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"Guys," Lance said, fighting the shaking in his voice. "I have a bad feeling about this" He could here both Keith and Pidge groan annoyed. "Just shut up, I have already run the test, no heat signals and movement, the ship is empty," Pidge said with a harsh voice. If Lance was honest, the words stung, but right now his hurt feelings meant nothing against the bad feeling about the ship. "But-" Lance tried, but Pidge cut him off. "NO BUTS, I'm putting you on mute until we get to the ship, I can't concentrate on my actual job with you whining," Pidge said, sounding more annoyed than Lance liked. "Please listen, this is not a joke" Lance tried, but no one heard him, Pidge must have already muted him.
"Pidge, wasn't that a little hard?" Hunk asked nervously. "Lance was probably just joking around like he always is," Pidge said with a huff. "He should learn how to take things seriously" Keith grumbled. Lance clenched his fists, feeling his pride being hurt. Lance might have a tinsy tiny little crush on Keith, so hearing Keith's hurtful words hit Lance harder than Pidge's did.
He could hear Blue purring comfortable, telling him that she also had a bad feeling about this and that she could convince the others it was a bad idea. Lance sighed and patted the control panel. "Sorry hermosa," Lance said, smiling sadly. "Even if this is a trap, we need to get the information the ship has," Lance said looking at the ship, feeling chills go down his spine. "If they won't listen to me, I will just have to protect them," Lance said with as much confidence as he could.
The closer they got, Lance uneasiness became bigger. He could hear the others discussing the plan, optimising it. Lance only listened with half an ear, too busy scouting for any unusual movement or something wrong about the ship in front of it. Lance couldn't put his finger on it, but it didn't look right, at first, he had brushed it off thinking it was just because the lights weren't on. But the closer they came, the more something else seemed off.
The plan was that Pidge, Keith and Lance would board the ship trying to find prison logs or other until about the galras. Hunk and Shiro would stay out and guard the lions and cover the three others if an enemy ship would come and attack them. Getting onboard was manageable, and there were still no galras, nor were there any sentries.
The three split up, Keith and Lance looking through the ship for anything important, while Pidge hacked into the ship's logs. Lance anxiously checked the ship, looking at anything suspicious. Just before letting out a relieved sighted that his gut feeling had been wrong, Lance heard a ticking noise. "Oh, Dios mio" Lance said lowly as he slowly walked into the room the sound came from. Immediately after getting inside the room, Lance's eyes saw the big red numbers ticking down. Lance froze up, not sure what to do. The numbers said 6.39, 38, 37. Lance shook his head seating a timer on his wrist screen machine the bomb exactly (Thanks to Altean tech).
"Guys, there's a bomb, get the hell out of here" Lance could hear the panic in his voice even though he had tried to hide it. While waiting for an answer, Lance's eyes fixed on the red numbers again. It was already down to 6.17.
No answer. Pidge continued giving reports to Shiro as if nothing was different. Lance's eyes widened as he realised why. Pidge had forgotten to put him off mute. "Shit" Lance mumbled knowing if his mother had heard him she would have smacked him behind his head and grounded him. Lance shook his head. He didn't have time to think of that now. He needed to get his teammates out.
Lance looked at the map with small coloured dots and cat heads. Seeing a green dot on the far end of the ship walking a little back and forth but not moving much, Lance knew no matter how fast he ran he wouldn't be able to get her out fast enough and when there was still Keith. Lance looked at the map again seeing a red dot that luckily was walking towards himself. Lance didn't have time. It was already down to 5.44. Lance could feel his breath speeding up. He needed to save both.
"Blue, there's a bomb, get Pidge, fast" Lance yelled in his head as he started to run over to Keith. NO, I'll pick you up, and we can save them together. Lance smiled sadly at the desperateness in Blue's voice. "We can't, nina, time is against us, please get Pidge. I-I will be fine" Lance said, trying to convince the lion to not worry about him.
Looking at his map, Lance saw Blue moving in and almost two ticks later Lance could feel the ship shake, knowing that Blue must have bitten or shot a hole in the ship to get to Pidge. Not slowing down even with the still shaking ship, Lance pushed his legs to run even faster.
"What the- Fuck! Lance get your fucking lion, it's trying to EAT me!" Pidge yelled, angrily. Normally Lance would have laughed as he could picture Pidge yelling as Blue tried to get the girl. But this wasn't normal circumstances, and Lance sighed relieved because that meant that Pidge would be safe.
"Lance, what the FUCK is your lion doing?" Pidge yelled, even angrier, which meant that Blue had succeeded. "What's happening?" Shiro asked, concerned. "Lance's fucked-up lion just ate me and is now flying away with me! If this is a prank or revenge, it's not the time. I'm trying to save the universe. There is no time to be some dumb teenager" Pidge snarled. Lance chuckled darkly at the word choice, ignoring the hurtful words. "Exactly, there is no time" Lance mumbled bitterly.
"Too cowardly to answer, knowing you have fucked up, AGAIN," Pidge said, her voice getting meaner by the tick. Lance knew she didn't mean it. He knew that she was just angry because she thought he was doing a prank, and that prank could have extended the time that would go before she saw her father and brother. And if it had been a prank when Pidge was justified angry, so Lance couldn't blame her.
"Pidge that's enough, we don't know the reason Blue did what she did, it might not even be Lance's fault" Lance sighed hearing Shiro's voice. Lance looked back at the map, Keith was just around the corner, literally. The Cuban turned and almost ran into the raven-haired boy he had been looking for. "Lance?" Keith asked, confused. "Sorry we don't have time, we need to get out, now," Lance said, pulling Keith along as fast as he could towards the nearest exit. He checked the time. 59. fuck, fuck, fuck.
It wasn't helping that Keith didn't move on his own just standing looking weirdly at Lance. "Keith, we need to move fast, now" Lance pleaded, as he looked terrified at the time counting down. "Why? No one is on the ship" Keith asked, confused. Lance could feel tears form in his eyes, they didn't have time. Lance looked anxious at the timer. 37. Lance looked at Keith.
"What's up with you?" Keith asked, sounding both worried and annoyed. Lance looked distressed back, biting his lip, with a brain going a 100 miles an hour. What to do? What to do? If they were going to die when Keith deserved to know what killed them.
"There's a bomb, and I'm trying to save you, we have around 25 ticks before the bomb explodes," Lance said still pulling Keith towards the exits. "Wait. What? A bomb? Why didn't you just say it over the coms?" Keith asked, confused. "Because... look" Lance turned his com on. "There is a bomb. Also, Hunk is a ray of sunshine" Lance said into the com, but Keith couldn't hear him through it.
"Wha-at?" Keith said, even more confused. "Pidge forgot to take me off mute, and when called me a coward for not answering her," Lance said bitterly. "Wait didn't Blue come and kidnap her, she was pissed," Keith said, looking sympathetic at him. "It was the only way to assure her safety… I'm sorry that I can't assure yours too" Lance said, looking sadly at the metal floor sneaking a look at the watch. 16.
Lance felt his stomach fall. He was going to die here, and Keith too. No, no Lance couldn't let that happen, the universe at least needed one of them alive, preferably Keith. Lance looked at the timer again. 11. Lance started sprinting, if he was lucky, he could shove Keith into the escape pod before the bomb went off. Keith, this time actually followed, making it easier to be fast.
5
Lance tried to push himself. Further, he needed to get Keith to that pod. He just needed to do that.
4
Time felt slower, and everything was almost dream-like, and Lance felt like he was getting sucked down in a dark hole. Why couldn't he run faster?
3
Lance could feel his breath hitch, they weren't going to make it. He and Keith were going to die…
2
This was it. This was it. Lance would never see his parents or siblings again. He wouldn't even see Cuba again.
1
Last tick of his life. At least he could look at Keith until the end like he had always wanted, even though he had hoped for being able to do it until they grew old. Lance looked at Keith, seeing how hard the red paladin tried to get them out Lance realised something: He couldn't let Keith die. What could Lance d-
0
~If you like Pina Coladas~
Lance heard his alarm go off, and almost without thinking, Lance tackled Keith. The Cuban tried to cover as much of the raven-haired boy's body, especially head and back since they were the most woundable. The ship shook and heat, dust and cracks came fast. A big sound came far behind them. Everything quickly became dark, and pieces of metal fell from the ceiling.
Keith coughed hard, he couldn't remember passing out. The red paladin looked around, it was still dark, and the pieces that had been falling before was laying spread on the floor or hanging dangerously from the ceiling.
Keith tried to look around, feeling something heavy on his back, but it wasn't Lance. For what Keith could feel it was a piece of ceiling, but he didn't really feel hurt. He had a gash on his calf, some minor injuries on his arms and knees from when Lance had tackled him and lastly a little cut on his neck. Other than that Keith was fine.
Getting the ceiling piece off his back, Keith looked around. Where was Lance? Keith felt chills go down his spine as his eyes cut the glint of something blue and white. He ran, as quickly as his injured leg allowed him to, over to Lance's body.
"Lance" Keith called desperately, noticing that there still was oxygen on the ship. Maybe no hole had been knocked in the ships outer shell, or perhaps the room they were in was closed off to where there could be a hole. Keith didn't overthink about it as he got closer to Lance, close enough to see the blood.
"Lance, p-please answer me" Keith stammered slowly falling to his knees next to Lance. A big gaping wound was in the side of Lance, and Keith tried not to think about the white inside the wound. With shaking hands, Keith decided to put pressure on the wound, trying to stop the red fluid from streaming out of Lance's body.
Keith was so occupied by trying to stop the bleeding that he didn't notice Lance's eyes flutter open. "Ke-i-th" Lance voice sounded raspy. The raven-haired boy froze at the mention of his name. "Lance, you're going to be fine, we will make it out of here, t-together" Keith said with shaking voice. He looked down at his hands, seeing the blood still heavily flowing through the cracks of his fingers.
Keith lifted une of his hands, looking at the now red skin, feeling sick. "K-eith, I'm not gonna make it, you need to get out" Lance tried weakly to push Keith away. "No, I'm not leaving you, even if you die, I will stay till the end," Keith said, keeping one hand pressured hard against the wound and another one holding Lance's head. "No one should be alone when t-they d-die" Keith said firmly even though his voice flattered a little at the end.
Lance looked at Keith with astonished and sent him a smile as bright as a person who is dying's smile can be. "Thank you… mullet" Lance teased. Keith pounded, but he couldn't hide the still substantial sadness he felt.
"Lance… I'm so sorry, I was a jerk to you for less than an hour ago… You were right and, and you ended up paying our price" Keith said, looking ashamed down. Keith looked up again when he felt Lance move a little. "Wha-" Keith was about to ask but was stopped when Lance shook his head. A slim hand placed itself on Keith's cheek.
"Keith, it's fine, I am happy it was me paying the price, I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I hadn't been able to save you or Pidge. Yes, it stung when you brushed me off as a joke, but deep down I know that it was my fault for not acting like I take this war seriously. And honestly, your words stung more because, I… well, I like you, like in like-like" Lance said and turned his face away from embarrassment.
It took a moment for it all to sink in, but when it did, Keith felt his cheeks heating up. They sat in silence, both with red cheeks. "Have you tried contacting the team" Lance was the first to speak up, changing the subject completely. Embarrassment could end up killing him before the blood loss did.
"I, first I just tried to find you, and when you were kind of bleeding out, so no, I forgot," Keith said, trying to explain why he hadn't. "When maybe you should, if you want to have a hope of coming away from here," Lance said and smiled, but ended up having a coughing fit, spitting up blood, and a small drop fell from the corner of his mouth. Keith nodded sternly and turned his com on.
"Hey, guys? Do you copy" Keith tried but only heard static. "Please, I need you to prepare a pod, L-Lance is dying, please, do you copy" Keith felt desperate, and the flickering sound of static was pissing him off.
"Keith?" A voice said through the static. Keith looked at Lance and happiness spread over his face by the sound of Hunk. "Hunk, yes, I need you to come and get Lance and I, hurry I-I don't know how much longer he has left," Keith said desperately. A long pause of nothing followed after Keith finished talking. "What happened?" Hunk's voice was shaking slightly, and Keith realised that they still didn't know what had happened exactly.
"There was a bomb, Lance got Blue to take Pidge and ran after me himself. When the bomb went off, Lance protected me the best he could, and now he is bleeding out, so hurry up" Keith explained fast, looking at Lance worried. Silence again. "I am already looking for you, and Coran is setting up to cryo-pods up. Why didn't Lance warn us over the coms, wouldn't that have been better?" Hunk said sounded in a mix of worried and sad.
"Lance was still on mute, he couldn't warn us," Keith said shortly, looking sadly at Lance. Again a long pause of silence. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Lance. It slipped my mind, I just, sorry" Pidge voice was now the one to go through the com. "S okay," Lance said raspy, this time through the com. "No, it's not, you saved me, and I just yelled at you" Pidge sounded like she was crying. "I… I don't blame you, pidgeotto" Lance said in a strained voice. Usually, Pidge would have said Lance shouldn't call her a pokemon, this time she just chuckled sadly. "See ya later alligator," She said, waiting for Lance to answer. "After 'while crocodile" The coms shot off again.
Keith and Lance sat in silence for a little under a Dobosh when Lance was thrown into a new coughing fit. This time worse than before. "Lance, try to relax," Keith said, and his voice was thick of fear. Lance was starting to cough blood up too, and with the rapidly cramping of his stomach, more blood poured through Keith's hands.
"Lo siento" Lance's raspy voice was barely hearable. "Lance, wh-what… what are you saying" Keith's voice turned high pitched by the panic. "Lo siento, lo siento, lo siento" Lance cried as he spoke between the coughs. "I-I don't understand," Keith said, tears falling down his cheeks too. "It… it hurt… Mami, ayuda, it hurts so much… oh, Dios… Por favor, I-I want to live" Lance voice was small and cracking at points, but Keith heard everything. Keith's eyes widened when he realised what Lance was saying.
"Hey, Lance, t-the others are on their way, you will survive" Keith's voice was soft but unsure. He didn't even believe his own words, then how could Lance believe them. Lance's glassy eyes turned and looked directly at Keith. Seeing Keith's panic, Lance weakly lifted a hand up to Keith's cheek. "Hey, it will be f-fine," Lance said and smiled weakly. "Even if I die, I get my wish" Lance voice was a mix of emotion, but the most powerful ones were sadness and somehow acception. "H-how can you say that?" Keith asked, letting tears fall down his cheeks. "Because I die in your arms," Lance said weakly, coughing a little.
Keith smiled pained, with tears falling faster down his cheeks. Lance smiled back, his hand following Keith's cheek to a raven-coloured lock. "Have I ever told you that you look beautiful?" Lance said as he twirled the lock between two fingers. Keith shook his head, not trusting his words anymore. "Well, guess there is a first time for anything…" Lance mumbled before looking into Keith's eyes. "Are you from outer space, cause your body is out of this world" Lance's voice was still hoarse, and he was clearly in pain, but the compliment was said so soft that Keith hadn't thought it was possible.
"You are such a dork" Keith chuckled sadly. "Yeah, but I'm a dork to the end" Lance grinned. Lance opened his mouth again to talk, but got caught off by a new coughing fit, Keith was getting tired of those. Lance's cough was raspy and getting more swallow by the moment. Keith noticed that this for the first time, it didn't get him to spill more blood, which first was a relief, but Keith quickly realised that it wasn't a blessing.
Keith looked over Lance, noticing how pale he had gotten and the droplets of sweat that coated his skin. "K-eith, I'm so tired, would it be okay if I just closed my eyes for a bit, I promise it will just be a minute," Lance asked drowsily, his eyelids falling further and further down. "Hey no, just… just a little longer, okay? Lance, I need you to hold on a little longer" Keith's voice broke and he couldn't hold back the tears. "I'm so sorry, I d-don't think I c-can hold out that long" Lance said apologetically.
"Lance, I want to tell you something, so you better not die," Keith said, tears still not stopping. "You told me that you like-liked me…" Keith said, his face red. "You don't have to say anything, I just wanted it off my chest," Lance said, interrupting Keith before he could continue. "But I do, I like you too, like a lot. I have for a-a long t-time" Keith said, and a sob broke through at the end. "But because I waited, I won't… won't get to be with you" Lance cubed Keith's face, as the black-haired boy started crying.
"Sometimes life screw us over, but I'm happy to spend my last minutes with you," Lance said before leaning over to kiss Keith. For a moment, everything that existed was them, and their kiss, worries about death and war were gone. But as they separated, Lance went limp, and his breathing stopped. "I… lov… ve … y-you-ou" Lance said with a raspy voice before, the light left his eyes, and they started glassy at the ceiling.
"Nononononononononononono, this can't be happening, Lance, don't, no, I love you too, please, don't leave" Keith cried, shaking Lance, but got nothing. Keith let out a broken sob before screaming at the ceiling, cursing the universe for taking his love away. This was how the team found him, crying hysterically still holding Lance close.