"Welcome, welcome!" King Alfor said as Zarkon and Keith made their way down from the ship. Lance and Allura stood behind Alfor. The Kings bowed and smiled at one another; Alfor then smiled at Keith. "Young prince," he took Keith's hand and placed his other hand on top of it. "It's a pleasure to see you again." Keith bowed.
"Thank you, I always enjoy your company as well, sir." Alfor's smile grew, as did Keith's, and he looked to see his own father greet Allura and Lance.
"Now then, why don't you three go enjoy yourselves." Alfor said, waving them off. Lance smiled brightly at Keith, who smiled back just as bright. Funny how he didn't even look at Allura.
"Hey there, Keef!" Lance said, throwing an arm around Keith's shoulders. He glared at Lance.
"I told you to stop calling me that." Lance giggled, tapping Keith's nose with the tip of his finger.
"And what if I don't want to?" Allura raised a brow at her brother's playful behavior. Keith tsked and smiled; he and Lance walked on ahead of Allura. She frowned, not understanding how Lance could treat a Galra as if...as if he wasn't a Galra. They walked into the ballroom. Keith's eyes lit up as he looked around the room.
(I'm too lazy to describe)
Never had he seen such a beautiful ballroom. Or technically, he had never seen a ballroom in general. "Wow.." He whispered breathlessly. Lance chuckled at Keith's reaction, getting his attention. "What?" Lance shook his head.
"Oh nothing. You just look so cute." Keith blushed and looked away.
"Sh-shut up." Lance laughed, then Allura stood between the two, forcing them apart, and coughed into her fist.
"Oh Allura," Lance half smiled, "you're still here?" She frowned at him.
"Dear brother, I must speak with you," She narrowed her eyes at Keith, "alone." Keith looked away and Lance's brow furrowed.
"Uh, actually Keith and I-"
"It won't take long." She pulled him away to a more private place. Lance let out an aggravated breath and rolled his eyes.
"What is it?!" Allura crossed her arms.
"Since when did you get all mushy with the Galra?" Lance crossed his arms back with a pout.
"Um, first off, I'm not being mushy with 'the Galra', I'm being mushy with Keith—" Lance blushed, "I-I mean....not mushy just—wait, that's not the point here! I'm being nice to Keith because he is nice. Second, why are you being so hostile towards him! What did he ever do to you?!" Allura laughed sarcastically.
"It's not what he did to just me, it's what he did to everyone in the entire galaxy!"
"Uh, wrong." Lance stood closer to her, "Keith didn't do anything. I know he would never hurt anyone."
"He's Galra, Lance, why can't you se-"
"So what if he's Galra?! Also, might I remind you, we aren't fighting with them anymore!"
"That doesn't matter! They're still horrible, savage beasts! You can't trust them, not one!" Lance's glare softened, and he backed away.
"I'm starting to see who the real beast is here." He then left as Allura's eyes widened.
"Wait! What's that supposed to mean?! Lance!"
~
Keith stood away from the crowd in the corner, staring at the ground. His mind wandered off to another place. A safer place. A warmer place. A place where he wouldn't be judged. A place where he could be free to just be himself. A place where everyone was equal. A place where someone wouldn't cower in fear at the mention of a Galra...
"Hey." Lance was next to Keith, leaning against the wall. Keith jumped slightly and looked at Lance.
"Oh, hey." Lance's eyes softened.
"Something wrong?" Keith looked down.
"No I just.....I was..just thinking."
"Oh. About what?" Keith closed his eyes as a sigh escaped his lips.
"About me. About...why people hate me. What I'd give if I.....wasn't me." Lance stood in front of Keith with a worried and confused expression.
"Hey.." he held Keith's arms, "don't, don't talk like that." Lance looked around the room. "Come on." He grabbed Keith's wrist and pulled him outside.
"Where are we going?" Keith asked, looking back at the ballroom.
"Just come with me." Lance took Keith inside the castle, and pulled him into a large room. Lance closed the door and smiled at Keith, looking around; Keith then looked, too. There was so much space, in the corner was a huge bed. There was also a closet with royal outfits and fancy junk like that, and then there was a desk with a large mirror. "This is my room." Lance stated. Keith let out a short laugh.
"More like mini kingdom.." Lance giggled and walked past Keith. He followed Lance to a glass door, which opened up to a balcony. Lance walked outside and held his hand out to Keith. He smiled and grabbed onto it, and they walked out to the railing. "Wow." Keith said again, holding onto the rail. Lance rested his elbows on the rail, too, his hands casually hanging off the edge.
"What?"
"Altea, it's.." Keith sighed, "beautiful." Lance chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, I guess." He then shrugged, "I don't know, there's places that are a lot more beautiful than Altea." Keith smiled and looked out at the water, which glistened under the moonlight.
"Well, I think it's beautiful." Keith's smiled faded. "Of course..this is coming from a guy who's spent his whole life on a ship." Lance stared at Keith, licking his dry lips.
"Then, maybe I can take you." Keith looked at Lance with a bewildered expression, "I want you to see all the things I find beautiful." Lance pointed down, "Starting with that." Keith looked down, but all he saw was his own reflection in the water.
"But..nothing's there." Lance shook his head.
"Yes, there is. Tell me what you see." Keith frowned.
"Well...I just see.." He glanced at the Altean prince before looking back at the water, "I see me.."
"Exactly." Keith blushed and turned around, leaning back against the rail. "Why did you look away?" Keith closed his eyes and rubbed his arm uncomfortably.
"I...you're saying I'm—" Lance smiled softly, "beautiful?" He whispered in disbelief.
"Uh huh. So why did you look away?" Keith couldn't bring himself to look at Lance.
"Because I'm not—" Lance gently placed his hand on Keith's shoulder, causing Keith to tense, "I'm not, Lance. I never will be."
"That's not true, Keith." There was a moment of silence between the two.
"What did Allura say to you?" Keith asked suddenly, surprising Lance. His eyes grew large.
"Wha—um.....nothing important, o-or about you-"
"Please, that is what isn't true here." Keith shook his head. "She told you to stay away from me, or something like that, right? She said I'm Galra, so I can't be trusted."
"Keith-"
"If I wasn't Galra then I bet she'd like me. She wouldn't hate me so much, and glare at me everytime she saw me. I told you Lance, if I wasn't me-"
"Keith would you quit it!" Lance raised his voice, "Stop hating yourself, stop wishing you were different! It won't do you any good. The only thing you can do is accept who you are. If you want people to trust you, then you have to show them. Show them who you are, the kind of person you can be on the inside. Show them until they say, 'hey look, it's Keith!' and not 'look, it's a Galra!' You need to show people you're an introvert at times, you're stubborn, hotheaded, you like to joke around, you're emo," Keith rolled his eyes at that, "You showed it to me." Lance looked into Keith's eyes, "You showed me there is so much more to you then just a Galra. You're Keith." Lance smiled and shrugged his shoulders, "And I love Keith." Keith didn't know what to say; he could only stare back at Lance. He felt a hand wrap around his own, and his face grew hot. Lance's lips parted, a cute small smile forming, making Keith's heart beat faster. He moved in closer to Keith, ever so close...
"Young prince." The two boys jumped and moved away from each other. Lance looked to the door, while Keith turned the other way.
"O-Oh! Zarkon, sir, what brings you here?" Keith's eyes widened and his ears flattened against his head.
"I was told I could find you here. I noticed you and my son had disappeared from the dance." Lance laughed hesitantly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh...yeah, we were just—taking a break from the loud music." Zarkon's emotionless face didn't change.
"Of course you were. Keith," He addressed his son. Keith turned to Zarkon with his head down, "it's time." Keith's brows furrowed with worry and he nodded. He looked at Lance once more before taking his leave. Lance raised an eyebrow.
"It's time? Time for what?" Zarkon turned to the Altean.
"Why don't you join us, Prince Lance? There is a young woman looking for you." Lance blinked a few times before following them out.