waist.
"What do you want again?" Lance flinched away.
"I just saw you and I thought we should talk. You're always alone so talking will help you, won't it?"
"I do talk to someone" Lance hissed.
"Who?" Lotor narrowed his eyes.
"As if I would tell you"
"See? There's no one"
"There is, but why should I tell you?" Lance fought his way away from Lotor and wanted to go but Lotor grapped his shoulder and shoved him to a wall.
"Because I care about you. You're special and I seem to be the only person to notice. I really care about you red Paladin" Lotor's face got closer and his eyes wandered to his lips. Lotor leaned in closer and closer and- Oh no no no. That was not happening. Before Lance could free himself he felt Lotor's lips on his. Lance was too shocked to move. Who did Lotor think he was?
"Oh Quiznack! ...Sorry" Lotor shrienked away from Lance and they both looked at Allura who was the one who had spoken.
"I didn't know you two were like involved or-"
"We're not! I didn't want to kiss him. I don't even like him" Lance screamed.
"Well that looked different 10 seconds ago" Pidge smirked. How did she even get there?
"Just leave me alone. You all don't know what's up! I didn't want to kiss him and I don't need to defend myself, I didn't do anything" Lance wanted to run away but Lotor held his wrist.
"I kissed him. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable but how am I supposed to say no when such a hot face is looking at me?"
"Let go" Lance hissed at Lotor and walked away as fast as he could.
He sat in his room but while sitting there he just got reminded of all the calls he had with Keith and that he couldn't call him now.
Keith wasn't allowed to talk alone to him anymore at least for now. It would distract him too much, Kolivan said.
After that Keith called Lance one last time to tell him that he couldn't call him in the next time.
So sitting in his room didn't help.
Then he remembered what he had promised Keith- To talk to someone.
So Lance got up and went to the kitchen to search Hunk.
He didn't arrive there though because Shiro and Allura called him to come to them.
When he stood in front of them Shiro started saying "Lance..look... We both don't know how exactly to tell you this but.."
"You should date Lotor" Allura ended.
"WHAT?" Lance stepped back.
"Lance! You know we need Lotor as an ally and he seems to be very interested in you."
"We mean would it really be a problem for you? He doesn't look ugly does he? And every one knows how much of a flirt you are. So just a bit nice words to him every once in a while?"
They both looked enthousiastic at him.
Lance's jaw dropped and he couldn't get out a word.
"Is it because he's a boy?" Shiro asked offended.
Ugh Shiro did not really think, Lance was a homophobe, did he? It was almost funny, concidering the fact that he and Shiro's chosen brother were dating.
"What no! Of course not... But if you two are so fond of him why don't you try to get him?" he snapped.
"Because he wants you"
"But I don't want him."
"Okay, just think about it. It would help Voltron and the alleation if you'd two would come out as a couple "
"As a couple? Like I don't just have to flirt with Lotor I have to be his boyfriend?And everyone can see it?"
"It would send out a good message if a Paladin of Voltron dated such a strong warrior"
"But everyone could see it. And Lotor is nasty."
"Just think about it, okay?"
"Plus it's not like you're seing anyone or even dating." Allura shook her head.
Well,that was not correct.
"I'll think about it." Lance told them and they smiled. He wouldn't have to think about it though. Helping Voltron while suffering? Okay,he was used to it. But pretending to date someone knowing that Keith would see it and not being able to tell him the truth? That was something he would never do.
He walked away from them and continued searching Hunk.
He found him in the kitchen just as he assuemd he would.
"Hey"
"Lance! What are you doing here?"
"I don't really know. I promised Ke- someone to talk to you so here I am." He shrugged his shoulders. Hunk ran up to him and hugged him.
"What's wrong Lance? Don't dare to lie to me. I can see through that!"
So Lance ended up telling Hunk everything he had told Keith. Hunk was shocked and was truly sorry. Lance knew that. Hunk appolegized severel times and then they hugged and they made food and Lance thought that things could get better from now.
But there was still the Lotor problem and the fact that he couldn't talk to Keith and didn't know if he was okay or what he was doing. But he knew what Keith would tell him to do.
So Lance decided to open up to Hunk about the Lotor problem -not the Keith one-.
"They want you to DATE Lotor?"
"Yeah I know"
"Not taking sides now but they're right. You're free and Lotor is really strong. It would be smart.
Even though it would be very mean to pretend to have feelings for him even though you don't- You really don't right?"
"Ugh Hunk of course not! And I know it's a smart idea but still... Ugh just imagine you'd have to date him. And you would know that Shay would see it and you wouldn't have a chance to explain the things to her, would you do it?"
"What? But your situation is completely different"
"Just answer the question. Would you pretend to date someone in front of the whole universe, knowing that your boyfr- Girlfriend would see it? Oh and the Boy- Girlfriend can get hella jealous and they're kind of a hot-head and you don't know what they're gonna do when they find out and-- Just answer the question please.
"That's kind of very specific, don't you think?"
Hunk raised an eyebrow.
"It's not! Answer the damn question, Would you do it, yes or no?"
"Well the question is, does the Girlfriend trust you?"
"Not me Hunk, it's about you. It's just a random situation but yes they really do trust you"
"Well then they shouldn't have a problem with it, should they?"
"But they're jealous and hot headed and you haven't seen them face to face for a loooong time now. And they had trust issues and it took you a long time figureing out how to make them trust you especially when it's about your feelings for them"
Lance sighed, it had taken them lots of late night talks to make sure Keith truly knew that Lance wasn't playing with him and even more till Keith said his first 'I love you'. He still didn't say it half as often as Lance but everytime he did, Lance's heart grew too big for his chest and he was filled with pride.
Keith was gonna be the dead of him and they both knew it.
Hunk raised his eyebrows at him.
"Lance? Do you really think you have nothing to tell me? But to answer your question, if there would be no chance to talk with your girlfriend, I wouldn't do it. At least as long as I haven't talked to her. But I would explain it to Shiro and Allura"
"But I can't"
"So you admit you got a secret girlfriend?"
"No I don't...It's complicated."
"Lance, you can always talk to me. You know that, right?"
"I know Hunk. Thanks... But it wouldn't be fair for him if I'd tell you now."
"For him?" Hunk's eyes widened, "You've got a boyfriend? You're bisexual?"
"Not that loud" Lance hissed, " And I don't have a boyfriend! Don't you dare to tell that anyone."
"Dude you are dating someone. That's why you stopped flirting with Allura and that's why you didn't flirt back with that one alien the other day, Lance! I'm so proud of you!"
"Hunk please" Lance cried "Just promise me you won't tell anyone. I know how bad you are at keeping secrets."
"Okay okay I won't say anything but only if you promise me that I'll meet him the next time you'll see him."
Lance muttered "That won't be hard"
Hunk grinned in excitement and the two of them started making dinner.
For the first time in a while Lance knew that he wasn't alone in the Castle.
Plus he now had someone there to support him against the idea of Lance and Lotor dating.
--------------
It had been 2 weeks since Allura and Shiro told him to date Lotor.
Since then it had been quiet around the purple man but nothing could have prepared him for what happened on that day.
They were on a foreign planet to get new aliens to support Voltron.
Lance walked around not really knowing where to go when he heard someone saying "Yes that's why we are dating"
Wait. Not someone. Lotor.
"You're dating the red Paladin? He's so cute" a voice said.
Lance stopped walking. Did he hear that right? Lotor told those aliens he was dating him?
"Yes he really is cute. He loves me a lot." Lotor told the aliens.
"Awe you two have to be really happy with each other"
Then Lotor and the alien walked away and Lance couldn't hear what else they said.
Well, it was just one alien Lance thought.
What else could happen?
Turned out it wasn't just one Alien, Lance realized a few days later when a young alien child came up to him with a drawing of him and Lotor holding hands.
He ran up to Shiro to tell him about it but the black paladin just laughed and said if Lotor wanted to tell everyone they were daiting he could just do it.
They depended on Lotor after all.
Lance didn't dare to say anything, to not make Allura and Shiro angry at him so he just let it be.
At least Hunk did support him.
Though he told Lance to keep quiet about the Lotor thing he always made sure that Lance didn't feel left out at dinner and spend way more time together with Lance again.
It felt good having some company again.
----------
Lance leaned against a wall in a huge hall. Voltron had been invited to a huge Gala evening. They all dressed themselves up and Lance knew he looked hot in his suit.
Sadly Lotor seemed to think the same.
The whole evening, he stared at Lance and smirked and even dared to ask him to dance. Lance told him to get gone and since then Lance hadn't seen him again. Not that he minded.
He stared around and for a second he thought he saw a Blade of Mamora member. He sighed.
He hadn't heard anyething from Keith for more than a month now.
Thinking of Keith was horrible because it hurt. A lot. Lance couldn't even be sure wether Keith was still alive or not. Sure Kolivan would tell them if anything would have- Nope he was not gonna think about something happening to Keith.
But still- Lance couldn't even remember what Keith smelled like. He didn't even know if Keith was still smaller than him.
One day Lance told himself, one day Keith would come back and then they'd cuddle and do all the cheesy stuff Keith would never admit, he secretly liked.
"Come with me" Lotor stood in front of him.
"What?" Lance frowned but Lotor had already grapped his wrist and dragged Lance behind him outside of the hall.
When Lotor stopped, Lance found himself in a dark corridor pinned against the wall with Lotor in front of him.
"What are you trying to do now?" Lance asked angry.
"Lance, we don't always have to be like this" Lotor said quiet "Let me show you, I can be everything you ask for"
"But I don't want-" Lotor took Lance's hands and stared into Lance's eyes. Still way too close but it didn't feel that creepy anymore. Lotor opened his mouth to say something till-
"Back away from him" Someone shouted from the door. The voice sounded weird but still somehow familiar. A person walked up to them.
They were wearing a Blade of Mamora armour but were way smaller than the rest of the Galra.
"Keith" Lance screamed.
The mask disappeared and Keiths face got visible. His eyes switched between Lance and Lotor who was still holding his hands and Lance understood why Keith looked so confused.
The whole scene had to look very wrong to him.
Lance pushed Lotor aside and stood now opposite from Keith. In that moment Lance started to realize that Keith was there. Right in front of him. Ready to be hugged and kissed and just there for him.
"What are you two doing there?" Lotor asked with raised eyebrows.
"Get out, this is nothing for you" Keith hissed at him "now"
"Calm down, I'm already going, but..we'll talk again"
He said in Lance's direction but Lance shook his head.
Lotor went inside the hall again and Lance and Keith were alone.
"Lance I-" Keith began but didn't finish because they both started running towards each other.
They met in the middle of the corridor, hugging each other and not willing to ever let go.
Eventually Lance shoved Keith away, just a bit to be able to look at him.
They stared into each others eyes and suddenly nothing else but Keith mattered anymore.
The next thing Lance knew were Keith's lips on his. It was fast and heavy, as to make up for all the time they didn't see each other.
Then they broke apart and kissed again, this time much slower and softer.
Then Keith pushed Lance away and stared at him, frowning, "Wait Lance... We're... still together right?"
"What? Of course- Listen what you walked in with me and Lotor was him trying to kiss me... again.
But never for a second I thought about kissig him or anyone that wasn't you."
Lance was worried for Keith's answer but stayed calm.
"I know Lance, it's just.. I saw all those people talking about Lotor and his boyfriend -you- and that made me angry and sad and I didn't want to believe them because... because I trusted you but still...Lance I'm sorry for ever thinking about you lying to me and liking Lotor. I just wish I would have been with you earlier or at least tried to call you- But I was scared Lance..And I'm so sorry" Keith looked so vulnerable in this moment and Lance's heart broke into a million pisces.
Lance put his hand on Keith's jaw to make the boy look at him.
"Keith, it's totally not your fault. I should have said something- I should have tried to call you. I am sorry. So Sorry... But now you're here with me and I'm not gonna leave your side.
I'm just so glad you're here. Keith, thank you. Thank you so much for coming back to me even though you heard everything about Lotor. I'm so so sorry that you had to go through all of this. I really am sorry. And don't you dare to think any of this was your fault... I promise you I'll clear things with everyone, you won't have to go through any of this ever again."
Lance didn't want to imagine how Keith felt, having no chance of contacting him and then hearing everyone talking about his Boyfriend dating an other guy.
He was mad. He was mad at Lotor and at the blade and Kolivan and at whatever was responsible for them ending up in war in space and not being able to live like normal teenagers who go on beach dates and were hated by everyone single because they were just so cute.
"Lance? I trust you. I really do and now we're here.Together and... -Are you crying?"
"...No" Yes he was. But who could blame him?
Keith took Lance's face into his hands and held it up, staring into his eyes.
Keith whiped away the tears that fell from his cheek and Lance threw his arms around Keith again.
Holding him as close as possible and sobbing quiet into his shoulder.
"You got taller" He muttered with tears still coming out of his eyes a few moments later.
Keith chuckled and held him even closer.
"Extra for you"
They stood like that for a while. Just holding each other as close as possible.
Eventually Lance stopped crying and relaxed into Keith's arms.
After some minutes, Keith sighed "Not that I mind standing here but if I'm not going back inside, the Blade will go search for me" Keith said and leaned away from Lance's touch.
"Why were you even here, the blades are secret, aren't they?"
"We're kind of under cover. It's hard to explain but-"
"I love you Keith"
"I was talking Lance, you can't just interuppt me?"
"I know but I had to. I've dreamed about telling you face to face so often, it couldn't wait."
Keith smirked at him "You dreamed about me?"
"Of course I did! Somewhere I had to imagine us being together as in lying next to each other and holding each other and stuff"
"Bahh Lance, you're horrible" Keith smiled "but I love you too"
They kissed again and it felt good to know that Keith was there.
Lance wasn't alone anymore.
"But we really need to get inside now" Keith finally said.
"But you'll leave again" Lance frowned. He didn't want to have to go through everything again.
Keith took his hand and started walking towards the huge door.
"But this time I know I'll come back fast....
There is someone I'd like you to meet"
"Wait what?" Lance asked but Keith didn't repond and walked eve faster towards the door.
He suddenly stopped right in front of the door and Lance crashed into him.
"Wait, we're not dating. Not officially" Keith said turning around to Lance.
"Then we'll make it official, I don't care what anyone else thinks, but I don't want anyone to think I'm together with Lotor ever again"
"Lance we can't. What if he turns against Voltron or goes insane or whatever? Also everyone loves you two together, it would seem like you cheated on him, when you and me suddenly come out. Or worse everyone will think Voltron lied to them and they'l think Voltron can't be trusted"
"What the hell? First of all, I can't cheat on someone I've never dated! And if anyone won't be trusted it's him! I never said anything about me dating him. Heck no, I even diclined it whenever someone came up to me. Also I'd rather have the whole universe against me if that's the only way you're not hurting" Lance stared at Keith.
They were about the same height now and Lance would need some time till he could decide if he liked it or not.
Then Keith smiled weakly "Lance, I appreciate it but don't you think that's a bit too dramatic?" He shook smiling his head "Anyway- how do we enter this fucking room now?"
"Together"
"Come on, we can't."
"Don't you trust me?"
"I do but-"
"Then we'll go inside now and we'll go to whoever you want me to meet and we won't care about anyone else because we'll have each other"
"So..together?"
"Together"
So Lance took Keith's hand and damn it felt good and they entered the Gala again.
Nobody seemed to notice them, everyone was chatting around or dancing or eating.
Keith looked around, then he seemed to spot something and pointed his head in that direction.
"Come there. I might have found my mom on my last mission"
"WHAT" Lance screamed and some aliens stared at him.
"I don't know. She was just there and then she told me about my dad and I realized that she basically just told me that she was my mom. I don't actually call her mom though. Not yet. But still... I found her Lance. I found her."
Keith looked so happy and adorable that Lance couldn't help but hug Keith and Keith tensed but returned the hug.
They wouldn't have broken apart that soon but suddenly there was someone tipping on Lance's shoulder.
"Hunk! buddy, what's up?" Lance asked, jumping away from Keith.
"Hey Hunk" Keith said and held his hand for Hunk to shake it but then he already got hugged by him.
"Keith! We all missed you so much. It's not the same without you"
"Keith! You're here!" Pidge ran up to them and threw her arms around Keith too.
"Hey y'all" Keith said flustered.
"Great guys, every one saw each other but we need to apologise ourselfs now because we still have something to do" Lance said while shoving Keith away from them while holding the other boy's hand.
"Don't let your real boyfriend see you like that" Hunk shouted after them.
"Real boyfriend?" Keith raised an eyebrow. "How many boyfriends do you really have?"
"No no no, I kinda had to tell Hunk about you but I didn't tell him your name and now all he wants is to meet my secret boyfriend, I kinda had to promiss him that he will"
"Well he did, didn't he?" Keith asked smirking.
Lance took Keiths hand again and he let Keith the lead the way to where ever Keith thougt his mom would wait.
Suddenly Lance stopped "Luv, I'm not ready to meet your mom, what if she doesn't approve me? I mean she has to be twice my hight... or if she wants to convince you, I'm not good enough for you"
"Who's not good enough for Keith?" A voice asked and Lance turned around and basically stared into a female, galra version of Keith.
"Krolia, ehmm... this is Lance. You know the one I told you about."
"The blue paladin?"
Keith nodded "Yeah him" Keith squeezed Lance's hand.
"Hi, I'm Lance and I love Keith" Lance said and already prepared himself to be kicked right into space. He ruined his first impression with his very first sentence.
"Well I hope so" Krolia narrowed her eyes and checked him up.
"Keith told me a lot about you, maybe even more than about himself"
Lance didn't know what to reply to that so he stayed quiet, Keith seemed to think the same because he stayed quiet too.
After a while the silence seemed to get too much for Krolia and she said "Well you got a lot to catch up, I think. Keith you know you'll find me somehwere here when you're searching me.
It was nice meeting you Lance but keep in mind that if you hurt Keith ever again I'll come and will solve things my way" With that she was gone.
"What did she mean with ever again? "
Lance looked questioning into Keith's eyes.
Keith shook his head.
"It's nothing really...Just when I heard everyone talking about you and Lotor I kinda figuered you and him were really together and you'd be happier with him.. It kind of broke me I guess?."
Lance hugged Keith and pressed his fingers into Keith's back.
"I'm so sorry Keith. So so sorry. I never wanted you to feel that way. That's mostly the reason why I declined Allura's and Shiro's idea."
"Which idea?" Keith frowned at him.
"Well... They might have told me to date Lotor..You know they said something about it being a good thing if a paladin would date someone like Lotor. I mean they were right and they didn't know anything about us. Ugh they probably still don't know how uncomfortable this whole idea made me. Even if we wouldn't be dating."
Keith's eyes were narrowed and he scowled.
"They wanted what? That's sick! How did they not notice how bad that idea sounds?" Keith voice got louder and Lance tried to calm him down.
"As I said, they were probably too worried about getting new planets to support Voltron. And their idea was some how smart. I mean they never forced me to do it."
That seemed to calm down Keith at least a little bit.
"We're gonna talk to them. Okay Lance? Like they need to know what they did wrong. You deserve an apology."
A new song started. A slow one. Lance grapped Keith's shoulders, so he could look into his face and smiled soft "Yeah yeah we're gonna talk later. Now we're gonna dance"
"No! I can't dance, Lance!" Keith cried but Lance already put his hands on Keith's waist.
"Lay your hands on my shoulders" He told Keith.
"Why am I the girl?" Keith frowned.
"Because you have no clue what you're doing and I'm taller"
"You're not, we're the same height, I'd even say I'm taller"
"Never stop dreaming, right?" Lance winked and Keith sighed and layed his hands on Lance's shoulders.
They swinged forth and back like this for a time, then Keith let his hands wander to Lance's neck and Lance pulled him closer.
He didn't care if Lotor saw them or Allura or the whole universe. In that moment the only thing that counted was the light dancing in Keith's eyes and the way his bangs were way too long but he still managed to see through it.
Lance put his hand on Keith's cheek and leaned in, Keith did the same. Their lips met and somewhere Lance heard a gasp but he didn't mind as long as Keith was there with him and as long as their lips were on each other moving slow and soft and as long as the whole scene could have been copied out of a teen romance highschool prom movie.
They broke appard but both still ignored whatever was happening around them.
"I love you so so much Keith"
"I know"
"..."
"I love you too, Lance"
They had to break apart soon.
Lance would probably get hate for "cheating" on Lotor from all their fans who shipped them.
They would have to answer thousands of questions from the team.
Hunk would feel like the dumbest person not realizing that Lance talked about Keith back then when he confessed, he had a boyfriend and the rest of the paladins wouldn't get why they never said anything to anyone. They didn't even get it.
Keith would have to return to the blade but this time he'd know, it wouldn't be for a long time.
Keith would get hate for stealing Lotor's "boyfriend" and would have to listen to insults from Lotor and his angry fans. Even though he couldn't care less what some weird aliens thought about him.
All they both knew was, that they'd get through it all. Because they had each other and after months, they finally had time for each other and Lance knew that with Keith he had found a second home and Lance knew that he was too Keith's second home, if not his first.
--------------------
It had been 2 months since the Gala evening and Lance layed next to Keith in Keith's room in the castle of lions.
Short after everyone found out about Keith and Lance, Lotor had left the Castle.
Nobody really knew where he was. The last thing they had heard were some rumors about him dating some alien princess.
The public wasn't happy about Lance's and Lotor's "break-up" but it didn't affect any planet supporting team Voltron.
After Keith came back, he immediatly confronted Shiro about his and Allura's idea.
So Lance, Allura and Shiro had a long talk about the whole situation. They both were sorry, they didn't notice that their idea was that uncomfortable for Lance.
Lance apologised that he didn't tell them how he felt about the whole idea.
After that, everyone seemed to get along as good as before Keith had left.
Hunk, Pidge and Lance started hanging out together again. And Lance started feeling like a part of the team again.
The only difference was Keith who started hanging up with Pidge,Hunk and Lance.
And of course all their touches and talks when they were alone.
Lance almost couldn't remember why he ever felt like he didn't belong to the team.
He also couldn't remeber the last time he had slept in his own bed. It very fast became a habit of him to sleep in Keith's room, right next to the latter boy.
Maybe he would ask Keith to come to Lance's room some day. That could wait though.
Lance held Keith in his arms while playing with his boyfriend's hair. He closed his eyes.
"Keith?"
"Hmm?"
"You remember when we met those guys from the other reality? Do you think there's a reality where we're not together?"
"..... Probably... Hah Imagine there'd be one where I'm straight" Keith chuckled quiet.
"You couldn't be straight in any reality babe" Lance pecked Keith's hair.
"Probably not. Or if there is a straight one, he's probably just in denial" He chuckled again.
"Anyway, every reality where we're not together isn't important because there's at least one where we are and I'm so happy to be the Keith from this reality"
"KEITH! You can't say stuff like that without warning my heart... But you're right, the Keith and Lance from those realities have to be the biggest dummies to not be together"
"Yeah right. But we're smart, we're together"
"Yeah"
Keith shifted and his breath started to get regular. Lance kissed his forehead.
Keith was right, there could be a thousand realities where the two of them weren't together as long as they were together in the one where he lived.
He cuddled into Keith's hair and let out a deep breath.
"Good night, Love" he whispered and fell asleep too.