Chapter Text
It was supposed to be a simple mission.
Keith runs as fast as his body allows through the corridors, following a pattern that he’s so used to. He can’t believe this is happening. How can this be happening? Keith thinks indignant. He stops when he feels the pain becoming unbearable. The Galra soldier leans against the walls, trying not to fall. He presses his wounds with his left hand, trying to stop the bleeding. He can’t. He feels the blood starting to soak his hand. This was supposed to be a simple mission.
It all started when his commander sent Keith with a small troop of soldiers to an inhabited planet. It was supposed to be a recognization mission, the usual. Collect data, check if there was any useful material and confirm if it was actually deserted.
Keith at the time was infuriated. That was a waste of time and a waste of his skills.
“I can’t believe this!” He said, holding his weapon a little too tight.
“So you’ve said for the last five minutes.” Shiro mumbled with a bored look as he accompanied Keith on the hallways. He sighed, giving him a wise smile. That one. “Keith, not all missions are interesting.”
“Yeah, but I was at least expecting to receive a real mission.” Keith answered bitterly. “Why am I being assigned for these kind of missions when I could be helping in battle? Shiro, you know I fight better than half of those troops that go to action.”
“Yes, I know that. But you still have to prove your value, and even more importantly, your loyalty to them.” Shiro explained.
“I’m not to blame if my parents were traitors.” He hisses.
“Again, I know that. They don’t.”
“I’m-“ Keith sighed, stopping at the door where they would part. Shiro used to go to that type of mission. Not anymore. Now he was a lieutenant commander and Keith hated that Shiro didn’t need to go, because having a friend there, would make it less boring. “I’ve proven myself so many times I lost count.”
“Remember: patience...”
“... yields focus. Yeah, I know.” He looked at the door with a blank stare. He really didn’t want to go. They said their goodbyes, but Keith was no less angry.
When landed on said planet, Keith followed protocol as he was told - there was nothing else to do, really. He did everything according to procedure and, as he imagined, there was nothing special about that place and it wasn’t worthy of their attention, after all. What a shock.
But before Keith and his troop could get back to the ship, they felt the ground shaking. They realized that the ground was unstable because big creatures, with long bodies, and uncountable legs and teeth, were trying to come out to the surface. And after that, Keith is not sure in what order things happened.
He remembers the other soldiers screaming to go back to the ship, but Keith, hothead Keith, didn’t listen. He was angry and now he could target it at something. So, instead he ran towards said creatures with weapon in hands and fire in his eyes. He could use some action and he would never deny a good fight. Stupid.
He also remembers flashes of blue, green and yellow flying nearby. His squad was kept busy with that, while Keith tried singlehanded to destroy those creatures. Today was definitely not a good day.
He groans frustrated. Keith closes his eyes in pain and tries to clear his head, but all he can think about is the way everyone will look at him when he gets back to his base.
Many doubted he could ever make part of Zarkon’s army. But Keith didn’t listen ( as usual ), because he knew and knows he’s the perfect soldier. So Keith tried anyway and became the best he could be. He knows exactly what to do, he knows all the protocols and he was the best at his training. Keith is perfect for any mission.
Yeah, he admits he has a problem with following orders and an explosive personality - which is to blame for the whole situation he finds himself now, but he rather not think about it -, but he only disobeys when he doesn’t trust neither respect the one giving orders. Keith grinds his teeth. Not ideal, but he’s effective and that should weight more than his flaws - even if he believes they’re actually qualities. Being fearless, feral and decisive (not to say stubborn) is a good thing in a war.
Although, now that Keith has to think about how to get out of this mess, those so called qualities might not be such a good thing. He sighs deeply, then he sprints. Keith doesn’t have time to lose. Soon they will realize there’s an intruder and he won’t survive. Not because of the wounds he already has, but for the new ones they might cause.
He realizes he can’t run much more. His legs are shaking and Keith knows he’s losing too much blood. He tries a glance over his shoulder and he sees a track of blood following him. Quiznak.
Keith looks around him, just to be sure if he’s going the right way. Of course he is. The Galra soldier has run through these corridors so many times that it’s all pure reflex. Every door, every turn. That thought leaves a bittersweet taste on his tongue.
“Hey! Wait up!” He could hear a child scream.
“You can’t blame me if you’re the slowest alien in the whole galaxy.” Keith answers between laughter. But his voice echoes through the corridors and it sounds so familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
“You’re cheating!” The little boy screams, wide smile.
“Can’t do anything if you’re such a loser!” Keith retorts as soon as he touch the wall, where the race should end. “Maybe one day you’ll be the king of losers.”
“No, I won’t!” Lance says half laughing, pushing Keith. “I let you win.”
“No, you didn’t! I win fair and square.”
Keith stares at the door, trying to hold himself together. He checks the floor and he’s surrounded by his own blood - it’s not enough for him to die without it, but the vision scares him. Keith holds his hand up, closed into a fist, ready to knock. Just like he used to do all the time. He looks at his right hand that’s also covered in blood - from the wounds over his shoulder, that’s following a course through his whole arm.
Keith sighs and knocks. A few seconds later the door opens, showing the last person he wanted to see, but his only choice. “Your highness.” He greets weakly.
The prince in front of him has wide eyes and is looking at him as if he were a ghost. A phantom from the past maybe. “You.” He says with poison dripping in his voice, now looking furious.
Lance is still wearing his battle suit, just arrived from his last mission, and he looks completely shocked to see him there. Keith glares at him with a teasing smile. “Surprise.”
The prince flinches at the sound of Keith’s voice, as if it pulls him into reality. He grabs his bayard by instinct, unlocking it into his weapon. “How did you get in here?” Lance says with a threatening tone, taking a few steps away from Keith.
Keith scoffs, weakly. He doesn’t lose his time answering as he pushes his way into the room. He can’t afford for someone else to see him there. Lance seems offended, since he’s not been taken seriously. Keith turns around and look at him, analyzing, as soon as the door closes behind them.
Lance’s armor is different from the rest of the paladins. Keith doesn’t know if it’s because he’s the prince or because he’s, you know, Lance. His armor has golden details around Voltron’s blue symbol to match Lance’s crown - that he wears so proud, even on battle. And around his hips there’s extra protection that is similar to his formal cape. Everything matches perfectly and Keith gets angry at that. He’s not sure why.
He rolls his eyes, annoyed. “Nice suit.” He starts. “But we are fighting a war, not posing for fashion magazines.” His tone is harsh.
Lance hesitates for a second. He wasn’t expecting the comment, but that doesn’t stop him from opening a cocky smile behind his rifle. “So, you think I look good.” He says with a soothing voice, making Keith groan.
“I didn’t come to evaluate your outfits.” Keith retorts rapidly.
“Didn’t think so.” Lance lowers his rifle enough for Keith to get a clear sight of his face. “Then why are you here, messing my room, dripping blood all over my castle?”
“What? Am I not welcome here?” He asks sarcastic.
“Even bleeding, you have to be petty.”
“I am not.” Keith snaps, showing his fangs. His reaction causes a twinge in his wounds, making him exclaim in pain.
“Easy, space cat.” He transforms his weapon back into a bayard, placing carefully at his hips. Lance gets a little closer, walking surrounding Keith. His eyes are full of worry, as if suspicion was never there. “What happened?” He asks softly, careful to not touch him and Keith doesn’t like that.
“You happened.” He rises his tone, filled with anger.
“Excuse me?” Lance flinches with the tone of his response. “What do you mean?”
“Well, for starters, your team blew up my ship.” He says accusatory. Keith suddenly feels his legs giving out and he leans against Lance’s dressing table. He realizes that Lance changed the way he organizes his skin care products. Keith doesn’t like that he was able to notice that. “And then exploded most part of the planet my troop and I were. Leaving me alone there.”
Lance takes a moment to absorb. “You were the soldier holding off the creatures.” He says under his breath, in disbelief. He tries to recompose himself, clearing his throat and laying a hand on his hip. “I should’ve known it was you. No one would do something this stupid and reckless.”
“If I remember correctly, in Threkon you were the one trying to ride those wild flying monster as the others tried to run from it.” Keith retorts with a half smile, that he almost can’t bring himself to open because of the pain.
“That’s not the same!” Lance’s voice raises an octave, cracking.
He snorts. “It’s exactly the same, Lan-“ Keith interrupts himself as if his own tongue burned with that word. “Your majesty.”
Lance huffs. “Whatever.” He looks away with a pout, crossing his arms against his chest. Keith scoffs at the sight, but he regrets it because doing so hurts. He groans as quiet as he can, but Lance’s attention is caught anyway. “You’re a complete disaster.” He says exasperated.
“Oh, am I?” He answers, Keith’s tone dripping bitter sarcasm.
Lance rolls his eyes, uncrossing his arms, now getting a little closer to Keith. Keith tries to get away from Lance’s touch, but the prince stubbornly grabs his left wrist and tries to get a good look at his wounds. “Holy quiznak, how does anyone let you out of their sight? Stop picking fights you aren’t ready for.” He mumbles to himself with an annoyed look.
“I can take care of myself. I don’t need to be supervised.” Keith snaps, answering childishly.
“But can you?” Lance gives him an unamused look. “Then why are you at my door, Mullet?” He asks again, now demanding.
“Because-“ Keith starts full of range, just to realize there’s no answer and they fall into silence. Lance gives him a know-it-all smile, satisfied with the lack of response. The prince goes to his wardrobe, searching for towels. Keith feels ashamed, he looks at the ground trying to assimilate. He’s being stupid, he’s being pathetic, he’s being irrational. Why? Maybe it’s the blood loss. Yes, that’s it. Blood loss. “I don’t know.” He answers weakly.
Keith realizes that when he looks at Lance again, his vision is blurry. He now recognizes that his weak voice is because he’s not controlling himself like he’s used to. He’s about to pass out. “I can’t...” Keith walks in his direction and grabs Lance’s arm holding on as tight as he can, to do something he hopes he’ll forget when he wakes up. “I didn’t have anywhere else to go... help.”
He can see Lance’s shock in his eyes and Keith grins with the reaction. At least, he thinks he does, because after that the world goes black. Keith has never felt so fragile and incapable.
&&
“Typical. Keith asking for help means he actually has to be dying and he just pass out right after he does.” Lance mumbles, as he grabs Keith in his arms, in bridal style, and lay him gently on his bed. “Why am I surprised?”
Lance passes his hands nervously through his hair, trying to think. What he’s supposed to do? Keith appears at this door after two months and expect Lance to do what? Of course the prince wants to help, he’s not an animal. And no, there’s nothing to do with their... past. Nope. Lance is just a really good person. He inhales deeply and exhales. Okay, okay... okay. Just calm down. He tells himself.
Lance is stepping into Keith’s blood and that makes him do the opposite of calming down. Quiznak, Keith. Why do you have to be such a hothead? He quickly grabs more towels to help cover Keith’s wounds, and maybe stop the bleeding? He’s not sure, but it’s worth a try. Lance sighs again trying to control himself. What would his father do? “Well, he would scream at me.” He jokes under his breath. “So, not the best option.”
He thinks about the pods, that are the obvious choice, but how can he explain the others? He shivers at that. Oh, no. The others wouldn’t mind that Keith’s hurt. They didn’t cause his injury and, well, they hate Keith. Allura specially. He knows they are not cruel, but at wars people die. What can you do? “Something.” He answers himself bitterly.
Lance grabs his communicator that should be only used for emergencies. This is an emergency. He thinks stubbornly. “Coran.” He starts, trying to maintain his voice calm.
“Yes, your highness?” Coran chipper tone echoes in his ears.
“I need you to quarantine the path from my room to the infirmary. No one else is allowed near it, until further notice.” Lance doesn’t recognize his own voice. Coran flinches at the order.
“And, if you don’t mind me asking, why is that?” He asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Promise me you won’t tell anyone.” He starts, darkly. “Not even Allura.”
“Is everything alright?” Coran can’t hold himself as he voice cracks full of worry. He cleans his throat trying to recompose himself. “I, Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe, promise you.”
At that, Lance shoulders drop. How exactly can he explain what happened? Hell, he doesn’t even know what just happened. Lance licks his dry lips. He decides it’s better to show him as he turns the camera of his device to Keith, who’s lying in his bed contaminating his whole bed with his blood.
Coran’s eyes go wide with horror filling them. That’s probably the first time Lance sees Coran go speechless. The advisor wakes up from his surprise shaking his head. “Bring him to the infirmary. I’ll take care of the rest.” He announces right before hanging up.
Lance doesn’t lose a heartbeat. He grabs Keith once again and start running.
&&
At first, he feels soft touches. On his arm, on his hand, on his leg. And a warm presence near him. He likes that. He registers that he’s actually feeling another person touching him. Keith now thinks that that’s not common. People don’t touch him and specially not on his sleep. People don’t touch hands and legs with him as they feel his arm.
Keith opens his eyes and doesn’t recognize his arounds. He notices a totally different decoration from the Galra ships, but familiar at the same time. He’s not home. That’s not a good sign. Normally, Keith would be high alert with this information, but for some reason he feels drained.
He blinks, trying to clear his vision. Keith realizes he’s in a soft bed that has a floral perfume. Again, strange, but not unfamiliar. Lazily, he turns his head to the side and a silhouette grabs his attention. His eyes go wide open and he tries to rapidly move away from the body near him, almost falling off the bed.
“Keith, what are you doing?” Hearing Lance’s sleepy voice does something to him. He freezes.
Keith stares at the scene in front of him, as he registers that he’s in Lance’s room. In Lance’s bed . He tries as hard as he can to understand what’s happening and if this is real or not. Keith’s eyes are caught by what he’s wearing and how the prince’s pajama feel so out of place and a little loose for him.
Something clicks. He starts to remember in flashes what happened: him fighting strange creatures, then running through the castle. Keith asking Lance for help, then rapid visions of the pods and the prince carrying him around.
“You’re such a mess.” Lance mumbles under his breath.
“Coran, you can’t tell this to anyone. Please.” He almost misses the request, because the prince’s voice is so low.
“I still have to clean the blood and it’s your fault. I should leave it to you to clean this up.” A complaint.
“Please, don’t die... please.” A cry.
“I’ve missed you.” A whisper. A secret.
He shakes his head trying to push away the memories, in denial. Keith growls. He stands up on reflex and that makes Lance grunt in disapproval.
“Just go back to sleep, you weirdo.” The prince says, voice groggy from sleep.
Keith looks at him horrified. The prince has his eyes closed peacefully and just a second ago he was dangerously near the galra soldier while sleeping . He can’t believe this scenario. Keith is the enemy, he’s literally a threat to anyone in the castle and, to his utter shock, he is not even cuffed anywhere - just to be safe. What’s wrong with you, Lance? How did they survive so long when they don’t even think about cuffing or guarding a prisoner?
He feels like he should run. But... Keith feels so tired. But why? Now that he’s thinking more clearly, he notices that his location is wrong. He should wake up in the infirmary, inside a pod. Keith should also be fully recovered and yet, he feels a crushing pain on his shoulder.
By instinct, he touches his shoulder. It’s not bleeding nor out of place. But there’s a scar - he can feel it, even with his clothes on -, and that means not even the pods could fix him. He sighs deeply. He still needs recovery.
Keith looks around again, changing his normal eyes to yellow, so he can see in the dark. He sees the door and start walking towards it, trying not to make a sound. But of course, Lance’s bedroom is not so organized and Keith kicks something, his eyes didn’t quite catch, that makes noise.
Lance moves in his bed, changing position. He stays quiet for a moment and the Galra soldier almost believes he went back to sleep. “Where you going, dearest?” He mumbles.
The pet name makes him shiver. "Uh-“
“Come back to bed.” He whines.
Keith knows Lance. He knows everything there’s to know about him and vice versa, which always made their battles more interesting. So, of course he knows Lance is half awake and he won’t remember anything when he actually wakes up. The prince probably thinks he’s dreaming, so he’s just speaking non-sense. Keith could easily go away.
But then again, Keith is so tired. Exhausted, to be exact. He’s not sure for how long he’s been lights out, but somehow feels like it wasn’t enough to rest. And Lance... Lance is there and he’s asking for him to stay. God knows when will it be the next time Keith will get to have a non-threatening conversation with the prince or even see him. Being in a war is all about uncertain.
He glances at the door and Keith feels tempted to stay. Lance won’t even remember this happened, right? And... it’s just one night, right ? One night of rest. Yeah, that doesn’t sound ridiculous. Actually, seems like the rational choice, since he’s tired, in recovery and there’s a comfortable bed calling his name. Yeah, he’s just being rational.
Keith slowly turns around, resisting the tiny voice in his head saying repeatedly how he shouldn’t stay; that he should run when he can and never talk about the subject. He closes his hands into tight fists, annoyed by his own thoughts.
The Galra soldier lays on the bed cautiously, trying not to move the mattress a lot. He closes his eyes and forces himself to go to sleep immediately as he tries his hardest to not debate anymore about it.
Lance hums in recognition of Keith’s body, almost sounding... satisfied. That makes Keith’s body relax instantly and when he feels the prince’s hand on his arm - a habit Lance has since they were children, because he loves to feel people, specially asleep -, he is caught in a warm feeling.
He’s just being rational. Rational.