*Keith's POV*

"What the hell!" I yell, as a galra fighter appears out of no where shooting at red. I flip backwards and fire my lasers, destroying the pod.

"Language." Lance says evading three more fighters.

"Really! Your worried about my profanity." I growl.

"Yes!" Lance says. "God dammit!" He screams as a fighter shoots his lasers.

I laugh over my intercom.

"Hey guys I could use some help!" Hunk yells.

"Got it!" Pidge says flying over to hunk in the green lion.

Lance is flying over a cruiser. Suddenly a purple light envelopes lances lion.

"Somethins got me!" Lance yells. "I can't move!"

"We're coming buddy!" Shiro yells steering the black lion towards the trapped blue lion. I follow him.

Lance is getting pulled up quicker and quicker.

"Guys help! They're pulling me up."

I floor the controls on my lion, trying to get to lance, he's pulled into the cruiser by the beam and thousands of new fighters fly out of the ship. Making it impossible to get to him.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Shiro yells. "I've got a tracker on the cruiser well come back fo him!" Anger boils in my veins.

"Yeah Shiro! And what'll they do to him in the meantime!?"

"Keith I know it's hard but if we stay we're gonna join him."

"I-I- we cant just leave him! He'd risk his life to save any one of us! Pidge? Hunk? Allura?"

Silence.

"Keith we gotta go." Pidge says.

"Yeah bud, we'll come back." Says hunk

"What the hell is wrong with you guys!" I snarl. But Shiro made the decision. Reluctantly I pull back, I try to fight the swell of emotion as I think of what they'll do to get information out of him. I feel my eyes well with tears and I let myself cry. Just for a second I let myself get one sob out before I get myself together, wiping my tears away.

When we pull up to the castle I get out of red and immediately go to my room. I sit on my bed, fully dressed and armored. Waiting and praying for Shiro to say it's safe to get Lance. The truth is, I could hide it from everyone else but Lance could see when I was scared. I needed him now ironically. I wait impatiently for the order to save him to pass.

***************************

*Lances POV*

Snap. The whip slashes down on my back. I choke back a scream. Refusing to give her the satisfaction.

"Now boy." The woman begins. "Where are you keeping them? The blade of marmora? Where are they?"

I spit blood at her feet.

"You really think that a couple of whip lashes will do anything to make me give you any information?" I cough up blood and lean back. Trying to breathe away the pain. "You are sorely mistaken lady." The whips cracks against my back once more. I gasp, the pain is getting worse and worse. Please. I pray. Please let them get here soon.

************************

*Keith's POV*

I grab my helmet and bayard, running down to my shaft to get to my lion. Everyone else is getting ready too. Finally it's safe to go in. "Wait!" Shiro says before I get to my shaft.

"If we're going to infiltrate that cruiser we need someone to be undercover, you and I are going in a pod." He says. I nod and we make our way to the pods. As we fly there Shiro explains the plan to the team.

"You guys cause a big distraction, Keith and I will go get Lance and then we'll all hall ass out of there." He says. But suddenly the lions are gone. I'd forgotten we were in stealth mode, no one could see us. A huge beam has engulfed the green and yellow lions. Our pod is being dragged up too.

"Wait how can they see us!?" I say shocked

"No clue. Must be advanced tech." Shiro says sounding frustrated. When we are inside the huge galra ship several guards take us to a cell. They toss us in and we hear a conversation between two guards.

"Marvisee said he won't give up any information. He's as good as dead. She said to toss him in with the rest of em." One guard says. Wait who were they talking about? I prayed I didn't know. But I did. I knew exactly who they were talking about.

A few minutes later I hear a dragging sound followed by a shuffle noise coming from down the hall. Two guards approach carrying a sack of some kind over there shoulders. They unlock our cell and toss the bag in laughing at it for some reason. Then I choke. Because it's not a bag. It's lance, beaten and bloody to the point he's hardly recognizable anymore. Quickly I pull off my jacket, then my shirt. I rip my shirt into pieces and start cleaning the wounds in his back. Thick gashes oozing with blood. He grabs my hand.

"That hurts." He rasps in a voice barely audible.

"Well I know that but I have to-"

"Please Keith, I know you know I'm going to die. So please just let me not be in pain." He whimpers. I gently lift him up so he can rest his head on my chest. He coughs.

"Thanks." He gasps. Two heavily armored guards come in with a tall woman. She looks at us all, from Pidge to hunk, to Shiro and then her eyes rest on me, lance in my arms, bleeding to death. My grip around his bare waist tightens. He groans in protest and I don't want to hurt him, but I can't let them take him again.

"Well go on" the woman says to the guards. "Retrieve him." They walk over one holds me against the wall while another pulls lance from me. He gasps as they pull against the cuts on his arms and his chest.

"Hold on lance." I say pushing the guard back with my foot. "Just hold on." The guard wrenches lance from my arms and I jump up. Preparing to fight. Then more guards fill the room, pinning the other paladins against the wall. They chain lances wrists and hang him from a hook in the ceiling. The guards push me forward, cuffing my hands and feet. They hold my shoulders and make me face the woman. She smiles

"Now Keith, is it? I can read minds and according to yours you care a great deal about the young man before you. If you wish for him to live you will tell me where you are hiding the rebel forces."

"Keith don't do it! Dont d-" lance yells as a long whip snaps against his neck. He gasps in shock. Blood drips down his back.

"Where are they?" The woman says. Whipping him again.

"Don- don't tell her Keith." She whips him again and again until his head drops forward and his blood drips on the floor.

"Damnit." She growls. "Leave him here when he's dead we'll just torture someone else." They uncuff my ankles and wrists and do the same to lance. He drops to the ground. Quickly I let my shaking fingers reach to lances throat.

"He's- he's - Alive!" I choke. "Shiro he's alive! We've gotta get out of here! Can you call Allura?He needs a hospital!"

"Lance", I whisper shaking him.

"Don't-Don't worry mullet. Yo-you can't get rid of me that easily." He mumbles coughing up blood.

"Jesus lance." I whisper wrapping him up in my arms. "You scared the hell out of me."

"I could still d-die Keith."

"You won't." I say. "You can't. If you do then I'll start dating Allura." I laugh as the tears pour down my face.

He rolls his bloodshot, bruised eyes.

"As if I'd care mullet. I think we both know I like you. And I'm only telling you this because I'm going to die."

I can't breathe. He liked me the whole time??

"Lance I-" but I stop because lance isn't moving anymore. His eyes are sealed shut.

"Allura?! Are you there? Yes he's alive. Get here quick we need a medic! Please hurry. Ok" I hear shiros voice. But I'm looking at lance.

"No! No lance! Lance breathe!" He has no pulse.

Shiro runs over pressing two fingers to lances throat. Sorrow fills his eyes. "He's gone." Shiro whispers.

"No! I yell. That-that isn't. It's not possible."

I crawl over lance placing two hands over his cold chest and pumping firmly over and over.

"Keith he's gone. Let him go." Shiro whispers.

I don't stop. Tears fill my eyes and my shoulders ache and I still press as hard as I can into his chest. I hear yelling down the hallways and guards run past our cell.

"Dragon of lions-defend the posts-they got the yellow and green lions-" I still push on. I bend down, hold his nose and push every ounce of air I have into his lungs. Please god. I pray. Please let him breathe. He stays still. I keep pumping bending down and pushing more air into him. I see black edging into my vision. I try to fight it as I give lance cpr. Shiro grabs my shoulders.

"Alluras here." He shoves me against the wall and a huge explosion makes the wall explode. Shiro drags me toward the hole where the castle of lions is waiting just outside with the doors open just barely.

"No wait, lance." I shove Shiro away. Stumbling back to lance. I wrap my arms around his waist. Shiro drags us both onto the castle. I black out on the floor of the castle armory.

***********************

When I wake up it's cold. I'm lying on a small hospital mattress, something is weighing me down. I look down to see lances arms resting across me, his head resting on my chest. I lift his shirt to see his cuts, they are stitched up. I lift his shirt farther looking at the wounds. It hurts me just to look at the-

"That eager huh mullet." My hand jerks backwards. I feel heat flush my face.

"No! I was just. I-I just wanted to make sure you. I um. How did I get here anyway?" I say flustered.

He laughs quietly. His voice is raspy and I can tell it takes effort even to speak.

"Oh. When I got out of the pod, they realized it didn't heal my wounds. It just started my heart up but it didn't have any affect on the cuts. So they had to stitch them up by hand, and you had passed out and were already in a hospital bed so after they stitched me up I uh. I asked Shiro if- if I could. Stay with you." He looks up at me, flushed red.

I smile, raising my eyebrow.

"Look who's flustered now." I say letting my hand sift through his hair.

"Keith." He coughs. "I-I meant what I said. Before my heart stopped." I decide I want to mess with him.

"I'm flattered lance, but I like Pidge." I have to concentrate hard on not laughing. His face gets ghostly pale.

"I-I didn't mean I liked you I meant something else. I-" I push my finger against his lips.

"I'm messing with you you weirdo." I whisper laugh.

"Your the worst. Making the fool of an injured man." He coughs resting his chin on my chest.

I think of what I want to do. Deciding I'm going to do it, deciding I'm going to show him how I really feel.

I take lances face in my hand looking into his eyes.

"You know, I don't like telling people how I'm feeling and I really don't like telling you my weaknesses." I say leaning in slowly. "So I guess I'll just have to show you." My lips barely touch his and he gasps. I pull away looking to see his expression.

He's frowning.

"Wait. You didn't like it?" I say heat burning my ears.

"I-you-thats all you've got! Mullet I died! And that's what I get. Give me something worth dying for." And then a smirk comes over his beautiful bruised face.

"You know what? Allura kisses better than that! Maybe I should go and see if she'll give me a kiss.." He says. Slowly rising out of the bed.

I grab his shirt jerking him up to my level and pressing my lips against his hard. I taste his smile on my lips. I hesitate this time, letting myself kiss him longer before pulling away.

"How was that?" I say exasperated at the kiss.

"Well mullet." He starts. "I think you should examine my battle scars. And there a lot of them so you may benefit from-"

I'm already undoing the buttons on his shirt.

"Yeah yeah you want me to rip your clothes off." I can't help but think that while it is funny, that's what I really want. I press my lips back to his heat flushing my face, I undo the rest of the buttons on his shirt and push it off his shoulders. he's kissing me back warmly and I realize I want to keep going. I pull my shirt over my head and toss it on the ground pulling him in my lap. I sit with his arms crossed behind my head, his legs wrapped around my waist kissing him.

"God Mullet." He groans, I feel his fingers tighten in my hair. "Your good at this. We haven't even gone out on a date and I'm already falling for you."

"Shhh." I whisper letting my lips touch his neck. He leans his head back groaning. My lips hungrily kiss his neck, his chest, and I realize how long I've wanted this, how long I've wanted him.

"Lance. I think-I think I might be in love with you. I think I love you lance." I whisper kissing him again and again. He can hardly put a coherent sentence together. He pushes my face back gently.

"Sorry but if you wanted any hope of my being able to answer I had to do that. And Keith, I think I love you too." He whispers face turning red. I pull his waist closer and I kiss him just under his ear. He stiffens fingers clutching my hair for dear life.

"Jesus Christ Mullet! Are you trying to kill me?" I smile.

"Looks like I found your weak spot lover boy lance."

He shakes his head.

"N-no I just-you just caught me off guard. I don't have a weak spot I- agh!" My lips are under his ear once more, he's all stiff again tightening his fingers in my hair.

I look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"N-n-no! That isn't my weak spot I just like it!"

"Well." I say "unless I kiss every inch of you then I'll just have to assume that that is in fact your weak spot."

His face is reddening quicker and quicker.

I laugh. "It's so easy it's not even funny." I whisper kissing his lips gently.

"You really shouldn't taunt a hurt soul." He murmurs trying to keep a straight face as I kiss him.

"I mean cmon Keith I think you and I both know that you are not the relationship expert in this relationship."

"Really?" I ask.He nods.

I let my lips hover just over his ear

"We'll see about that." I whisper

I kiss him under his ear again, this time letting the tip of my tongue trace his neck.

He chokes trying to hold his breath so he doesn't groan. His hands tighten in my hair and his body goes rigid.

"What?" I ask facing him pretending to be innocent. "I'm no expert, you'll have to tell me what's getting you so stiff." His hands tighten in my hair as I kiss his neck.

"God mullet." He groans burying his face in my shoulder."Oh god."

I kiss him harder after the groan. It makes me feel buzzed, hyper.

His legs are like a vise clutching me for dear life. He groans clutching my hair. I pull back gasping for air. He lifts his head from my shoulders I feel his muscles loosen.

"Why'd you stop." He says looking like a child pouting.

"I need air too."

"Yeah but I need you making me want you." He says.

"You already want me." I say.

"Yeah but I haven't wanted you enough to use your name Mullet." His lips are at my ear

"Make me say your name mullet. Make me surrender."

I push him down on the bed, adrenaline taking over,

"Ok lance. I'm going to make you scream my name. I'll make you want me so bad you'll cry the second I'm done." He gulps. Looking me up and down.

"Go on and try. I dare you. Mullet."

I bend down to his chest kissing down instead of up. He stiffens, my lips going closer and closer to his pants. I kiss down the visible part of his v line. Then I stay there kissing it. His fingers are knotted in my hair pushing my face down. He likes it.I can hear him gasping trying not to make a noise as he forces my head down. I look up at him.

"Have you surrendered?" I ask. Kissing the same spot.

"N-n-no," he chokes. His fingers tighten and he pushes me back down to his waist. "Is that, a-all you g-!" He stops because I'm biting his waist band, my lips kissing just under it.

My lips part and I let my tongue gently touch down on his skin.

"Agh. I-I- mullet."

He's stiff as a board, clinging to my hair for dear life. I sit back up putting his waist in between my legs. I bend down and hold his head still. My lips touch his ear then the space just under it. I let my tongue trace his lips and then his jaw, his hands are so tight in my hair it should hurt, but he hasn't made a sound. My lips are back on his neck, I kiss him so hard I know he'll have bruises tomorrow. I kiss him relentlessly, but he doesn't cave. There's only one other thing short of stripping him. I lean down to his lips...

"Lance I'll give you one chance to surrender now." He laughs "sure, whatever you've got planned I'd hate to ruin but I'm not budging."

"Ok. But I gave you a chance."

I bend down to his lips again and I start to kiss him.

I kiss him hard, and I slowly let my hands slide down his chest to his pants. My hair is cinched down between his fingers. I let my fingers just barely slide under his waistband. I force his mouth open and slide my tongue inside his mouth, I groan kissing him harder, letting my hands sink down deeper into his pants...

"Nnnng, Keith." He groans pulling my head closer to his, letting his tongue touch mine.

His fingers tighten and he groans again "Keith harder. Kiss me harder"

My tongue is touching his, and I forget about surrendering. I press down on his thigh, pushing him down and letting my other hand sink even deeper into his pants.

"God Keith," Lance groans pulling my face closer "don't stop, harder, keep-keep going-agh." He groans again putting his whole tongue in my mouth.

He bolts up realizing what he's done.

"Wait!" He yells. "N-n-no! That didn't. Wasn't. That doesn't count you you, that. Ugh!" He frowns letting his head droop back on the pillows. I kiss his hair.

"What are we going to tell everyone?" I whisper.

"That we're dating"

"You don't think they'll I don't know stop trusting us or anything?"

"No mullet I don't." He says "now hold me it's cold.

"Why should I Have to hold you?"

"We're a couple now. Give and take mullet."

He pulls me down on the bed with him.

"You have to call me Kieth again. When I'm kissing you." I whisper. It felt so good, to have him kissing me, groaning my name. I wanted it, really bad.

"Ok maybe. You'll have to work for it though."

"Don't worry, I'll bring my a-game tomorrow."

"Wait tomorrow?" He asks. "But I'll be back in my room tomorrow."

"Yeah so? I'll sneak in." I say kissing his back.

I spoon him into me and look at his cuts.

"Do they hurt?" I whisper in his ear.

"Yeah. But it wasn't as bad when you were kissing me." He whispers embarrassed.

"Well maybe I can make them hurt less again."

I let my lips gently kiss his back. Soon he's asleep. I smile. I can't wait until tomorrow.