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Keith didn’t mean to do it.
At least, Lance doesn’t think he meant to. That’s what he’s been telling himself for the past few hours in an attempt to maintain his own sanity. During a mission with stakes as high as these, he really can’t afford to lose focus. The fate of the entire universe quite literally rests on their shoulders. If even one of them doesn’t have their head in the game, the consequences could be devastating.
Because this is the mission that could end it all. Decades, centuries, millenia worth of war and conflict, and it could all be over within a few hours. This is what the team has spent the rest of their youth fighting toward.
With both Zarkon and Sendak dead, the Galra Empire is on the verge of collapse. Haggar is too lost in her own delusions to maintain any sense of order. It’s hard to demand loyalty from a people whose predecessor only ruled them through fear and violence. Galra everywhere are fighting amongst each other for power, altogether much too distracted to pose much of a threat.
Now is the time to strike. The only person truly standing in the way of the universe and its freedom is the witch.
Allura specifically requested that she be the one to take Haggar down. Only it wasn’t a request, and the others certainly weren’t going to argue.
Which leads them to where they are now, scattered across the Galra warship that’s currently headed straight for Earth. The Blade is out in open space slowing it down as best they can, assisted by Matt and the rebels. Pidge and Hunk have been tasked with finding the heart of the ship and stopping it entirely, while Shiro and Allura search for Haggar.
Naturally, Keith and Lance are the distraction. More like Keith is the distraction, and Lance’s sole responsibility is to cover him and make sure he doesn’t go overboard. It’s a big job, one that he takes very seriously, otherwise Keith would’ve gotten himself blown up ages ago.
They snuck onto one of the ship’s many hangars while they were sending out Galra fighters, which wasn’t nearly as simple as it sounds. Even with Pidge’s cloaking technology, maneuvering an enormous Lion into a hangar meant for much smaller ships while avoiding detection was quite the feat.
They’d been crouched behind the control station overlooking one of the main power hubs of the ship. Keith’s goal was to make his way to the ground floor and cause as much chaos as possible, forcing them to divert all power to the central hub, where Pidge and Hunk could take everything offline at once. There didn’t look like there was much cover, so Lance’s job was to keep Keith safe from above.
“You’ve got the blueprints?” Lance asked, peering through the glass into the room down below.
“For the millionth time,” Keith answered, “I’ve got the blueprints.”
Lance shot him a look. “Hey, don’t blame me for being thorough. This place is a maze. I’m just trying to make sure you’ll be able to make it down there in time.”
Keith rolled his eyes half-heartedly. “I’ll make it down there just fine.”
“Don’t get distracted.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t even think about running off somewhere I can’t see you, or I will shoot you.”
“I believe you.”
Lance was almost irritated with how non-argumentative he was being for once. There was so much pressure as it is—he could use a little familiarity. He sighed, desperate to relieve some of the tension in his shoulders. They had backup plans on backup plans, but no matter how prepared they were, there was no guarantee they’d all be able to pull this off. But they had to, right? There was no other choice. “Alright. You ready for this?”
Keith actually smiled. “As ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
“Then you’d better get down there.” Lance brought up the map display on his gauntlet, squinting. “Pidge and Hunk are almost in position.”
“Okay.” Keith shifted his weight, though he still didn’t move. If Lance had been paying more attention, he might have realized that Keith was stalling. “I’m going.”
“Be careful. I’ll watch your back.” Lance started to stand, intending to move into position himself, but Keith had other plans.
He grabbed Lance’s arm and tugged him back down. “Wait.”
Lance turned, and before he could even comprehend the question forming on his own lips, Keith leaned in and kissed it out of existence.
It was short and chaste, not nearly long enough to have the sort of effect that it did on Lance. Keith’s eyes were hooded when he pulled away and suddenly Lance couldn’t stop staring, his heart at an absolute standstill in his chest.
“Sorry,” Keith murmured, which is a weird thing to say when you’ve just kissed someone out of the blue. His fingers were curled around Lance’s breastplate, holding him in place like he wasn’t ready to let go just yet. “I had to know what that would feel like. Just in case.”
And then he had the gall to get up and leave, before Lance had the chance to do something stupid like kick him in the shin or even stupider, kiss him back.
Naturally, the first thing he did when his brain resumed its normal function was jump on the comms to yell at him.
“Keith, what the hell?”
A long sigh came through on the other side. “We leave you two alone for five minutes and you’ve already found something to argue about?” Pidge grumbled.
Lance sputtered, pressing a hand against the side of his helmet. “You don’t understand! He just—but I didn’t—and then he—” He threw his arms out even though there was no one there to see him. “I mean, what the hell! Keith, you can’t just do that and then walk away like nothing happened!”
“Can we not do this right now?” Keith grumbled, in that very specific way he does when he’s embarrassed. Lance could picture him perfectly—head down, hair in his face, cheeks tinted a faint shade of pink.
“Dude, any one of us could die today!”
“Then you’ve answered your own question.”
Lance could’ve ripped his own hair out, but unfortunately he didn’t have the time. A burst of static interrupted his thoughts and Shiro entered the conversation. “Is everyone in position?”
“Yeah, in position to kick Keith’s ass,” Lance huffed.
“As long as you keep him alive long enough,” Shiro agreed, completely unfazed. “Be my guest.”
“We’re ready,” Hunk confirmed, which Keith quietly echoed. Lance could see him now, hidden at the entrance of the room of the hub. “Just say the word.”
“Good luck, everyone,” Allura chimed in. “Let’s finish this. We will see each other again.”
“On my mark,” Shiro began.
Lance’s bayard transformed into his rifle and he hefted it into his arms, steadying his aim. Keith looked up then, and when their eyes met Lance felt all of his earlier irritation melt away for a split second. Right then, all he wanted was to make sure they both made it through this. Luckily Keith seemed to understand, because he only nodded and gathered his sword into his hand.
“Go.”
｡･:*:･ﾟ★｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
It’s a long, bloody battle.
Almost nothing goes according to plan, and most of the team has to split up and improvise every time a new obstacle arises, but they’ve done it. Haggar is dead, and the Galra Empire has fallen.
The war is over.
The war is over, yet Lance is far from ready to celebrate. His heart is pounding as he makes his way back to the Castle of Lions in Blue, not sure if he should be more afraid of what, or who, he will or won’t find there.
He finds himself running through the familiar halls of the castle without any memory of getting there, tripping and stumbling over his own two exhausted feet. When he stumbles into the control room, he’s relieved to be immediately greeted by both Hunk and Pidge, who look a little the worse for wear but otherwise okay. Allura and Coran look the happiest they’ve ever been despite their tears, because for the first time in ten thousand years they can finally rest.
It’s not until he spots Keith across the room, standing with Shiro, that he feels his heartbeat calm and his pulse relax. There’s an open cut on his cheek and he’s leaning heavily on his right leg, but he’s alive and breathing and it’s the most beautiful thing Lance has ever seen.
When their eyes meet, Keith’s face lights up like he’s never seen before. He breaks out into a smile, and his entire body visibly wilts with relief in a way that makes Lance’s heart clench. But there must be something about the look on Lance’s face that gives him pause, because Keith’s smile fades just as quickly as it appeared.
Lance’s feet start moving without him telling them to, and Keith goes a little pale.
“Wait,” he starts, holding his hands up defensively. He backs away slightly as Lance tears his helmet off and lets it fall to the ground, clattering loudly. “Look, I-I’m sorry, okay? Don’t be mad. I wasn’t trying to make you upset—Lance? What are you—mmph!”
The second that he’s within reach, Lance takes Keith’s face in his hands and kisses him quiet.
He doesn’t hold back this time. Keith’s hands grasp for purchase and find Lance’s shoulders, clinging to him just as tightly as Lance laces his fingers through his hair. It’s a little too rough, and eventually they’re going to run out of breath and both of them are wildly off balance but god. Lance needs Keith to know how much he means this.
Shiro, who just a moment ago had likely been preparing himself to break up a fistfight, instead clears his throat beside them. “Oh, would you look at that. It looks like Pidge needs me over there for… something or other. Bye.”
Lance is only distantly aware of Shiro walking away, because as soon as they break apart his eyes are only on Keith. Keith, who’s staring up at him like he’s the most important person in the galaxy, like this is a dream and he might wake up from it any second.
They stare at each other for a moment, and then: “That’s payback for earlier,” Lance mutters hoarsely.
Keith cracks a smile, and Lance can’t help it. He gathers him into his arms and buries his face in Keith’s hair, laughing in disbelief. “Thank god you’re okay.”
He feels Keith’s arms fasten around him, holding onto him just as tightly. “I could say the same.”
“I thought I told you not to go where I couldn’t see you.”
“I know, I’m sorry. I went back to find you.”
“You were supposed to come straight here, doofus.”
“Then what took you so long?”
Lance hesitates. “Well—I was out there looking for you.”
Keith snorts. “But you just said—”
“Only because I knew you wouldn’t be able to follow those simple instructions!”
“Because I got worried!”
Lance laughs again, tilting forward to lean his forehead against Keith’s. “You’re impossible. I am so taking you out after this.”
Keith laughs breathlessly. “Yeah?”
“First we’re going back to earth and we’re gonna take the longest nap in the history of naps.”
“Okay,” Keith agrees, grinning.
“And then I’m taking you out on a proper date,” Lance continues. “The kind where we make awkward small talk and embarrass ourselves because we’re so nervous and instead of kissing each other because we think we might die in the next ten minutes we hold hands and walk each other home and make more awkward small talk on the front porch until we finally kiss each other goodnight because it went really well.”
Keith can’t stop smiling, gripping Lance’s shoulders like a lifeline. Lance can’t help but think they might never be able to let go of each other again. “That sounds nice.”
“Good,” Lance says, and drags him back in for another kiss.