Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lotor stares at the playing hologram in front of him.

It’s been a while now since he started on studying his enemies, ever since Haggar contacted him saying that Voltron had defeated his Father and that it was his time to step up.

The young Galra Prince did not want that at all. It had never been his job to be the next face of the empire; he lacked motivation, military talent, not to mention that none of the Galra soldiers respected him like they did to his Father and the fact that he has no experience in conquering anything besides small civilizations on tiny weak planets.

He was born as a prince and that meant he never had to fight for anything. His Father had already ruled for more than a century by the time he was born in the Empire and that was it. That was supposed to be it.

Now, Haggar wants him to fight the enemy, whom all of them had thought it was dead and forgotten. The very same enemy who Lotor had actually thought it had been created by his Father’s paranoid crazy mind.

And it was his job to destroy them but how.

He stares hard at the four silhouettes on the hologram as they move in synchronization with each other; there’s nothing of out the ordinary, same old boring rescue mission the surveillance cameras on the ships catch every time, but this time, something catches his eye.

Blue. It’s a new color for him, because so far it has only been: red, yellow, green and black. While all the other silhouettes move with tension on their shoulders, the blue one moves with grace, almost as if it was dancing and Lotor was enchanted by it instantly.

He turns the volume up, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he hears the taped recording of the hologram. There are some orders and whispers coming from the black one but after a few ticks, there’s an exquisite voice that echoes around him and then it’s inside his mind.

There’s only one word he’s able to catch after that; “Lance.”

He watches the interactions carefully; his eyebrow rising up in surprise and amusement when the tension on the other four silhouettes disappear as soon as the blue one spoke up and then soft laughter and mocking groans coming from the hologram make way to his ears.

The Prince presses pause on the hologram in mid motion and picks up the blue silhouette with the palm of his hand.

Lotor may lack in everything that had made his Father the Emperor of an Empire, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get what he wants and destroy his enemy at the same time.

A dark lusted smirk grows on his face as the hologram of Blue Paladin of Voltron turns around in his hand, facing directly at the Prince’s face and Lotor can’t help but feel pleased when the blue color in his eyes are even softer than the one on his armor.

Lance pants and suppresses the urge to throw up as he vents slightly forwards, his left hand still holding his bleeding right bicep tight and close to him.

The brunet allows himself a few seconds to let the nausea pass before he’s raising his head once again, eyes narrowing dangerously at the straight tall figure a few feet from him.

The Galra Prince, or Lotor as he had presented himself, limited himself to look down on him, almost challengingly, a twitch on the corner of his mouth showing how amusing he found the entire situation.

Lance doesn’t look away from his gaze, but his mind is somewhere else entirely. He can faintly hear the shallowed and hard gasps Shiro’s making on the background: his Galra arm long gone, his life force almost sucked out of him and yet still fighting off the urge to pass out.

On Lance’s right, there’s Pidge, barely managing to keep her eyes open and her gaze is unfocused, almost as if she was in a daze and Lance was eighty-eight percent sure she has a concussion.

On his left, there’s Hunk, bruised, weak and exhausted but still supporting Keith’s half weight as the Red Paladin leans on him, back against Hunk’s chest, a large gash on the start of his hairline, bleeding out and covering half of his face with blood. Keith can’t even open his right eye without getting blood on it but he’s blinking stubbornly, panting hard as he raises his hand and reaches out to Lance.

Lance doesn’t like the Red color on Keith’s right now; it’s dark and angry, it’s not Keith’s usual red that’s smooth and daring,

He just wants to end this. He just wants to go back to the castle, with everyone safe and sound, and fall into his boyfriend’s arms, and forget every drop of blood, every scream of pain his teammates had made during this battle.

He just wants his family to be okay. He wants them to be alive and safe and happy and not in the dirty floor of a Galra ship: hurt, exhausted, hopeless, bleeding and on the verge of passing out.

Lance just wants it to stop.

And Lotor knows that.

The Prince had picked up the Blue Paladin’s weakness on the first four ticks he had laid eyes on him. For Lotor, family didn’t meant more than the people who were forced to give you everything to ensure their Empire and everything they have worked on their life will not go to waste.

But for Lance, this exquisite and exotic human, family meant caring for each other. It meant strong bonds and happy memories. It meant adventures and feelings. It meant a sense of belonging and security.

It meant sacrifice.

And, boy, if he isn’t going to take advantage of that.

“You can end this.” Lotor speaks up slowly, carefully; voice low and charming but Lance could easily pick up the edge of the tone, reminding him of the hiss of a snake, “You can end their suffering. I can let them go free.”

Lance frowns at him, suppressing a wince at the sudden movement on his split lip and glares up towards the Prince, raising his chin up, “How?”

“By giving me what I want.”

“Which is?”

“You.”

The answer is quick, sharp and so direct that Lance’s taken back by surprise, blue eyes widening in shock and confusion at the Prince’s words.

He can hear the rest of the team’s equal confusion, but he pays them no mind. Lotor hasn’t pulled his gaze away from him and a shiver runs down Lance’s spine.

“Me.” He repeats softly, and Lotor nods calmly.

“Yes.” He confirms shortly.

“Why?”

Lotor huffs and shrugs his shoulder nonchalantly, crossing his arms over his chest, “I don’t have to tell you that. All that you need to know is that if you come with me, the rest of the team goes free.”

One, two, three beats and then, “And if I don’t go with you?”

“They die.”

No hesitation whatsoever and Lance visually winces at the statement.

He can hear the team’s objections at the deal behind him. Shiro’s straight up grunting in pain as he tries to pull himself up the floor to reach him, Pidge’s shaking her head frenetically at him, Hunk’s pleading him to block out everything the Prince’s saying and Keith –

“Please no, no, no. Lance, please, no, I can’t lose you, please.”

Lance shuts his eyes hard, taking a big gulp of air in an attempt to suppress the lump on his throat because he knows what his choice is.

There’s no contest. None at all. If Lotor wants, for some reason, the weak link of Voltron, that’s what he will get. It’s not like he has anything to offer, he has never had anything to offer; not on earth, not on Voltron, and certainly not with Lotor.

If giving himself up meant his team will be free, safe and alive.

So be it.

He hears the soft patronizing chuckle of Lotor and Lance just glares hard at him, knowing that the Prince already knew his answer.

“Choose me,” The Prince coos, smiling victorious, “And they will not burn.”

But I will. Lance’s head finishes for him.

Taking a deep breath and keeping a strong grip on his bleeding bicep, Lance slowly stands up from the floor and makes his way towards the Prince.

As he puts one foot in front of the other, Lance can feel the tears starting to gather around his eyes as he listens to his teams’ complains behind him and he answers them all in this mind because it’s the least he can do.

“Lance, Lance, please, no.”

I’m sorry, Pidge.

“Lance, stop, stop, right now, you don’t – Lance.”

You will do fine, Shiro.

“Lance, buddy, no, no, stop, please –“

Thank you for everything, Hunk.

“Saranghae, stop, please, don’t’ – I love you, God, Lance, stop!“

Oh, Keith.

Lance wishes he could have more time. There are not enough ticks for him to tell Keith all he feels for him. To thank him for all he has done for him. To showering him with love and appreciation every single day of his life because he deserves nothing more than happiness. He wishes he could say that to him right now, but he can’t.

Lance sees the moment Lotor raises his hand towards him, smiling big and happy at him, and Lance purses his lips for a second before taking the hand and shaking it firmly. Sealing their deal and sealing his future.

He yelps in surprise when Lotor suddenly pulls him hard towards him and Lance hisses in discomfort and pain when he collides against a firm hard armor chest, the purple glowing of the Galra armor shining against his skin.

Lance scowls hard when he feels Lotor’s hands on top of his head, stroking his hair as it was the softest thing on the galaxy and Lance’s stomach turns unpleasantly when the Prince takes a big smell on it.

There’s commotion behind him and Lance doesn’t need to turn around to know that his boyfriend is all but crawling his way towards him. He can hear Keith’s elaborated breathing, his struggle and his objections of Lance’s decision and it almost makes him smile.

“Lance,” Keith calls, his steps wobbling under his weight and he’s leaning a little too much to his right side, but he pushes forward, picking himself up after every trip he makes, “Lance, don’t’ –“

There’s smoke coming from the floor and Lance knows Lotor’s druid magic is making its debut.

He doesn’t have time, he knows this. He doesn’t have the time to tell him all he wants to say to Keith but as he turns around, his soft blue irises meetings Keith’s darker ones, the tears finally fall down on his cheeks and he smiles sadly at his boyfriend, his mouth silently telling him all he needs to know in a single sentence and then –

Then he’s gone and Keith falls on his knees on the same spot Lance and Lotor were just a tick ago. He’s breathing hard; his nostril flared up and sobs escaping uncontrollably from his mouth.

His scream echoes down the entire base, shaking every living thing on board to their core. He screams and screams, shouting for Lance to come back, for Lotor to fight him, for the Universe to bring back the most important person in Keith’s life.

He screams at himself, for not being strong enough. For not stopping the man he loves into sacrificing himself for his family. He’s angry, irrational and so damn heartbroken that he just keeps punching the floor with his already bloody knuckles.

Each punch grows stronger as Keith’s mind repeats the last words Lance had mouthed at him. There’s nothing else; not Hunk’s shouts for him to stop, not Shiro’s soothing words, not Pidge’s begging. There is only Lance’s words echoing inside him –

“I love you, Keith.”

Over and over again.

Chapter Text

Lotor stares at the golden chain in his left hand curiously and with interest, admiring the beautiful color as he plays with the end of it casually.

 A wide dark smirk takes over his face as he thinks of an even more beautiful color than the chain’s. In a quick move, Lotor pulls the chain towards him and then Lance’s all but crashing against the Galra Prince’s chest, choking at the sudden force the chain around his neck made.

Lance gasps and he can feel some of his already red marks around his neck sting even more at the hard pull. He bites his lip in order to suppress the whimper that threatens to escape.

“Ah, there we go; look at those eyes!” Lotor says pleasantly, hand covering Lance’s left cheek and grinning wider as the tears on the brunet’s eyes makes the blue color in them even brighter than before.

Lance closes his eyes in resignation as soon as he feels the other hand of Lotor on his right cheek, cupping now his face possessively. Lotor frowns at that, not liking not being able to see the blue in the sad miserable eyes.

“Now, now, what’s this? Why are you depriving me form seeing my well-deserved prize?” He coos, pulling Lance’s face closer to his, hard and strong to make sure Lance’s eyes were focused on him only, “Don’t you remember, Blue Gem? We made an arrangement –“ Lance’s well aware of this; he can still hear the echoes of Keith’s screams in his head.

The brunet sobs and nods his head, turning it away from the Prince’s. Lotor sighs and lets him go, letting Lance to settle back down in his small bedding on the floor near the corner of the cell.

Lotor paces around the cell with calm, giving his back to Lance as he goes on and on about all the plans he had in store for him and how happy he will be by his side and whatnot. The brunet immediately tunes him out, letting his head fall back on the wall as he stares at the ceiling.

Lance sighs, suppressing his sniffles as his hand hovers around his banged arm and hissing in discomfort when the wound under it stings him at the soft touch.

Then, a pointy white tip appears on the edge of the ceiling. Lance stares at it, his blue eyes narrowed in confusion only to widen in surprise when he notices the small tip becoming bigger by the tick and suddenly there’s a word penetrating the ceiling and making a circle.

Lance’s heart skips a beat as he recognizes the vibrant red color of Keith’s bayard.

The brunet is up and about as soon as he sees the new made hole in the ceiling open. With wobbly quiet steps, he walks softly towards it, careful to not make too much noise so Lotor wouldn’t turn around.

“Honestly, Blue Gem, I’m giving you everything and this is how you repay me?” Lotor huffs annoyed, still walking around casually around the cell, “You should see this more as a blessing than a sacrifice. Don’t be ungrateful, I’m giving you all you need right here.”

Lance’s heart goes wild as he sees the edge of Keith’s white and red armor on the edge of the hole. It beats and beats as the ticks go by and then –

“And yet, you resist. You are cold and silent. You ignore me and my wishes. That makes me mad, Blue Gem, it really does, but I know you are not trying to make me mad, right? Because no one would like that –”  The sudden sharp sound of metal colliding makes Lotor to pause abruptly.

Suppressing an annoyed sigh, Lotor turns around just in time to see the Red Paladin of Voltron standing protectively in front of his Blue Gem.

Well, that will just not do.

“Ah, Red Paladin, we meet again. How are you? Was your trip pleasant?” Lotor raises an eyebrow as Keith snarls at him, “Alright, not a man of words, I can see.”

Lotor starts taking small steps towards the pair and Keith gently but firmly back away from him, keeping Lance close behind him, his dark blue eyes never leaving Lotor’s golden ones.

“I know, I know. Blue Gem’s beauty is out of this universe and you want him all to yourself,” Lotor chuckles, hands behind his back, “Sadly, he belongs to me now. He’s mine, you know.” He smirks when Keith scowls at his words, “And he’s never leaving.”

Keith can feel Lance’s tense posture behind him, growling threateningly towards Lotor when he hears the soft gasp that escapes the brunet’s mouth.

“Lance doesn’t belong to anyone.” Keith hisses, bayard held up high and frowning when Lotor’s grin just stays calm as ever, almost smug.

“Oh well, if you say so,” He pauses, stopping his steps besides the cell’s entrance and pressing a small button, “Why don’t we prove it?”

Two ticks later and the alarms went off.

Both Lance and Keith freezes at the sound and share a nervous look.

“Run?” Lance mumbles.

Keith answers him by grabbing his hand tight and sprinting out of the cell, passing besides Lotor on the way and both of them ignoring the joyful laugh the Galra Prince does as they run.

Right, left, right, left.

Keith pants as he takes another right and pulls Lance closer to him, making sure that the brunet doesn’t step behind.

“Keith,” Lance pants, “Keith, I don’t think this is the right way.”

“Hush, I got this.”

Another right, followed by a left and then they meet at least a dozen of sentinels waiting for them.

Keith blinks and Lance groans.

“I told you.”

Keith doesn’t bother to reply. He quickly turns around and heads towards the opposite direction, dodging the laser shots coming from the sentinels behind them.

Two, three, four times they change directions until Keith’s done and then he’s charging against them, slashing and stabbing every part of metal he can reach.

“Keith! Keith, no, wait –! Keith!” Lance shouts, raising his hand to grab Keith but a hard pull behind him makes him fall backwards until he collides against the wall.

Lance groans in pain and then chokes when his eyes meet Lotor’s in front of him.

“You can’t escape me, Blue Gem.” Lotor shouts gleefully, both of his hands on the wall, cornering Lance.

“Lance!” Keith shouts and grunts as he blocks a laser shot with his shield, “Lance, no! Fuck!”

“Keith!” Lance yells as he sees one of the sentinels dodging Keith’s attack and hitting the Red Paladin on the side, “KEITH!” He yells as he watches Keith shout out in pain and fall to the ground.

“Ah ah ah!” Lotor says, cupping Lance’s face firmly and making him turn his head towards him, “You’re my royal subject, Blue Gem. That’s quite the title, you know. I can’t let you go now. You’re mine.”

Keith groans and stabs the nearest enemy form him, legs wobbly and shaky but soon he’s standing up.

“For ever –“

Stab, hit, slay.

“ –and ever –“

Hit, slay, stab.

“ –and ever.”

 A pile of broken sentinels lie on Keith’s feet as the Red Paladin pants out of breath. He shakes his head to make his vision less blurry and spits out some blood, ignoring the thin line of red liquid that runs on the edge of his mouth.

“You get it, right?” Lotor coos near Lance’s face and Keith’s blood boils as he watches the brunet visually flinch.

As his eyes are searching for anything near him that may help Lance, Keith quickly notices a forgotten laser gun of one of the sentinels and kicks it towards Lance, making sure to catch the brunet’s eye and then he nods.

After that, it only takes a tick for Keith to run forward, pull Lotor’s back by his cape, giving enough space for Lance to crouch and grab the weapon and then –

“Oh.” Lotor mumbles in surprise as his hand hover above the gaping hole in his stomach, red dark blood pouring out of it quickly, “Oh.”

Lotor falls almost lifelessly and Lance can breathe.

Keith grins at him and offers him a hand. Being careful of not pulling so hard on Keith’s weight, the brunet quickly puts one of Keith’s arms around his shoulders, bringing him close to his side.

“Well, that’s done.” Keith jokes, mouth twitching and his free hand patting Lance’s chest in comfort, “That’s done.”

“Yeah.” Lance murmurs softly, nuzzling gently Keith’s face, “It is.”

Keith nuzzles back lovingly, sighing in relief as he feels Lance’s steady beat under his skin.

A swoosh of air makes them look up and Keith sighs pleasantly as he takes in the sight of his Lion waiting for them just a few feet from where they stand.

One, two steps forward and then a hand grips Lance’s ankle.

The couple sucks in a breath and look behind their shoulder, blood freezing inside them as they watch Lotor raising his head shakily at him.

“You really think you will be happy with them? You really think they are your family? Your happiness? You will never be enough for them!” Lotor laughs humorlessly, “You will never find your home with them. You will never find a home! You’re mine and mine alone!”

Lance’s freezes and from the corner of his eye, he catches Lotor’s golden eyes, dark and sinister, smirking right at him in victory and Lance’s head is a mess of thoughts.

‘What if he’s right? What if I’m just am liability? What if they don’t need me? What if they can all go home without me? What if, what if, what if, what if –‘

“Hey,” Keith calls softly and Lance feels warm as soon as Keith places one of his hands over his cheek, caressing it gently, “You are my home.”

And that’s enough for Lance.

He breaks away from Lotor’s hold and walks away.

“No…” Lotor mumbles in despair, “NO!”

Soon enough both Paladins are inside the Red Lion’s mouth, leaving behind the Galra Prince, bleeding on the floor.

Keith falls as soon as they are inside his Lion and smiles reassuringly at Lance when the brunet shouts his name in worry.

“I’m okay. I’m okay.” He says quietly, raising a thumb up at the brunet playfully, “I’m okay, ae-in.”

Lance breaths out in relief and pulls his boyfriend closer to him, letting Keith’s head to fall comfortably on his chest.

A few feet from them, Lotor scowls as he pull himself up and leans against the wall, hand pressing against his wound and then he turns his head towards the pair, catching Lance’s eye.

“Mark my words, Blue Gem.” He whispers softly, golden eyes glowing threateningly with promise inside them, “I will kill your friends –“

Red’s mouth is closing slowly but Lance’s focus is on the Prince’s soft mouth as it moves slowly.

“ –Your family –“

Lance can feel Keith’s breathing, slow and steady, but it’s not enough to calm his own.

“ –And everything that you hold dear –“

Red’s mouth closes with a quick shut but it does nothing to relieve Lance’s frenetic heart as his head echoes the last words Lotor mouthed to him.

“Starting with your precious Red Paladin.”

Chapter Text

Thump.

No use.

Thump thump.

No use.

Thump thump thump.

It’s no use.

“Allura!” Lance shouts, desperate and scared as he keeps on pounding his fists against the force field, “Allura, please! Hurry!”

The Princess of Altea grunts from her side of the fore field, her hands pressed against the glowing yellow wall that blocks their way, sweat dripping from her forehead as her magic flow from her fingertips. “I’m trying, Lance!”

Lance knows she is. Just as he knows that she’s exhausted because the fore field Haggar trapped them in was divided in three sections, leaving Hunk and Allura on one section, Shiro and Pidge on the one next to theirs and Lance alone in his own prison.

Keith’s the only one who is not trapped.  

Allura has already broken down the wall between her section and Shiro and Pidge’s. Her magic is new, it’s not developed and while it's strong it’s not enough to dissolve the three walls all at once. She needs to do it by sections, from the weaker one to the strongest.

The wall that separates Lance from Keith is the strongest one and Allura is not even close to done with taking down the one that separates Lance from the Team.

They had been so careful. Keith and Lance had been so sure Lotor had been defeated after Lance shot him and they escaped. They were only able to enjoy ten minutes in comfortable silence, enjoying the other’s company and warmth as they held each other before Red got attacked and pulled towards the Galra ship.

After that, everything happened so fast. Keith was already beaten up from the earlier fight. The Team arrived and got ambushed. Haggar snapped her fingers and Lotor was healed and stronger than before.

Another snap of fingers and the fore field appeared.

Lance doesn't know how long it has been since this started.

“Just hurry, please! Keith –! I don’t – He –!” He groans in frustration, punching the fore field once again as his blue eyes follow the two figures on the other side of it, slashing at each other merciless, “Allura, he won’t last much longer, please.”

Lance watches because that’s all he can do. He watches as Lotor smirks and punches Keith on the face for the twentieth time. He watches as Keith’s feet wobble weakly and almost trips, shoulders drooping tiredly, a thin blood line falling from the corner of his mouth, his right arm bleeding deeply and yet –

“I won’t let you take Lance.” Keith whispers, determination and promise dripping from his voice and Lance’s heart takes a trip to his stomach when Lotor’s golden eyes just intensify their glowing dangerously and the Galra Prince pounces at the Paladin.

Lance can only watch as Keith barely dodges the Prince’s attacks and tries to block every hit. He can only watch helplessly as Keith’s bayard is suddenly knocked out of his hand and he’s on the floor shaking and panting heavily.

“Keith!” Lance shouts, his hands still pounding against the fore field, trying to break it, or maybe to catch his boyfriend’s attention, he doesn’t know anymore, “Lotor, just stop! Stop, please! Keith! Keith, listen to me! Goddamnit – LISTEN TO ME!”

He doesn’t. Keith doesn’t listen because he knows what Lance has to say: ‘Stop.’, ‘Let me go with him.’, ‘If it means you will be okay and safe, let me go with him.’, ‘Let me go, let me go, let me go.’

“Never.” Keith mumbles, panting hard and spitting some blood on the floor, “I will not let you, Lance.”

He doesn't look his way. Keith’s dark blue eyes are firmly placed on Lotor as the Galra Prince walks slowly and threatening towards him.

“Keith, please.” Lance whimpers, dropping his entire weight against the fore field, stray tears falling as Keith stands up slowly from the floor,  “Please.”

“I told you, Blue Gem.” Lotor laughs, throwing his sword once again at Keith, “I told you I would be back. I told you I would destroy everything you love.”

Keith yelps in pain when Lotor’s sword graces him on the shoulder and the Prince just smirks happily. “I told you that your precious Red Paladin would be the first.”

“Please.” Lance whispers, “Please, stop.”

“I told you that you would regret it. I warned you, Blue Gem, what would happen if you crossed me.” Another throw, another stab, another yell of pain. “I gave you my everything. I gave you my love, my trust. For what? For you to run off with this filthy half-breed? This puny weakling that’s not even an entire race of something?”

Lotor frown deepens as he lowers his sword and stares darkly at the beaten Paladin in front of him. “If he is the only obstacle for me to win you over –”

Sword raise, eyes steady, breathing held.

Dark blue eyes turn and meet a familiar pair of baby blue ones.

A small loving bloody smile gets a desperate shake of head and a silent cry.

“So be it.”

Metal meets flesh.

Blood drips and stains the white floor.

Keith chokes.

Lance screams.

Lotor smiles.

Time freezes.

“No.” Lance breaths out, his baby blue eyes wide horrified at the scene in front of him, “No, no, no, no.”

“Yes.” Lotor whispers, smiling satisfied and pleased as he push his sword deeper against the Red Paladin's stomach, earning a choked up gag noise that only make him smile wider, “Yes.”

The sword leaves the flesh, the sound it makes impregnating itself on Lance’s memory for the rest of his life and then –

“L-Lance.”

Time unfreezes.

Lance blinks. He blinks and prays for anything that may be out there that this is only a nightmare, that this is only an illusion and that it’s not really Keith there standing in the middle of the room with a gaping bleeding hole on his stomach.

His hopes and breathing leave him as soon as Keith falls lifelessly against the floor and Lotor walks away without a second glance.

“I will be in contact, Blue Gem.” Lotor says calmly, sighing as if disappointed, “Enjoy the Red’s last moments as you wish.”

Lance doesn’t knowledges him. He doesn’t even spare him a glance as Lotor exits the room and leaves them behind in the eerie silence. He doesn’t knowledges when one of the fore field’s walls disappears and the team is suddenly behind him.

His eyes are on the limp unmoving form of Keith a few feet from him and the last wall that separates them.

“A-Allura.” Lance calls, his voice so broken and small that it makes Allura take in a sharp breath, “Allura, p-p-please.”

“Lance.” Hunk whispers gently as he takes a careful step towards the brunet, “Lance!” He gasps and reaches out to his friend when Lance’s knees give up on him and he slides down all the way down until he’s on the floor.

“Please.” The brunet sobs and blinks to get the tears away so his vision is clear as he stares at Keith’s unmoving figure, “Just –Just –Mi amor –” He calls softly, slamming weakly the palm of his hand against the wall, “Keith, mi amor –”

Lance just keeps mumbling. He keeps calling Keith’s name in every way he knows. By his name, by his nicknames, by every pet name they always blush at and whisper in each other’s ears late at night when everyone’s sleeping and it’s only them in the entire universe.

He calls and calls but gets no answer.

The wall disappears, leaving them in surprise and silence before Lance’s throwing himself forward, standing up wobbly and falling besides Keith’s form.

His hands shake, hovering over Keith’s back before he gulps and turns the black haired man around, making him face him and Lance takes a double take when he sees Keith’s face.

He’s sleeping.

“He –He’s sleeping, guys.” Lance murmurs, his mouth twitching upward as he gathers Keith in his arms and cups his face with his free hand, “He’s –He’s okay, he’s just sleeping. Right, amor?”

No answer.

“La-Lance.” Pidge sniffles behind him but Lance hunches himself over the body of his boyfriend as if protecting him.

“He’s –He’s sleeping, okay? Nothing to worry about. We –We just need to w-wake him up.”

“Buddy, Lance –“ The brunet shakes his head, the lump on his throat growing when he hears the crack in his leader’s voice.

“Keith, b-b-baby, I need y-you to w-wake up, ok-okay?” Lance chuckles wetly, dropping his face against Keith’s, his thumb caressing the pale grayish skin, “Come on, c-come on. Rise and shine. Y-You know the drill.”

Lance bites his lower lip hard and suppresses the sob. “R-Rise and s-shine.”

Keith’s eyes are closed. His arms hang limp against the floor, his hair is tangled and dirty, his Paladin’s armor is bloody, his skin is cold at the touch and yet clammy.

“Rise a-and sh-shine.”

He prays and prays but gets no miracle.

“Asteraki…” Allura whispers sadly and broken and suddenly it’s enough.

“No.” Lance sobs hard, his entire body shaking as he sobs against Keith’s face, letting his tears fall on his boyfriend’s peaceful face, “No, no, no. Please, no, please, please, please.”

He cries and cries but gets no heartbeat.

“K-Keith, mi amor, please.” Lance whimpers, choking on his own tears has he pats Keith’s cheek softly and winces when Keith’s head flops to the side lifelessly. “Please.”

He places his shaky hand over Keith’s neck, holds his breath and waits.

Waits.

Waits.

He gets nothing.

Everything around him turns silent. Everything disappears and vanishes as if nothing has ever existed before.

And then he’s screaming.

He screams and screams as he trashes someone’s hold and wails when the weight of Keith is no longer in his arms.

He screams and tunes out everything. Hunk’s comfort noises, Pidge’s hands on his face wiping away his tears and Allura’s soothing humming.

There’s nothing else, just his own screams inside his mind and the ones on the outside. There’s nothing else except screams for him.

Then it stops and hears a soft tiny gasp.

Another gasp followed by a sharp intake of breath and then –

Dark blue eyes are staring straight into his.

That’s enough for Lance to pass out.