Chapter Text
Keith started falling when that witch Haggar hit him and his lion with that weird black lightning stuff. Red shut down and Keith couldn't do anything. He just kept falling and screaming. Screaming for Lance in particular, but screaming. The truth is, he was scared, scared it was the end.
Whenever the team would go on missions he would always be scared it was the end. But you know what? Red will make it, we'll make it. During one of our first training practices, Lance challenged me into going faster heading into the ground at full speeds blindfolded. Red and I will be ok, right?
Right?
Just to be sure if it was the end, he wanted to say goodbye to Lance, he wanted to say goodbye to everyone. Him and Lance have been dating for a little under three years. He especially wanted to say bye to him.
"I love you Lance." He didn't know what else to say. He went on, "I love you all." He heard a mixture of 'ewws' (the 'ew' probably came from Pidge) and 'awws' from everyone. He kept going, "I've never really had a family back on Earth. But you guys are my family... And if this is the e-"
He was cut off from Lance, "don't talk like that Keith! Don't you dare talk like that! I love you! You are going to be fine and when we get back to to the castle, I'm going to give you a big kiss and maybe more?" Now that earned an 'eww' out of everyone. And a 'Gross! Lance, keep it in your pants!' From Pidge. Keith chuckled and everything that went on in the past... what? Two minutes? Is gust all a blur and he could've sworn he saw his life flash before his eyes. The chuckle turned into a scream when he saw the ground racing up on him and Red.
They all heard Keith scream bloody murder though the coms. And almost simontaniously they all yelled Keith's name. Keith's line went dead, either that, or he's unconscious, probably both. Lance had all kinds of things running though his head, running a million miles per hour.
Is Keith ok?
Is he going to be ok?
Where is he?
I need to find him!
I need him!
Why isn't he responding?
I-is he.....is he dead?
I love Keith, and I want to say it one more time. Hopefully I can.
No. I can't think like that. He is going to be fine. Red will take care of him. Right? Yeah, Red will.
All these thoughts and emotions coursed though Lances veins. It was a mix of worry, and fear, and love, and there are feelings that he can't name, clenching his chest and putting a lump in his throat, and....and...it's all just too overwhelming and he can feel tears welling up in his eyes.
*bleep* *bleep* *bleep*
A distress signal. Relief flooded through Lance's body. It sounded through out all of other lions and the castle. Red, she's leading them to come find Keith. She's using he last of her energy to protect Keith.
Allura's voice rings over the coms "Paladins, follow the beacon and find Keith."
"Roger." It was all the Paladins could muster, it was weak, voices were cracked and squeaked. But it was the best the whole gang could do.
*Ok so this next paragraph or so has some blood and stuff like that, so if things like that freak you out I'd suggest skipping until you see the next bolded star*
All the Paladins raced to where the distress signal was comming from. And what there was to find is like a scene from a horror film. Red had a huge dent in her head, the glass that resembles eyes in the cockpit was shattered gust as a white girl's phone screen. There was still dust in the air from when Red and Keith crashed. Blood was everywhere, it was splattered, on the glass, starting to drip through the cracks.
Oh no. This isn't good.
Lance felt like he was going to puke. He started to know what Hunk felt like. (But Hunk has probably already puked by now though) All he could do is stare in shock, too terrified to do anything.
A scream filled the air. One he could only identify as Pidge's. It's a scene not one of the Paladins wanted to experience, and feared. Shiro stood just like Lance did.
The wretched smell of copper ran through the air, it was so metallic and strong. Keith's blood. It reached Lance's nose and like waking up from a dream, a horrible dream, he sprang to life. Lance ran up to Red and broke one of the eye/widow things (Lance never knew what to call them) "sorry Red." He muttered.
Now in the cockpit, Lance was horrified, all he could see was the color red, blood everywhere. Lance didn't know a human could have this much blood. The smell of blood was very pungent and once again Lance felt like puking. He went further into the lions head and he found Keith. He wasn't in very good shape, he had a huge gash in his head and he was unconscious. Lance picked up his boyfriend, and left.
*Ok the blood and stuff is done*
Emerging from Red, Lance held Keith in his arms. "The cradler becomes the cradled." Lance said this under his breath, hoping that Keith might of heard him. He figured the others could take care of Red. "Red, thank you for looking after Keith." Lance knew Red had no energy or power left but he knew she could hear him.
Shiro seemed to be the first to spot them, he called out to Lance, "take Keith to the Castle of Lions, we'll take care of Red." Shiro gestured to to Pidge and Hunk. He sounded stern and calm, almost like he always did, but there was something forced about it. He was having trouble like everyone else. It was clear, he put up a front to not make everyone freak out.
"Got it. I'll see you back there." Lance couldn't look anyone in the eye, it was too hard. Keith's crash took its toll on everyone. Everyone was hurt and crushed. Lance turned his heal and made it back to his lion, Blue.
Lance saw the shock in Allura's eyes when he got back with Keith still in his arms. Corran and Allura lead them to the healing pods.
Keith is going to be ok. We're almost to the the healing pods. Just hang in there babe.
Keith got washed down, dressed, and put into a pod to heal. Once Keith was in the pod, Lance took one look at himself and saw he was covered in blood. He took a shower and cleaned his suit and gear along with Keith's.
Lance headed back to the infirmary to say good night to Keith. After saying good night Lance headed to leave but couldn't, Keith can't be alone. Keith would do the same for him. So Lance sat down, leaning against Keith's pod. The adrenaline washed off, and Lance got drowsy. He felt his eyelids getting heavy. He fought to stay awake, but, sleep came to him quickly. "Good night Keith. I love you." And with that Lance let himself sleep.