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𓆩.༺✧༻.𓆪
"And now, it's time for our two newlyweds to enjoy their first dance!"
It was their most elaborate ruse yet.
You see, the Blades have now reformed into the BOM — a humanitarian relief organisation dedicated to spreading love and peace across the universe — and somehow, Keith & Lance have also become the Bonnie & Clyde, the Jesse & James, the co-leaders who also seem to do spy mission on the side.
A prince on the other side of the galaxy has been running fradulent trade agreements of fake health supplies amongst neighbouring planets, killing sick civilisations. Naturally, word spreads to the two lovebird leaders, and Lance organises their most extravagant plan yet.
A wedding.
With a galaxy this vast, it's understandable that some planets and civilisations don't know who they are. They use that to their advantage.
Tonight, BOM leader Keith Kogane is Prince Endymion of the Seventh Sun from the Galfax Galaxy. A half-galran who defied the traditions of his royal background, falling in love with someone outside of his betrothed, blindsiding his family and ending his previously arranged marriage. A scandal across this side of the universe. A devil in disguise.
Co-leader Lance McClain is runaway royal Prince Axel of the First Moon from the Marmalade Nebula. Disguised as a noble servant, to which then he was quickly promoted to royal advisor, he fell in love with Prince Endymion, a man of high morality who hated every aspect of his previous life. He didn't need to swoop in for his chance. They became confidants, two best friends, and then, sweetheart lovers.
It all happened one night as they watched the stars together. One thing lead to another, and after a wild, passionate night of frenzied love making in the royal chambers, the two princes decided to remain true to their ideals.
By morning's wake, Prince Endymion ended his engagement.
By lunchtime, Prince Axel revealed his identity to the entire kingdom.
Shock spread across kingdoms, planets were shook, they made intergalactic headlines, and tabloids went wild with the gossip. However, the prince stood firmly on the ground with his decision. He wasn't in love before. He was now. And they were getting married by the next rotation.
Which leads them here. To their fancy schmancy fake wedding.
The plan was foolproof: every attendee is an undercover BOM member (except the target in question). When Lance presented the idea to hundreds of new BOM recruits, they ate up the plan like they were watching a juicy episode of the new telenovela, 'mi corazon, el viento' (Veronica's favourite show at the moment. His, too.)
Their first mission for most of them was to pretend they were part of an undercover gala? Who wouldn't sign up for free drinks, food, and dancing the night away while they nab a rowdy, power hungry royal? It was simply genius.
"And where would we get the money to fund an entire gala, Lance?" Keith asks, bewildered by the idea.
"It's simple, really." Lance leans on Keith's desk, hands slowly trailing up Keith's BOM robes. He can see Keith crumbling in his resolve by the second.
After a beat, Lance leans in and whispers against his lips, "Coran."
Coran funneled a generous amount of GAC immediately, offering various resources while gushing about his spy days with Alfor. He even stated that they can openly say at the gala that New Altea sponsored the wedding, and Coran Hieronymus Wimbleton Smythe sends their best regards to the newlyweds. His only request was that they send him a video.
Then, his royal advisor Merla found a venue, organised their extravagant outfits, and away they went. Lance sent out the invitations under an alias, and the prince they're after RSVP'd.
Hook, line, and sinker.
Keith carefully takes Lance's right hand, his other curving around his lower back. Lance's left taps onto Keith's padded shoulder. An orchestra of Bii Boh Bis begin playing a harmonious melody as the crowd watches. Together, they slowly glide into a waltz, selling the dream.
From the outskirts, they're whispering secrets like two newlyweds would in the middle of their dance. A true fantasy. A love story for the ages.
In reality.
"My beloved," Lance grits out through a strained smile. "You're stepping on my toes."
Keith's face falls as he bites back his groan, eyes subtly searching for the prince they're after. "What does he look like, sweetheart?"
Curving his palm against his jaw, Lance pulls his sight back to him. Only him.
"Darling? look at me." Lance glimmers, marks painted over his cheeks to be longer across his temples and connected into makeshift eyeliner, now warm and sultry under the spotlight. Blue is the warmest colour. Magnificently radiant. "Cool it. We're waiting for a signal from Lydrix. It won't be while we're dancing." Leaning closer to him, they're pressed forehead to hairline. An intimacy that plays the part. "Look at me."
Keith falters, then grins with a cheeky smirk. "I'm looking."
"You better," Lance appreciates, his eyes twinkling with a smile that slips into fond territory.
Murmurs uproot from the crowd of undercover members.
"Awwww, they're gorgeous."
"What a beautiful couple! Did you hear how they fell in love?"
Great actors. Simple-minded distractions that brings out a louder, regal, outspoken voice amongst the crowd.
"Would you kindly share their story? They seem so different, yet, so in sync. It's enchanting, to say the least."
A familiar BOM member voice chimes in. "Well, the story is a bit of a drag. Lots of needless drama. Quite the scandal, actually."
"Oh, my." Both Lance & Keith hear the intrigue as they dance the night away, capes fluttering and hearts pounding out of their chests as a small settlement of nerves crash against their ribs. "Do tell."
It's go time, baby.
Casually, Keith slips Lance into a romantic dip, and the crowd applauds, completely enamoured. Lance's makeup glitters beneath the spotlight, looking away from Keith with an arm stretched out, the back of his hand over his forehead. It's as if he belongs on the poster of a romance film.
They take a pause — a second, or two, or three — before Keith lifts him back up, placing a sweet kiss on his forehead.
"My love." Keith projects out loud. Loud enough for the crowd to eat up his acting chops and dramatic shift in tone. "You stole my heart, and took my life with it. I'm forever yours."
"Oh, my sweet Endymion." Lance swoons flamboyantly, just as high and vibrant. Biting on the inside of the cheek, Keith bites back the urge to ugly snort. He pulls an attractive smirk instead, blindsiding Lance with his yearnful affection. Lance continues with warm affection, goading him on. "Let us rejoice our love in your chambers."
"Soon, kitten whiskers," Keith abides with a mirthful grin. "Daddy will discuss it later."
Lance tears up with hidden laughter, playing the overwhelmingly in love newlywed husband. "Oh, papi."
"They're made for each other. Such bliss."
"Simply marvelous."
And then, finally.
"Would you like a refreshment, Prince Cruxer?"
The signal, just in time for the crowd to applaud, and for the announcer to say, "Congratulations to Prince Endymion & Prince Axel! If you have a loved one with you, please proceed to the dance floor!"
Lance takes Keith's hand, and they act away — saying hi to partygoers (colleagues), sipping at their nunvil (sprite), dressing up their voices to be the charming couple they are eventually paving their way to the Prince, who greets them upon seeing their presence.
"Why, my congratulations to you two. What a stellar first dance." Prince Cruxer extends his hand out. "My name is Prince Cruxer. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Keith graciously accepts first with an small smile. Lance elbows him.
"Oh! Uh, Prince Endymion. Galfax Galaxy."
"Isn't he charming?" Finally, Lance shakes his hand with the stance of regality. "I am Prince Axel of the Marmalade Nebula."
"Ah, yes," the Prince acknowledges with a curious glint in his gaze. "What was the kingdom's name?"
Keith and Lance side eye each other with tender smiles and eyes that squint, spelling out in their own secret language, 'shit, we didn't think that far.' Lance, then, makes up a wicked lie on the fly with a subtle snort.
"The kingdom of Paddington."
"Ah, I think I've heard of there. Interesting."
Keith squeezes Lance's hand behind their backs. Phew.
"Yes. Quite." Lance offers in response.
The Prince nods. "Well, I'd love to chat more—"
Shit.
"—but I must be—"
Lance coughs. Once. Twice. Enough times that Keith offers a bewildered look in response. He coughs again, loud, hoarse, and a little recklessly, dramatically falling into Keith's arms. Keith stares at him with a few blinks, then smirks.
"Oh no, my beloved! What EVER is the matter?" Keith acts stupendously yell, projecting his voice as if the whole ballroom needs to hear it with the acting chops of an awful telenovela. Several people in the crowd turn to the shocking sight.
Prince Axel coughs, hands squeezing his arms. "Oh, my love. I think I've fallen ill."
Someone gasps in the crowd.
Prince Endymion sends him a stricken look: "Oh no. Is this the dreaded illness, lovesick?!"
Another drops their drink. Whispers, murmurs, gasps, and gossip blend across the crowd of onlookers. It's quite the spectacle.
"If only someone had some—" Lance eyes Prince Cruxer with the sharpest of leers. "—medication…?"
Thankfully, Prince Cruxer takes the bait like a weasel in fright, shaking as he takes a big gulp of his drink, gliding the champagne glass down on the table behind him.
"I have some supplies." He grabs Keith's arm to guide them along, pulling them away from the unappraising eyes of the crowd. "Come with me, quick."
As they disperse through the crowd, Lance and Keith look at each other with a small smirk for only a second, before Keith wraps an arm around his waist and lets Lance lean into the side of him to play the act of the worried husband.
While Prince Cruxer leads them away, he stills in his steps, and turns to Prince Endymion.
"Is there a room with privacy somewhere?"
"Yes." Endymion directs sternly, suddenly leading the way in the opposite direction. "Come with us to our honeymoon suite. Post-haste." Axel coughs, sinking into his side like a deflated balloon.
Prince Cruxer freezes, turning to them with a skeptical look.
"Your… honeymoon suite?" He leers at them suspiciously. "Is there no other room? We require total privacy for what I can give him."
Prince Endymion turns to him with an affronted glare and argues, "is our room not private enough for you?"
The Prince looks around side-to-side. The crowd around them paying attention to them linger in their staring. Politically worried about how it'll look if he doesn't help the two princes, he relents with a huff of breath, clearly unhappy with their predicament.
"Fine. Lead the way."
𓆩.༺✧༻.𓆪
Peering down the hallway on both sides, Keith whispers into a mic hidden in his broach a code word before shutting down the door. Total privacy. His cape swishes dramatically as he, as Prince Endymion, turns back and walks towards his beloved sitting on the bed with feigned worry.
"How is my love?"
The 'lovesick' Prince Axel sits on the bed, head in hands, making nauseous, moaning sounds that sound like a kid in school trying to get the day off. Kneeling in front of him is Prince Cruxer, with two pills in his outstretched hand.
"Take these."
"What sort of medication is that?" Endymion sharply interrupts. Analytically staring at the pills, Keith's eyes sharpen auspiciously. The pills are purple, circular, with indents in them that say the initials: P.C.
Lance grins under his hands.
"A homemade creation. On our planet we call it, 'DHM'." Prince Cruxer smiles with an uninviting coldness to his expression. "It does wonders for the person taking it."
I'm sure it does, Keith thinks to himself with a deadpan look. That's what he's been trading to other planets? It sounds like a hallucinogenic drug. "Will my love be alright?"
"Yes," the prince sneers. "He'll be a fresh juniberry in no time."
Lance graciously takes them in his palms and quickly looks at them, continuing his disturbing groans with the utmost displeasure. Suddenly, he thrusts his palms against his mouth, and swallows. Within seconds, he stands and brushes off his delicate attire with relative ease, smiling and stretching his limbs. "Wow, I feel so much better already."
Prince Cruxer startles as he stands to attention. "I-I'm sorry?"
"SO much better." Axel yawns, scratching the back of his neck. "Wow, am I tired, though."
Keith's eyes bulge out of his head — breaking character for a second — before he stands again as Prince Endymion, rubbing the top of Lance's back and looking at Prince Cruxer with imitated gratitude. "We owe you tremendously, Prince Cruxer."
"For…?" the prince sweats nervously. "Wait, w-what is this?"
A dark laugh escapes from Lance, Keith's eyes glinting bright in the dim room. The two look terrifying as they both say in unison, "a ruse."
In an instant, the prince runs to the door and shakes the handles of the door to no avail. He's trapped; completely locked in. Just as he turns, his face sets on the two approaching him slowly as the room darkens.
Keith's blade extends from out of nowhere in his right hand, terrifying Prince Cruxer.
"Y-You're the, the—that blade… Are you the black paladin?!"
Lance chuckles in response, low and frightening, before gripping onto the prince's arms from behind with abominable strength. He shrieks for mercy as the back of Keith's blade hits him in the forehead at lightning speed, knocking him out cold.
𓆩.༺✧༻.𓆪
As a few of the undercover blades take the prince away into their ship, Keith supervises while Lance pulls the pills out from his hidden pocket in his outfit.
"Ick."
"Don't say that about yourself," Keith teases, striding up to him with elegant ease, still in his royal attire.
As easy as ever, Lance wraps his arms around his neck and sighs the stress away, also still in his attire, too. "What a day."
"Hey!" They both turn to Ezor, who's leaning out the door of the ship with a mirthful grin. "Wedding's over, love birds! We gotta go!"
Zethrid slips into view from the other side of the door with a grunt. "You must love your husband a lot if you're both just standing there while we do ALL the work!"
Lance snorts, while Keith wills the spirit of romance.
He pulls Lance's sight towards him with gentle guidance; cupping his chin, and blinding him with a jawdroppingly fond smile.
"Yeah, I do."
The response is everything Keith could've wished for: a warm blush, a radiant smile, and the gentle press of a kiss.
Mission accomplished.
𓆩.༺✧༻.𓆪