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“This seems unfortunate,” Lance said, looking around the dark cell. At least he hadn’t been caught on his own. Oh no, he had to be caught with the black paladin. His nemesis. Arch enemy. Rival.
Secret love interest.
Not that it mattered, of course.
Keith banged his fists against the bars of the cells and Lance rolled his eyes. “What, like you got a better idea?”
Lance shrugged, leaning against the damp wall. The worst part wasn’t the company – that was perhaps the most fortuitous part of it – no, the worst part was, it wasn’t even the Galra who’d caught them. No, it was a race of aliens, the Meealu, who were at war with the Dolan’s, who shared the planet. Voltron had assisted the Dolan’s with a distress call, so the Meealu had taken it upon themselves to take a bargaining chip.
Really, it felt very foolish. But, who was Lance to argue with his captors? They didn’t have the full story anyway.
Someone approached the cell. Lance stood, moving beside Keith. The Meealu sneered at them, green teeth showing. Lance wanted to tell them to use a breath mint, but last time he’d insulted his captors, he’d almost lost a rib. Yes, because Lance was a frequent visitor to the cells. Not these specifically, fortunately, but being a hostage. He was an easy target, especially when he gave himself up for the others. Keith should never be here.
“You,” he jutted a finger at Lance, long, skinless finger with various shades of green. “You are the black paladin. The leader of your unit.”
Lance refused to look at Keith. “Ah, how do you figure?” He was wearing blue, his original paladin outfit. Blue.
“Only a leader would offer themselves to save the others. Hence, you are the leader.”
“What about him?”
The Meealu looked Keith up and down. Lance fought the urge to reach through the bars and punch him. How dare he look at Keith as though he were anything other than perfection?
“We thought it prudent to bring along your mate as incentive.”
Lance’s jaw dropped. Despite how much training he’d had, how many hostage situations he’d been in, this wasn’t what he’d been expecting. His what?
The Meealu went to reach for Keith and Lance thrust himself in front, snapping at the offending being. “Leave him alone.”
His captor looked positively gleeful as he moved his attentions back to Lance. “Don’t worry, we’ll allow your mate to stay unharmed, unless you fail us, of course.”
Lance stopped his body from reacting, ready this time. Keith, on the other hand, no such impulse control. He reached through the bars, grabbing a fist full of bones. He was promptly knocked back as a gun raised. Lance’s eyes narrowed, watching carefully.
“The red paladin, wielder of the gun,” he said, tongue dragging on the words. “Do not fret, you shall face the sword. Black paladin, wielder of the blade, shall face the gun.” He sounded positively delighted.
Lance, on the other hand, less so. Except. If he was to be set a challenge that went against Keith’s usual weapon, that would be his strength. Lance tried to look afraid, he really did. But it was hard when he wasn’t.
Keith too seemed to relax, if only enough that his shoulders lost how hunched they were around his shoulders. Lance supposed it wouldn’t be noticeable to someone who didn’t spend so much time staring at the man. He was also very observant, he had to be, if he wanted to keep his team safe.
The Meealu left with a gleeful pep in their step. Lance watched him leave, going down the cell block. He turned back to Keith, trying to ignore the Meealu’s words.
Mate.
The word rocketed through his brain without his consent. Mate. Like, romantic partner? Mate, like the slang word for friend?
Mate - romantic partner.
Too late, his mind was focused on it.
He sighed, leaning back on the wall. Keith resumed his pacing.
“Ok, so, whatever test, if they think you’re me, then, you’ll be able to win. But if you have to sword fight, you’ll lose.”
Lance scowled, turning a glare onto his team leader. “I’m getting better.”
Keith nodded, and Lance tried to ignore how pleased his heart was. Who allowed Keith to be so unfairly attractive and terrible with words? “You have, but they would not be fooled. I cannot outshoot you, that would be a problem.”
“Ok, so we keep pretending to be each other. I’m not the leader though.”
Keith’s purple gaze landed on Lance’s. Calm, deliberate. It made Lance’s heart jump in his chest. Damn feelings. Why did he have to get thrown into a war with the most beautiful man?
“You are Voltron’s second in command, our strategist. We all turn to you. I trust you, Lance. I know you’ll get us out of here.”
He flushed, the compliment shooting straight through his body. It warmed his heart and fuelled his confidence. He’d been in space long enough to know his place. They would get out of this.
“Well then. Guess we’d better hope they let us out of here soon.”
The first challenge was in a training room. Both paladins had been dragged, hands and feet bound tightly. Lance tried so hard not to grin. They’d taken their bayards, locked them up. But they didn’t know the true strength of a paladin.
The problem was, Keith was held far more securely. One wrong move from Lance and a blade would cut through him. No less then three guards stood around Keith, swords at the ready. They each smirked at Lance, and he tried not to look as panicked as he felt. If Keith was hurt, it would be his fault.
“For you,” Lance was handed a gun. A large gun, a rifle. It was far less impressive than anything he’d shot before, but it would work. He rolled it around. It would shoot off centre, he realised, feeling the counterbalance. That was a problem. Keith would never notice something like that, but a trained sharpshooter would.
“Black paladin,” the leader Meealu spoke to the gathered crowd of soldiers, all with weapons drawn. “You stand trial for assisting our enemies. You stand to lose your mates life if you lose this test.” He sneered as the crowd bellowed. “Should you pass, your mate will be set free.”
Lance could work with that. It was far easier to escape on his own. “Can I have your word on that?”
“Only my word?” the alien laughed.
“If your word means nothing, I shall shoot you where you stand.”
The audience grew silent. A blade moved closer to Keith, cutting a line of blood from his arm. Lance refused to flinch, seeing the steel in Keith’s eyes.
“If you disobey, black paladin, your mate will die a slow, painful, beautiful death. We will leave the corpse in the cell with you.”
Now that. That made Lance unnecessarily angry. No one got to threaten Keith and get away with it. He lifted the barrel of the rifle, trying to ignore the rising fear.
“What is the target?”
Several moving items appeared. Lance watched them. Felt the pattern, drew a map. He refused to show it on his face, nothing but concern. He tossed a small glance to Keith, but there was only confidence on his leader’s face. Trust.
“Forgive me,” Lance said, loud enough for Keith to hear. He hoped they were dramatic enough for the crowd.
He took aim, taking a steadying breath. The gun was inclined, calibrated to the left and down. Lance hit just shy of dead centre on his first shot. He did not miss the last few. He put the weapon down, grinning. That wasn’t so bad.
“You – but.” The leader Meealu spluttered.
Lance grinned, looking over at where Keith had used the distraction to disarm his guards. Three against one, Lance could swoon later.
“Seize them.”
Lance merely ducked, summoning his bayard. It wasn’t hard to incapacitate a room full of aliens who’d thought they had the upper hand. Keith fought at his side, powerful and strong. Lance couldn’t help but grin.
Finally, it was only the leader left. Lance levelled his bayard at him. “For the record, I’m the red paladin.”
Fear ignited in the Meealu’s features.
“And we’re not your toys.”
Keith knocked him out cold. None of the aliens were mortally wounded, despite Lance’s darker desires. They had been angry and bitter, but they all deserved to face the justice the planet served them.
The pair left the cell block, Lance navigating their way out. He was unsurprised to find Red waiting for them at the entrance, tall and proud. Lance could feel how smug she was from where she sat.
He grinned, moving towards her with Keith following a step behind.
The problem was, he couldn’t get it out of his head. Mate. Mate. Mate. That damn alien had put something into his head. He couldn’t look at Keith without thinking about it.
Keith was exactly the same as always. He kept Lance at the same distance. He praised the team for victories, held them through the losses. He was exactly the same.
It wasn’t enough for Lance. He found Keith in the training room, trying to wield a gun. It was almost comical, and Lance took pity on the poor guy.
“You have to relax your breath,” Lance said, startling Keith. He dropped the weapon. Lance didn’t think it was possible to startle him.
“Lance, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be in bed?” Keith sounded like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
“I was looking for you, what are you doing?”
Keith looked down, picking up the gum. “I wanted to get better, in case a situation like on that planet. But, you know. They don’t get confused.”
Lance knew the logic, could understand it. He’d been trying to improve with a blade for the same reason. “Well, you’re not going to improve like that.”
Keith rolled his eyes, but the motion was fond. “Then show me, oh great one.”
“Cut the sass, it suits me not you.”
“But I’m the red paladin.”
Lance nudged Keith’s shoulders gently, smiling. “I guess I could be persuaded to help you. If you help me. I don’t.” he took a breath, closing his eyes as he was slammed with the image of Keith, bound and tied with blades pressing to his skin. “I don’t want to be in a situation like that. I can’t lose you, Keith.”
The black paladin was silent, staring at Lance. “Why do you think I want to wield the gun? You think I can lose you?”
Lance swallowed, seeing the raw emotions flicker across Keith’s face. He felt the tension in the room shift. Felt Keith’s gaze drop. Felt the heat of his own breath, how close they were together. “I can’t lose you, Keith. And I can’t let go of what that Meealu said.”
Out in the open, it was terrifying. He had to trust Keith not to let him fall.
Keith’s gaze returned to Lance’s. “A mate can be many things.”
The Meealu had also said many things. The fact that Keith’s mind instinctively went to that comment – that had to be a good sign. “I know which version I want it to mean.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but Keith heard him. They were so close.
Keith took a step closer, their chests breaths away. “How did you want it to mean, Lance?” his warm breath ghosted over Lance’s lips. He’d never been so pleased to be shorter than someone, looking up at Keith’s beautiful eyes.
His breath stuttered, catching when he saw the emotions across Keith’s face. He forced himself to respond, hoping, praying, Keith didn’t reject him now. He’d lose it all, but he also knew, he knew, he wouldn’t lose Keith. The black paladin was his best friend. That would not change.
“I want to kiss you,” Lance admitted, the words dangerous in the still night air. “To call you mine. My partner, my lover, my boyfriend, mate. I want it all.”
Keith was silent, but it didn’t scare Lance. He could see Keith’s eyes, the calculating gaze. The want. He was trying to find words, and Lance would never deny him this time.
Instead, Keith claimed Lance’s lips with his own. He was always more of a doer, anyway.
Lance folded into the embrace, all strings cut. The warmth, the comfort. It was all coming to the surface. Keith kissed like he fought – powerful, unyielding, intense. He held Lance in his arms, firm and strong. Lance loved every second.
“I want you too, Lance. All of you.” He breathed, their foreheads touching. Somehow, this was more intimate then the kissing.
Lance smiled, allowing the familiar rush of heat to his cheeks. “It’s all yours, Keith.”
Lips found Lance’s once more, he’d never get tired of this. “My Lance, has a nice ring to it.”
Lance laughed, eagerly pulling his boyfriend in for another kiss. “My Keith. I could get used to it.”
“Good, because I don’t plan on letting you go.”
Lance could live with that.