Warning: Sorta Smut....again
Keith was just reading his book under his favorite tree. All peace and quiet and literature. He was just a poor boy from a poor family with nothing to do but wait for his friend. Best friend. Boyfriend.
Lance came running to him, wearing his expensive white collar shirt and navy blue pants, beautiful compared to Keith's worn out and dirty outfit. The 13 year smiled widely,"Keith!" He practically leaped on his, and almost knocked the wind out of him. He snuggled into his neck and Keith breathed in his sweet salty smell of the ocean. "What are you reading?" Keith showed him the title,"Macbeth, by Shakespeare." Lance grinned,"Oh yes, I hear he's currently writing another play. I'm excited for it." Keith smiled as Lance read the words along with him. But his words were sorta quiet. "Darling." He said. Darling was their little word. It meant they wanted a kiss or a hug or something. Keith chuckled and leaned down pressing his lips to Lance. But he couldn't help but notice the shiver and tremble. But when they pulled away Lance was beaming at him. He cuddled in close to him again then whispered almost too quietly,"Do you love me?" Keith's face went up in flames,"Lance?" Lance giggled slightly, but not really,"Do you love me?" Keith mumbled quietly,"Of course I do." Lance hid his face in the crook of his neck and started trembling violently. "K-Keith, I have to go." Keith's eyes widened feeling the hot tears on his shirt,"What do you mean?"
"Father is having me go to a boarding school till I'm 16, we won't see each other for 3 years. I just found out and ran to you as fast as i could to tell you. I'm leaving tonight. Right now." Keith remained silent for a while, the tears slipping out. Lance looked up, eyes red and puffy," But I will see you again. I will. I'll make sure of it. " Keith looked up at him, nervous and timid,"You know, I promised I'd marry you, can we still-?" Lance cut him off, "I swear I'll swear in front of my whole family and friends that you, the person in front of me, are truly the one." Keith couldn't hold back the passion and kissed him harshly, each scrambling and clutching each other tightly. they pulled away and Lance got up and started to leave,"I swear it Keith!"
Lance was gone
Just like that.
Hours passed and Keith was numb under the tree. His friend, Pidge came by. "Keith, your called at your home. There's the royal guards." He walked home, sulking the entire way thinking of Lance and his precious smile and how he would never see it again for 3 years.. or more.
There were indeed royal guards at his house, his mother Krolia nervous and shaking slightly. "Keith." He furrowed his eyebrows,"What is it." The guard in front spoke first, he was the highest rank and had a scar over his nose and a buzz cut with pitch black hair,"Keith Kogane, one of our soldiers passed by and saw you training with a knife. It was remarkable for someone your age, my level. And I'm twenty years old, taking years to master the art of martial arts. WE need someone like you to enter the Blade of Marmora, our trusted royal army. Please, accept out position." He pleaded him with his eyes, begging him to join this army. Keith sighed,"I-I don't-"
"Keith Kogane, I beg of you, please." It was a different voice, an older one. The guards got down on their knees and bowed their heads, showing King Alfor of Altea. King Alfor coughed slightly , concerning everyone, and the guard with the scar came to his side. "We don't have many people like you in this world. You could make a difference."
Keith wasn't interested. He didn't care about anything in the world except Lance. But...the army travels around the world. Maybe, just maybe, could he see Lance or just a glimpse during his travels. And if he was successful, he could make money for his single mother. Keith clenched his fists,"I accept." King Alfor sighed in relief. Krolia sobbed, Keith didn't really know why. He felt nothing.
He was taken away and trained hard, working up the ranks for 3 years. He became general and a few days after his promotion, King Alfor, a true teacher and friend, passed away. Shirogane, the guard with the scar became King Shirogane. He preferred Shiro if you were his friend though.
It had been three years and there wasn't a second that Keith didn't think about Lance. Everything he did was for him. The thought of him. He never did see him on his deployments, but always hoped too. King Shiro has been king for a year now and he was hosting a special celebration for a secret purpose, which he'd announce later. Keith had his hair beautifully gelled back into a ponytail and wore an elegant red and gold classic altean military uniform, a short waist length cape showing the rank of General. He stood by Shiro as he greeted the guests, mildly looking bored. Shiro nudged him when a handsome brown haired and skinned man with black glasses came up. Keith stiffened up and smirked seeing Shiro's red cheeks. He spoke,"Adam, i-it's wonderful to see you again." He also wore his military uniform, just in black and sliver. Adam smiled sweetly,"Of course, Takashi. It's wonderful to see you too." Adam kindly bowed to Keith but it was more friendly, there were close after all. Shiro smiled dreamily after him as he left. Keith rolled his eyes then froze. Froze completely as the world stopped moving, focused on the most beautiful man he had ever seen. Had once seen.
Sun bronzed skin and hair with light azure blue eyes. He wore a white collared shirt, the top button sorta neatly unbuttoned and a blue vest with gold patterns and pants and boots that matched. He had a crown with a gem across his forehead and silver chains loosely encircled his neck, a large blue gem matching his eyes in the center. The butler announced his name and Keith grabbed onto Shiro's throne so he wouldn't pass out.
"Lance McClain of Altea, recently graduated from Altea's Boarding School."( I almost put Altea BS)
He heart thumped wildly, almost jumping out his chest as he walked the stairs. He could've sworn he saw Lance hesitate, but it must've been part of his imagination. Lance walked up the steps, obviously being the belle of the ball. Shiro glanced at Keith, knowing their relationship since Keith told him everything. They were like brothers. "Lance, it's a pleasure to meet you." Lance smiled and opened his eyes, even bluer than from afar. Keith hoped his shaking wasn't obvious. "It's a pleasure to meet you, your majesty." Shiro placed his hand on Keith's shoulder, making his flinch,"I'm sure you know our general, Keith Kogane." Lance finally, finally, looked at him. Keith tried to look in his eyes for hidden love and happiness.
There was none.
Lance smiled weakly,"Yes, I've heard much about the general's accomplishments. It's truly an honor to meet you." Keith cursed himself for stuttering,"T-Thank you." Meet? Just meet? Did Lance just magically forget who he was? No, he knew him, he could tell he recognized him. But the fact he didn't looking lovingly at him hurt him more than when he got the scar in his right cheek. He looked...pained as if remembering something he didn't want to.
Lance walked away and didn't look back, even though Keith stared at him during the entire celebration. It was the end of the ball, and Shiro finally stopped flirting with Adam and tapped on his glass. Everyone turned to face the king,"Our evening has come to an end. It is time for the special announcement I have to make. I have recently lost my Duke of Altea, Ellen Sanda, to where her memory will be remembered. But my time of mourning has passed and I need a new Duke. I have already made this choice. There is nothing better than the man standing right next to me." Keith somehow managed to stop staring at Lance and his eyes widened toward Shiro. He wore a proud smile, and the white tuft of his hair made him seem way too old. He got it while being exposed to a powerful source on the battlefield. "I-I" Shiro chuckled,"I know you will accept this honor like you did three years ago." Keith's expression morphed into the warmest smile on the planet. The crowd kinda blushed.
Shiro felt a shiver down his spine, he felt as if someone was staring at him in jealousy.
"I accept." The crowd began to applaud loudly. Keith's eyes drifted toward Lance and his heart was gone. His eyes were crinkled up by his large smile and shining blue eyes, gleaming brightly screaming with happiness and burning with love. He probably clapped the loudest. Then he relaxed as his eyes almost saddened and he walked off into the outside porch.
Keith started to walk off as Shiro called out to him,"About time you find yourself a boyfriend, Keith! You need to get engaged soon!" He said with a smirk, teasing him. Keith yelled across the room, only looking back for a second,"About time you finally asked Adam out! You need him!" Shiro's mouth dropped open, cheeks blowing up along with the entire crowd. Adam stared at Shiro, his own cheeks red and his shocked expression turning into a ditzy happy smile.
Keith ran out the room and realized Lance must've left quicker than he thought. He searched the entire outside patio till finding him leaning on the rail, into the moon away from the crowd and the celebration.
He had so much to say, but didn't say it. He couldn't, not with Lance standing there so simple yet so beautiful. When he finally did speak, it was one words, his voice raspy and dark, as if he were unsure how to say it.
"Lance."
Lance turned around and Keith could've sworn his eyes were teary and glassy but they were probably just a part of his imagination. Lance's eyes widened,"Ah, K- General, or should I say Duke. Congratulations on your promotion." Keith nodded numbly, as if he didn't believe Lance was really there, a few feet away from him. He mumbled a quick thank you and then there was a uncomfortable silence that didn't last long.
" Lance please don't treat me like a stranger." His eyes were soft and pleaded.Lance flinched looking at them and turned away from him," Alright then...." Keith bit his lip," Why won't you speak?" Lance's eyebrows furrowed and then he look angry almost," Once I left, I received the newspaper a week after. The headline was that a young boy, Keith Kogane, joined the military by request of the king. I thought you just didn't care anymore and didn't want to wait for me, so you went to the military to....forget about me. Or to just die, since their training is murderous. I heard for three years about you constantly putting yourself in danger with heroic acts and rushing into things. Then when you got that scar when you were fifteen, I was terrified that you didn't care about anything in life to where you would lose it easily. But....at least I had news of you, constantly seeing if you were okay and alive still. It just made me...angry. Then I saw you today and felt so scared but numb, remembering when I first found out and how I screamed and how horrible it felt. I couldn't think right seeing that scar on you, not just a painting in the weekly article...." He trailed off and Keith couldn't have possibly loved more in that moment. He was concerned and worried for him for three years.
"Lance do you still..." he couldn't finish his words.
Lance looked up from the ground and his eyes looked like they were about to burst into tears," I said I would love you forever, didn't I? Of course I do." His face reddened, as if he wasn't use to saying that. He hadn't been. But he would. He lifted his chin up but gave up and turned around back at the night sky. Keith stayed silent, which was a bad move. Lance was getting scared. But then he took a step closer, so close they were only centimeters apart from touching. He whispered softly,"Lance..." He put his hands on his shoulders and chuckled lightly, something he'd do when they were younger when Lance was mad at him. "I'm Duke now, and I've been wanting a partner for sometime...to spend the rest of my life with..." Lance turned around, his face red,"W-Who is it?" Keith leaned in and purposefully brushed their lips together, both getting shivers down their spine and their eyes becoming glassy,"Do you remember what you said when you were about to leave?"
Lance gasped,"Oh My God, Darling-" Keith clashed their lips together, finally getting the word he wanted, the permission. Each time they pulled away for air, the kisses were short and more needy, grabbing at each other with their hands and pulling and tugging their hair, clothes, and bodies. Lance spoke between the kisses when Keith started to kiss his neck hotly,"Darling, god, baby I swear, I swear, I swear-" Keith connected their lips again pushing him to the rail, the sound of their kisses overwhelming Lance. He huffed while smiling and kissing, panting. He cupped Keith's cheeks in his hands and held their faces close together," I swear I'll swear in front of my whole family and friends that you, the person in front of me, are truly the one." Keith whimpered and slotted their lips together again.
Adam and Shiro were nervously holding hands and looking around the palace, since everyone left and the celebration was over. Adam peaked in between door cracks and saw Keith and Lance, together outside on the porch. He squealed and Shiro raised his eyebrow,"What's happened." Adam giggled lightly,"Nothing, Nothing, let's just get going." He pushed Shiro away from the engaged couple. Shiro mumbled confused,"Babe, what-" Adam just laughed," Come one, we have two weddings to prepare for."