Chapter Text
Before Keith, or any of them really, had time to understand what was happening, the sound of a second cryo pod sliding open had him sprinting his way towards it as fast as his legs, still a little stiff from the shock, allowed him, immediately spreading his arms wide open to catch whoever fell from it, the dead weight colliding roughly against his chest knocking the breath out of him and making fall to his knees in the process.
Once he straightened himself up and sat on his heels, quickly glancing back at the others to let them know he was okay, Keith looked down at the body practically sprawled over his.
It was a man, he thought to himself after giving them a vague once over, a tall and skinny one. Glowing cinnamon skin peeking out from underneath his tailored suit, surprisingly matching, yet perfectly trimmed very unlike his own, silver hair and last but not least deep blue eyes now blinking dreamily up at him. He resembled strongly the girl that fell from the first pod just few seconds ago, currently lying weakly in between Shiro’s arms. An almost inaudible gasp leaving his thin pink lips as something like realization washed all over his dainty features, his numb mile long limbs struggling in what looked like an attempt to move but not to scape, slim fingers scattered with jewelry fisting the collar of Keith’s biker jacket, holding onto him for dear life and pulling him infinitely close.
“Could it be another one like me?” A smooth and still slightly drunk with sleep voice choked out in awe, low enough for only the two of them to listen, as if almost thinking out loud without noticing. “What is your name?” He spoke once again, making sure he had his attention now and waiting eagerly for an answer. Keith’s words quickly dying down on his suddenly too dry throat when the boy proceeded to straddle him properly, warmth spreading like wildfire across his freckled cheeks and creeping up his neck at the sudden, not to mention completely unexpected, contact.
It was no secret to any of them that Keith wasn’t a particularly people person, his last human interaction probably being shaking hands with commander Iverson his first day at the Garrison so he didn’t need to look twice to know the stifled chuckle echoing all over the room belonged to Pidge.
“Where are your marks?” Cold hands cradling his face delicately snapped him back to reality, finding blue eyes mapping every single inch of his skin desperately in search for something, gently pushing his bangs out of the way for good measure. Maybe everyone was right and he did need a haircut but right now he had more important things to ponder about. Keith’s breath hitching when the boy tilted his chin up in a swift movement, making him look at him dead in the eye as his hands wandered through messy silver hair until they reached the very tip of his ears, the hesitant smile vanishing from his face when fingertips met rounded edges.
Arms immediately dropped dead at his sides.
“You are not altean.” Keith didn’t have to know what those words meant to hear the boy’s heart shattering through the quiver in his voice. He didn’t need to know what it meant to decide he didn’t want to be able to hear it ever again either, hands carefully trying to reach the other’s shaking ones in attempt of what he hoped looked like comfort, a sharp pang of hurt tugging at his chest when he flinched back in rejection.
“Lance.” The girl spoke for the first time, calling both boys’ attention, voice laced with kindness and a similar thick accent.
“Oh, sister dearest.” Lance’s eyes filled with tears as he stood up hurriedly on his now trembling legs, running to hug her as she stepped away from Shiro’s embrace, throwing a fond smile over her shoulder in his direction and squeezing his shoulder in a silent thank you before taking the slightly taller boy in her arms, running her hands through his hair and whispering sweet nothings into his ear.
Keith could only stare from his now cold and touch starved spot on the floor unable to move, meeting his gaze before the boy quickly looked away, hiding on the crook of the girl’s neck as he sobbed profusely.
Laughter bubbled up inside his stomach as the last rays of sunshine sneaked their way through his fingers as the prince held a hand up languidly in the air, turning his dark skin into pure gold and lighting up his rhinestones like constellations. He knew how silly he probably looked for any outsider’s eyes, someone even thinking he had completely lost his mind, giggling out loud while soaking into the warmth, but it has been so long since the last time he felt this alive.
Alive. A word alone was enough to make his heart beat wildly and his head spin. Everyone he once knew and loved, his home planet included, were long gone by now, except for his beloved older sister, Allura, and his father’s royal advisor and good friend, Coran. To understand and accept that that’s all the family he had left was a hard pill to swallow. Not to mention he apparently has been asleep for the last ten thousand years.
“Hey.” One of the earthlings, Keith, he has learned, suddenly cut through the pleasing silence, making him anxiously look for the closest getaway possible in what he knew looked anything but subtle, gasping when a gentle hand was placed on his shoulder, surprisingly easing his nerves. “I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”
“Fine, I’m fine.” The prince croaked weakly while watching him taking a seat on the grass next to him, hoping the other boy wouldn’t notice the blush tinting his cheeks only darkening when their knees accidentally bumped into together, clearing his throat and fixing his shirt before speaking again. “Thank you for asking.”
Watching dusk slowly fall upon the quiet yet beautiful wildlife blooming around them, tinting the faraway arusian village with different shades of purples as the moon ascended in between scattered cotton candy clouds, the prince closed his eyes shut, as if getting the earthling out of sight would make his radiating body heat magically disappear, letting the cool breeze mess up his hair and clear out his thoughts.
“I’m sorry I’m not what you’re looking for.” Keith’s voice pulled him back into reality, guilt immediately flooding his system when the words sank in.
“What? Keith, no.” Lance turned to him. “Please, don’t say that.” He proceeded to place a hand on the other boy’s knee and squeezing lightly, the look on the other boy’s face making him aware he was probably stepping over so many boundaries, again, but determined to make him believe every word he was saying to fix the mistake he made.
“I was confused and emotional and I took it all on you.” The prince looked down in shame, sighing heavily before looking back up at him, mumbling. “I should be the one apologizing if anything.”
The earthling smiled bittersweetly at him in silence, doubting for a few seconds before answering.
“You just looked so hopeful,” Keith said in a small voice, clicking his tongue and momentarily flickering something inside the prince’s chest, pausing to gaze up at the stars as if what to say next were written on them for him to read out loud. “I didn’t want to take that away from you.”
It was almost painful, in the worst possible way, to look at him if Lance had to put a word to it, making the earthling’s almost ethereal beauty to the side. For now, that was. It wasn’t like he could blatantly ignore it when he was right there.
Silver hair falling roughly upon his entire face, chopped off bangs covering the majority of it but still allowing the prince to see stormy grey eyes looking into the landscape, the rest of it tied up in a lazy attempt of a ponytail. A delicate nose, bitten raw lips and last but not least glowing pale skin craved with muscles that would surely put his own physique to shame, judging by the thigh flinching every now and then under his touch, hiding underneath a tight black shirt and a worn out pair of pants. The jacket he held onto earlier, the memory alone being enough to make his belly flutter, sliding off slowly from one of his shoulders, collarbones as sharp as his cheekbones and jaw -they reminded him vaguely of balmeran crystals if he was being honest- dangerously peeking out.
“You don’t need to change who you are to be what I’m looking for.” Lance’s silly tongue betrayed him before he had the chance to stop it, jumping back and removing his hand to quickly cover his now blushing face. “That’s not what I meant!” The prince groaned, peeking in between his fingers only to see gloved ones reaching out for his, pulling them down before letting go. Too soon for his liking.
Keith only snorted. “Lance, I understand.”
Trying his best to not get lost in the way his name sounded rolling off the earthling’s tongue and concentrate, the prince shook his head slowly. “I’m just so homesick.” He blurted out, loving the way it felt like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders but at the same time hating the way he could already feel tears blurry his vision once again, choking out a sob as he tried his best to fight them back.
The other boy’s fist twitching on the grass beside him at the corner of his eye, as if unsure to comfort him after what happened earlier at the control room, only making Lance shut them harder, wanting to forget.
After hesitating for a moment where to start, feeling his palms starting to sweat and his heart ache, Lance exhaled deeply. “I never had any real friends to spend time with back home because of my duty.” He explained himself in hopes the other boy would not only listen but understand as well, playing idly with his fingers and not daring to meet his eye, terrified of facing nothing but pity. “So when I saw you I thought was I have finally found someone.”
Growing up in Altea was wonderful, until it wasn’t anymore.
Lance remembers every single step he has taken his entire life so vividly it will haunt him till the very day he dies.
Everything started the day their devoted queen, but most importantly, beloved mother passed away when he was only a child. It all went downhill from there. Father –King Alfor, a servant would always make sure to chase him down and correct him- didn’t had time for him and even tho it broke his heart, neither did Coran, soon followed by Allura, who’s preparation to assume her position started earlier than expected given the circumstances, leaving Lance to entertain himself with no one but the mice running in between his chubby fingers in attempt to cheer him up and the hiccups that echoed all over the four dimmed lighted walls of his bedroom at unholy hours of the night.
Before he realized he was dressing up smartly for fancy dinners he always end up sneaking off from and avoiding any conversation that had the slight opportunity to turn out to be about his future on the throne. And that was the good part. War came after. Everything happened so fast he didn’t have time to register what was happening, let alone do something about it, before apparently being put to sleep.
Lance’s life flashed before his own eyes, he didn’t need to look that hard to notice there wasn’t anyone there with him all the way.
“Don’t get me wrong,” Lance said in a small voice, as if actually afraid someone else would listen, almost making the other boy want to check for any possible intruder that could interrupt them for a moment, tucking his legs underneath his chin and hugging his knees close to his chest. The earthling grimacing sympathetically at how much of a second nature the position looked to the prince. “I’m not complaining but I never asked to be a prince either.”
“Lance.” Keith sighed heavily, scooting closer while chewing the inside of his cheek, thinking carefully what to say next. “Stop punishing yourself-”
“I looked at you and I saw Altea.” Lance finally confessed in one breath, turning to the earthling with teary eyes and a broken smile. “Home.”
In that exact moment, Keith would sell his soul to be Lance’s home if that’s what it took.
Silence made its way into their conversation once again, thick but comfortable, all kind of emotions running wild through both boys’ heads imitating the clouds moved by the wind far in the distance as they simultaneously decided to look up at the freckled arusian sky.
“Why?” The earthling asked, out of genuine curiosity and hoping it would light up the ambient.
“Well, your hair for starters.” The prince somewhat gestured at the other boy’s head as if was the most obvious thing in the universe.
“Oh, right.” Keith said almost to himself, nodding numbly while unconsciously placing a strand of his silver hair behind his ear, the confusion fogging his mind apparently crystal clear as the prince rolled his eyes before proceeding to elaborate.
“It’s very common for alteans to have silver hair.” Lance shrugged nonchalantly, the white strands of his own peaking from underneath his crown shinning beneath the moonlight, creating a sort of halo around his head.
“Didn’t you notice I didn’t have marks?” The other boy asked, turning to glance at the prince’s cheeks, taking his time to analyze for the very first time the little yet quite evident differences between the two of them.
“I’ve been sleeping for ten thousand years, Keith.” Lance barked back.
“Okay, okay, fair enough.” The earthling laughed wholeheartedly, holding his hands up in self defense. “Am I supposed to believe it’s a common thing for alteans to climb other people as greeting as well then or?” Keith smirked playfully arching an eyebrow in his direction, lying back on the grass smugly, supporting his weight on his elbows and crossing his ankles. If he was slowly growing fond of the way warmth spread across the prince’s dark skin, highlighting said stupid altean marks –how did Keith not noticed how pretty they were? honestly-, no one needed to know.
“I don’t know what I was thinking.” Lance let out an airy giggle shaking his head, smacking his lips together before speaking again. “Father would be furious.”
“Then we are lucky he isn’t around.” Keith mumbled under his breath jokingly, straightening himself back up to take off his jacket, making a makeshift pillow to rest his head on.
“Are we now?” Lance purred lowly, grinning mischievously over his shoulder and accidentally giving the other boy a perfectly outlined sight of his profile, half lidded electric blue eyes tracking his every move making him shiver.
“I didn’t meant-“ The earthling stopped dead on his tracks at the realization, burying his face on his clothes groaning in frustration before throwing them at the prince. “Ugh, shut up.” It was Keith’s turn to blush, he earned it, so he will let it slide this time. Just this time.
Lance bit his lip in attempt to hold back his laughter, looking down at the piece of fabric now draped over his lap, not thinking twice before immediately pulling it over his shoulders, enamored by the somehow intoxicating mix of sweat and cologne emanating from it. Is this how all of them smelled? The earthling’s voice suddenly sounding very far away, almost underwater.
“You did by the way.” Keith mumbled rolling onto his side, eyes following closely a bug that has started to climb up his finger like it was the most fascinating thing he has ever seen. He was adorable, Lance decided, in a very odd and unique way.
“What are you talking about?” The prince asked remembering his previous words, taken back by the other boy’s endearing childlike antics for a moment.
“Found someone I mean.” The earthling said like it wasn’t that much of a big deal for the prince or for himself. “I mean I might not be altean but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends, right?” Keith finally looked up at Lance, his heart stopping momentarily at the sight of the other boy –almost- wearing his clothes so easily. It didn’t fit with the rest of his elegant altean attire, like a piece from a completely different puzzle, but felt right for some reason.
“I don’t see why not.” The prince smiled sincerely for the very first time since stepping out of the cryo pod. “I’d really like that.”
“Me too.” Keith smiled back before finally folding his arms under his head. It was a good spot for stargazing, he realized, just like his little shack back at the desert. His lips quirking up at the thought alone as fresh air and nostalgia filled up his lungs.
“Thank you for being my friend, Keith.” Lance laid beside him, his heart growing three sizes when their knuckles brushed together, the bubbly laugh that escaped past his chapped lips only growing when a matching one rang on his ears.
The altean prince has always loved stargazing as well but he sure has never seen a star so pretty.
“For the record, I would definitely remember your face if we had met back in Altea.”