Dark clouds of smoke billowed through the tents of booths. The force of the bomb threw Lance back, his back hitting a pole of one of the many booths. He slumped down on the ground, a burning agony very present in his back.
Lance distantly heard a growl through the ringing in his ears. What happened? He remembered Allura getting the artifacts and then a bomb exploded. Where did the bomb come from? Why did it explode? Who was the target?
Lance groaned and forced his eyes open. Damn his head hurt. He looked up to see Shiro growling at a dark figure. The figure wore a black vape that concealed his face. He brandished a long sword.
"No!" Lance cried. He tried to force himself to stand but his body refused to cooperate. A bright flash of red crossed his vision and a ball of fire crashed into the hooded figure. The impact sent him flying and keith raced onto the scene.
Lance sighed gratefully. Shiro wasn't in any danger if Keith was there helping him. Lance closed his eyes and laid his head back down on the ground. He was so tired.
"LANCE!" he heard a voice. It sounded like Pidge. "Lance keep your eyes open! Keith, Lance is injured pretty bad!"
Lance fought the sleepy haze that clouded his mind and tried to open his eyes once more. He stared into the worried eyes of Pidge. He felt warm arms wrap around him as Hunk lifted Lance off the ground.
"Lance we're going to get you back to the castle and into a pod okay?" Hunk said. Lance nodded and closed his eyes once more. "No! Lance stay awake please."
"'M tired," Lance complained. "I...wanna...sleep. Can I sleep now?"
"Lance!" Lance didn't need to have his eyes open to know who said that.. Keith's voice was still beautiful even when it was frantic and ear-splittingly loud. "Lance, baby, I need you to keep your eyes open, okay?"
"...love you....Keith," Lance said. He wasn't stupid. He knew somewhere deep down he was dying. Or pretty close to dying. He wanted to at least get his goodbyes out before he was too incoherent to respond. "So...beautiful.."
"Lance, you can tell me how beautiful I am once you're better," Keith cried. He had finally gotten into Lance's limited line of sight. Keith was crying and he held Lance's hand as they ran back to the castle.
Lance couldn't remember everything that happened next, he was far too focused on the curve of Keith's face. The way his eyelashes kissed his cheekbones when he looked down. Or how his jawline was so defined. Or the small splash of freckles Keith had across his nose. Lance studied Keith's face like a blind man saw the sun. He viewed it like it was the last time he'd see it. Which to be honest, it was.
The last thing Lance remembered was Keith brushing Lance's face lightly before it all went black.
Keith's POV
Lance passed out the second we got onto the ship. I tried to get him to open his eyes again but he wasn't responding. Coran got Lance prepped and into the healing pod in record time but I still feared we weren't fast enough. It wasn't until Coran informed us it would take a week to heal all of Lance's injuries that I let out a sigh of relief. Lance was going to be fine.
"What happened?" Coran asked after everyone had sat in front of Lance's pod.
"There was a bomb," Shiro seethed. "I think it was a spy or something. After it exploded, the bomber stepped forward and attempted to fight us. Keith scared him off with a fire blast. Lance got the worst of it because he was the one who took the blunt of the force."
"I see," Coran said sadly. "What are we going to do?"
"What can we do?" Pidge said in a defeated tone. A vine wrapped around her arm in a comforting motion. "We don't know who sent the bomber. Of if he did this on his own. We didn't even see him because he was wearing a cape."
"There has to be something," I argued, trying hard to control my emotions. I could feel my hands starting to warm up. "My boyfriend nearly died because someone decided to blow up the place!"
"Keith I get that your upset, I am too," Shiro started. I turned on him in an instant.
"No, Shiro," I hissed. "I don't think you do get it! What if we were too late? Huh? What if Lance actually died? This isn't something we can just blow off and ignore!"
"Keith! Calm down!" Hunk said gently. It only spiked my anger.
"I will not calm down!" I snarled. "Lance got hurt because of some spy, and I say we hunt the douchebag down and rip his fucking throat out!" I screamed, my hands ablaze with fire I didn't mean to create.
"Enough." Shiro said, his voice dripping with his superior tone he only used when he was displaying his dominance. I shut up instantly. Shiro may be out leader, but he wasn't one to anger. "Keith, calm down, now."
I extinguished the fire and crossed my arms in a childish way. "We will do what we can, but right now, we need to stay here and keep an eye on Lance," Shiro said, his voice returning to the usual fatherly tone. "Alright?"
I bit my lip and nodded, not wanting to explode all over again. Shiro sighed and sat back. I turned my gaze to Lance. He was beautiful, even in this state. His usual carmel skin was pale and looked sickly through the pod. Lance's wounds were no longer bleeding so I could see the full damage.
Lance's stomach was tore open by something, probably a flying piece of shrapnel, and he had several cuts on his face. Without all the bleeding, it seemed less severe. It calmed me down quite a bit, actually, seeing Lance heal.
I relaxed and leaned my head against the pod and closed my eyes.
The opened them when the alarms started to go off. I jumped up instantly and Allura started screaming frantically. "The galra are here! Everyone! To your lions!"
"What about Lance?" I cried.
"I'll watch him," Coran said calmly. Don't worry about your lover. Go." I nodded and raced onto battle.
It was long and frustrating and when it was finally over I thought I was going to murder anyone who rubbed me the wrong way. The team, sensing my irritation, went out of their way to avoid me, which I appreciate.
I walked into the healing bay and sat down by Lance's pod. I remembered all the funny things he'd say to me and how he always knew how to make me laugh. I sighed and pressed my forehead against the glass.
"I miss you."
