For The Stars

Chapter 5: Balmera and Bonding

Keith stood in the seemingly empty hall, listening to the pained groans coming from inside the walls; Lance's muscles would be cramping soon, if they weren't already. The boy had crawled into a small dumbwaiter to hide from Coran and realized far too late that the door only opened from the outside. Luckily he was still in full paladin armour and had used his coms to call for help. Help, however, had decided to take their sweet ass time to rescue him. Keith smirked as he casually leaned against a wall and listened to the panic.

It took a total of a varga before he finally opened the door. "Whatcha doin' in there buddy? Hiding from someone? Hmm?" he grinned as the other groaned.

"Just let me out mullet."

"Well that's not very nice! Bad Lance, Bad!" Keith promptly shut the door and Lance nearly screamed.

"KEITH!! Let me out!!"

"Not until you say you're sorry."

"Fine – sorry! Now let me out dammit!"

"Yeah see, I don't believe you mean that."

"Ughh. Ok fine – I'm sorry I yelled at you! Please will you let me know out now?" Keith hummed and hawed audibly for a few tics before mercifully opening the door once again. Lance awkwardly crawled out of the small space, moaning in pleasure as he stretched his legs.

"Why were you in there?"

"Hiding from Coran."

Keith stared blankly back at the Cuban waiting for him to elaborate but got nothing. After several tics, he dramatically rolled his eyes. "Yeah I got that, but why were you hiding from Coran?"

"Uh – he wants me to clean the pod I was in, and all the other ones too." The boy groaned again and performed some rather impressive stretches. Keith really had no idea Lance was that flexible, maybe he should sit in on more of his training sessions, watch him to - NO! Bad Keith! Ugh being surrounded by the same people every quintant was really starting to take its toll. It had been so long that even Lance was looking desirable. He shuddered slightly and came back to reality as the boy in question entered into 'downward dog' and Keith suavely turned a choke into a cough.

They were forced to perform something called 'Yoga' back at the Garrison and Keith had been exceptionally good at it, his training with the Blades making him abnormally flexible. Not to mention the fact that Galra have incredible balance and agility. Like everything else with the Garrison, they were separated into two classes. He had been in a class with James, Nadia, Ryan, Trevor, and Hunk while Lance had been in a different class. Meaning, this was the first time Keith had seen the boy expertly going through the poses and he if they were rivals in anything; clearly it was this.

He caught himself staring and, without a word, he walked away. "Hey wait! Where are you going?" Lance called but he ignored it, continuing down the hall. "KEITH!!! Wait ..." The sound of his boots hitting the floor echoed off the walls as Lance chased after him, his paladin armour weighing him down. Keith didn't wait.

A whole quintant went by as they continued on their way to the balmera, Hunk growing more and more anxious each passing varga. They entirety of their crew was now gathered on the bridge as the beast came into view on the screens. Allura discussed how the Balmera was alive – which he had already said, that they needed to mindful of its wellbeing – which he had already said, and that it would be a difficult mission – which he had already said! Honestly, Keith was starting to feel like no body actually listened to him around here.

"So, what's the plan? We go in there and just – pow, pow, pow! -" Lance jerked his arms around like a maniac. Actually, it was more like one of those hilarious tube creatures the vehicle distribution centre back in Texas had displayed in the front of their building to draw people in. Keith loved those things, he could watch them dance and flop around for vargas. "- And free the prisoners?"