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“I forgive you.”
Keith turns his head to look back at the Cuban boy. He had one of his crooked grins on his face that made Keith’s heart skip a beat against his will. Lance’s blue eyes had a glimmering sparkle in them that appeared whenever he gets excited. His hands came forward to dramatically clasp Keith’s own making him slightly pink in the face.
“For..?”
Lance looked at him with mock horror on his face. Dramatically placing a hand on his head and closing his eyes he said, “I am hurt that you don’t even remember how you insulted me this morning.”
“You’ll have to be more specific.” Keith said dryly giving Lance a deadpanned look.
“Usually when you say ‘good morning gorgeous’ to someone their response isn’t ‘shut the fuck up Lance’.” Lance said pouting.
“Oh I said that out loud?” Keith said faking surprise.
“Haha you humour me mullet.” Lance responded dryly then smirked and wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist. Burying his face into the crook of his neck he mumbled. “Even when calling me a piece of trash you’re still breathtakingly adorable .”
Keith could feel his face go red as he glared down at Lance and looked around awkwardly waiting for someone to walk in. He was still new to this whole relationship thing and had never been too fond of others in his personal space. However with Lance it somehow felt different. Felt... right . Keith could only imagine all the endless teasing he would receive from Pidge if they saw him and Lance right now. The others wouldn’t be as tormenting as they would be but he could imagine Coran would try to give some advice that Keith would quickly shut down.
What the hell , Keith thought to himself and wrapped his arms around Lance placing his chin on the top of his head. Why waste time worrying about things that might not even happen? All that matters is this moment right here in this very room. Standing in blissful silence holding the most annoying person and simultaneously the most precious thing to Keith in all the galaxies combined. He could search for millions of light years and wouldn’t be satisfied with anyone if it weren’t Lance. Sure a family was nice and he definitely had the best one you could find but there was something different about having someone closer. Someone who you could talk about the structure of chicken nuggets and kiss passionately in the depths of space with at the same time . As much as he irritated Keith, Lance was someone who he quickly found was a trustworthy, loyal, and understanding person. He wouldn’t ask for anyone different.
_____
“Keith please don’t.”
“Keith.”
“Keith it’s me .”
“Kei-” Lance’s voice cracked through tears as he tried to reach into Keith’s mind. He opened his mouth to call out again but was struck with his sword and slammed hard up against the wall. Lance squeezed his eyes shut and grimaced in pain. He took hold of a piece of scrap metal near him and held it up just in time to deflect one of Keith’s blows.
Lance looked up to see the boy in front of him. His beautiful violet eyes were now a solid vibrant yellow and filled with hatred. His mouth that hid the most gentle and intoxicating smiles was drawn back into a snarl. Maybe if Lance wouldn’t have been so mesmerized by the man he loved he would have seen him raise his sword arm for a final blow. Maybe he would have been able to deflect it.
Maybe.
_____
LANCE .
Keith was screaming inside his mind for himself to stop. He called out Lance’s name over and over again hoping his words would make the journey from his brain to his mouth but they didn’t. Zarkon had done this to him after he had refused to join his forces. Had brainwashed him into turning on the most precious thing to him in the universe….Lance. Keith felt like every time he struck Lance a tiny piece of him died inside never to return. Lance was shielding himself in an attempt to defend himself but wasn’t making any effort to actually fight or at least run.
GET UP YOU IDIOT AND RUN .
Lance did not fight him.
“Keith listen to me. It’s going to be okay.” Keith felt his heart break at the crack in Lance’s voice.
I DON’T WANT TO HURT YOU .
Lance gave a weak smile and looked into Keith’s eyes with his own that were filled with uncontained love that he did not deserve. Especially not when he was trying to kill the one he loved most. Keith saw how dazed Lance was. Felt his arm go up and go back down all while he was screaming in his mind. He felt tears burst through his eyes and run down his face as his sword struck Lance in the side. Blood trickled down his face from his mouth as his eyes fluttered from the pain. Keith was completely and utterly finished. Boiling hot rage bubbled just under the surface of his skin. All the screams and misery that had been trapped inside were released all at once. He could feel the manipulation on his mind dissipate. Keith collapsed on the ground next to Lance and used his remaining strength to cup the boys face in both his hands.
“Lance? Hey wake up.” He said making a weak attempt at a smile through the tears that stung his face.
“Keith…” Lance mumbled then harshly started coughing up dangerous amounts of blood.
“Lance I am so sorry please I just - “
“Hey.” Lance cut him off. “You’re so cute when you’re worried about me.” He reached up with a weak hand and brushed a stray piece of hair out of Keith’s face. Keith closed his eyes tightly and leaned into Lance’s hand. Crying even harder now, he wrapped his arms around the Cuban’s waist and pulled him close. He wanted to close every inch of space there was between them. He wanted to feel Lance’s heartbeat against him and the life flowing through him. To feel his soft brown hair brush against his skin. To kiss him one more time. Just to fucking hold him was all Keith wanted. He didn’t want to see the unbearable truth but it was undeniably there. Lance’s wounds were too deep and it was all Keith’s fucking fault . He desperately ran his hands through Lance’s hair and kissed his forehead as he rocked him back and forth through hot tears. Keith lifted his chin and looked into his glistening blue eyes barely clinging to life ad kissed him hard . He felt Lance respond as much as he could but he was too weak. “ I love you, I love you, I love you .” Keith chanted over and over as if one time wasn’t enough because it wasn’t . “I..love you..too.” He heard weakly in response and if Keith could have cried harder he would have. He had finally found someone who loved and accepted him for him and they were being snatched away from him faster than he could breathe. His heart shattered when he heard three words whispered in his ear. The last three words his beautiful Lance would ever speak and Keith wept.
“I forgive you.”
