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Keith was in the bathroom of his suite in the Castle when he heard strumming coming from his bedroom.
Lance had picked up a guitar a while back from one of the space malls they passed by when Hunk went through his healthy cooking phase which just so happened to include (force) feeding the Paladins and at times, Allura some of his experimental cooking. Coran would mysteriously disappear during dinner and Pidge once found him scarfing down some of the green goo, afraid of whatever ingredients were in whatever Hunk prepared (although everyone agreed that it was delicious).
It still surprised Keith to hear Lance sing; there were so many sides of his boyfriend that he hadn’t seem and this was one of them. Later, he would ask Hunk about the singing and Hunk would look at him surprised because Lance never sang in front of anyone (traumatized from the Tia Sofia Incident where his mother forced him to sing in front of his horribly scary aunt).
“I see the fear in your eyes, I feel the pain in your heart…” Lance sang with his eyes closed, fingers strumming fluidly, “How could something so well put together be so torn apart?”
Keith suddenly felt like an intruder in his own room, unable to move, his heart in his throat.
“You are the beauty I want, you are the angel I need. I find the proof of God in every single word that you speak,” Lance smiled while singing. He adjusted himself on the bed to sit more comfortably while still holding the guitar right.
“You smell like girly shampoo.” Lance opened his eyes, his gaze landing squarely on Keith who flushed when he was caught standing stock still in his bathroom. The Red Paladin managed to glare and muttered a soft, “it is not girly shampoo.” Lance ignored him and continued singing, “I love when I smell like you, reminds me why I wake up.”
“And if I tremble at the sight of you, it’s not because I’m cold. It’s because I’m staring at the boy I want to love me when I’m old.” Lance didn’t let his gaze waver even if he could feel his heart beating a thousand miles a second. “I swear with all my heart, every word I write for you is true. And I won’t hesitate to give my all for you.”
Keith finally found it in himself to start moving again, walking towards the bed and sitting on the edge facing Lance who just continued, “You are the stars in the skies, you are the sound of the rain.” Keith snorted a little, the song was just getting cheesier and cheesier.
He remembered their first “date”; stargazing in space shouldn’t have been romantic but somehow Lance had managed to make it special. He had laid a blanket (pilfered from Coran) on the floor of the viewing deck and had some sort of alien beverage which was a bit like alcohol in the corner. The Blue Paladin had piled pillows onto the blanket and dragged a thicker blanket on top of them so the two of them could rest comfortably.
First dates should have been awkward and hellish but Keith had never felt safer in the moment he decided to “just fuck it” and lay his head on Lance’s shoulder and the Latino wrapped his arms around him almost automatically. They fell asleep on the viewing deck and woke the next morning feeling more relaxed than they had since they started being the Paladins of Voltron. They didn’t mention it to each other for another month or so until Keith overheard Lance rehearsing what he would say to his family if they ever met Keith. It was in Spanish and Keith had to run a translation program but the sentiment was clear: “This is Keith, the man I’ve fallen in love with.”
“You are the strong sense of calm that takes away all the pain, you are the rush of the wind.” Lance’s voice startled Keith out of his memories and his boyfriend looked at him a little worriedly, he wasn’t the one prone to reminiscing, after all.
If you asked Keith during those first few months if his relationship with Lance would last, he would hesitate and admit he didn’t think they’d last. Lance was so pure and beautiful and he was, well, he wasn’t even human. Six years and a lot of talking and reassurances and anniversaries (Lance liked celebrating monthsaries at first), they were still together, stronger than ever. It didn’t mean they didn’t fight, bicker or hurt each other. It did mean, however, that they never went to bed angry, never tried to intentionally hurt the other.
Suddenly Lance paused his playing and swung his legs over the side of the bed and made his way in front of Keith, kneeling on the floor like some sort of old Spanish guitar player.
“I’m just a man on his knees, praying to God to grow old with the man of his dreams. You’ve got my heart in your hand. You’ve got my hand if you want. So please love me forever.” Shaking, he pulled the ring box from where he had kept in hidden in his back pocket.
“What…Lance, is that…?” Keith stuttered, unable to believe what was happening but he extended his hand towards him. Lance looked up at him with hopeful eyes and Keith couldn’t speak; scared, excited, anxious, he nodded like his life depended on it, hoping it would hide his tears. Lance slipped the ring on his long fingers, the thin rose gold band contrasted nicely with his pale skin, a Balmeran crystal nestled in the middle.
Lance climbed back onto the bed between Keith’s legs and leaned against his new fiancé. “And if I die before I wake, in the night just look above, with every star that greets your face, I am giving you my love.” Keith kissed the side of his neck which made Lance squirm from the tickling sensation. The Red Paladin rested his head on his fiancé’s shoulder, arms wrapped around him securely.
Lance decided to skip to the end of the song when he felt Keith’s tears on his shoulder. He had only ever cried a handful of times that they’d been together.
“Deep in the still of the night, I hear your voice in the dark. It fills them empty spaces taking over my broken heart. You give me strength to go on. You rescue me from the pain, I’m crazy for you ‘cause your love kept me from going insane. You stole my heart with one kiss. Embraced my soul with your lips and I’m forever grateful.”
Lance set the guitar aside and turned to face Keith who had reclined against their pillows. The Latino threaded his fingers through his fiancé’s hair and brought their lips together in a slow, sweet kiss. He used his thumbs to wipe away Keith’s tears. Keith wrapped his arms around Lance, dragging him closer but simply holding him there.
Content, both of them drifted off; celebrations could wait until tomorrow…morning.