"Does Keith really have to do this?" Lance asked Zarkon as Keith nervously made his way to Allura.
"He must be able to bond with her if they desire a stable marriage." Zarkon replied. Lance watched Allura's smile fade when Keith approached her. She frowned and looked away.
"Um, Princess Allura?"
"What." She snapped at him. Keith's ears dropped.
"I-I um...would you—care to dance?" She glared at him.
"And why would I want to do that?" Something snapped inside Keith. He growled, ears flattening in anger.
"Okay look here, sugar queen, I don't want to dance just as much as you do. I was forced to ask you to dance, I didn't even want to speak to you at all tonight. Now if you don't want to dance, then fine. Now that I think about it, I only had to ask you; I didn't have to actually dance with you, which I'm extremely thankful for," Allura's glare darkened, "but I asked, and you said no. So now that that's done, I'm going to leave and go back to enjoying my time here." Keith turned to walk away, but a hand gripped his arm. Allura smirked down at him.
"I didn't say no, Galra. In fact," she looked around the room to make sure people were watching, "I'd love to dance." She pulled him close to her and they got into position. Guests around them moved out of the way, so they could watch the couple to be. They glided across the dancefloor, and Lance frowned, looking away.
It pisses me off that she's so rude to him. She's judging him because he's Galra. She doesn't even know who he is; to her, he's just a Galra. She just glared at him, and now they're dancing together as if nothing happened. But what pisses me off most is how—how good they...actually look together.
"They certainly look like they belong to each other, don't they?" Alfor said, watching the two as well. Lance looked back at them, sighing.
"Yeah. They do." Then some girl came strolling up to Lance. Zarkon seemed to know her, his natural frown lightening.
"Oh, this is the young woman who was asking for you, Prince Lance." She was smiling at Lance..however her eyes were not.
"Hello there, sweetness." She said to him. Lance raised a brow and leaned back a little.
"Um...hi?" She curtsied slightly, holding the ends of her poofy red dress. Her long pigtails bounced gracefully when she came back up.
"My name is Nyma." She held out her hand, waiting for him to take and kiss it. Then Lance had a bad, oh, such a bad BAD idea. He just smiled, taking her hand, but giving it a very overdramatic shake.
"NAce ta mEet ya!" He boomed. Her eyes widened and her nose wrinkled in shock and disgust, "GEe ladE, you're mAghte pertE!" Lance got up close in her face with a large cockeyed grin, "HAs boUt chU an I take a shpIn on thAt ther dAncefler!?" She pulled her hand out of Lance's and backed away.
"N-no thanks...I'm good." She scurried away and Lance rolled his eyes, composing himself again. Alfor and Zarkon stood together, glancing at each other before staring back at Lance.
~
"Why are you dancing with me?" Keith asked in a low voice so no one else would hear them. Allura simply giggled.
"Well, people need to believe we love each other, don't they?" Keith raised his eyebrow.
"But we don't."
"Silly Galra-"
"If I were you, I would refrain from calling me 'Galra.'" Keith said with a glare, but she glared back.
"But you're not me, and I'm certainly not you." Keith's glare left and he looked away. Allura sighed pitifully, "I just—I've been so selfish. I wasn't thinking of my people. So after some thought, I decided to go through with the marriage." Keith huffed a laugh.
"And what could have possibly managed to chang your mind?"
"I realized it will be glorious. Once we are married, I'll be considered a hero. People will see me and be thankful for ending the war. Everyone will adore me for saving them from the dreaded Galra." Keith frowned.
"They'll adore you?" She smirked.
"Yes. Believe me, they won't even think of you."
"And why not?" She giggled darkly.
"Because. You'll be dead." Keith's eyes widened and he stopped dancing.
"What?!" She clapped her hand onto his mouth.
"Hush hush, my dear prince. We don't want this act to fall apart, do we?" Her fingers trailed to his jaw and gripped around it tighty, "So not a word of this to anyone." Keith grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away.
"And what's to stop me?" She rolled her eyes with a smirk.
"Uh, war, obviously." Keith froze.
"But.."
"This marriage is the only thing keeping Zarkon from taking over the universe. So you and I will just have to get married." Keith frowned.
"That wasn't your attitude before. A-and how exactly am I going to be dead?" Allura tried to get him to dance again, but he jerked away.
"Well, since you asked so nicely. We'll only be married for a short time. People will think we're so happy together, but then uh oh..! Prince Keith gets into a little accident." Keith gasped in disbelief.
"You wouldn't..." She smiled, her eyes narrowing. "You—you would!?" Keith backed up further, but Allura still advanced towards him.
"Oh come on, Galra, I don't bite." He started panicking and ran away. Lance's eyes followed him and soon his legs sprinted after Keith. Eventually he found him sitting at the edge of the lake, hold his knees close to himself.
"Keith?" He tried to answer, but before he could speak, a sob escaped his lips. Lance was beside Keith, holding him to his chest, in a heartbeat. "Hey, what's wrong?" Keith couldn't hold it, and he soon began crying in Lance's chest, his fingers gripping tightly onto Lance's clothes. Lance closed his eyes and rested his head on Keith's. "Shh, Keith, it's okay." He rubbed his thumb against Keith's back. "I'm here." Keith's breathing was uneven, and his shoulders shook. Lance continued to whisper sweet nothings until Keith calmed down. "There, you feel better?" Keith wiped the tears from his eyes.
"Not really." He sat up and looked away.
"Okay then, can you tell me what happened?" Keith pursed his lips, tears threatening to spill again.
"No." His voice was hoarse. Lance looked at him in shock.
"What? But...you always tell me everything." Lance felt hurt. Keith shook his head; that statement wasn't entirely true. "Why can't you tell me what's wrong?"
"Y-you just ca-an't know."
"Please, Keith." Lance scooted closer to Keith, wrapping his arms around him again. "You have to tell me." Keith only stared at the ground. "Please." Lance said softly. Finally, Keith broke; Lance could melt anyone. Wasn't fair.
"A-Allura.....she said...she..sh-she's going to.." He covered his mouth to prevent himself from crying again. Lance's brow furrowed.
"What is she going to do?" Keith let out a slow breath.
"She's going to kill me." Lance's eyes widened, "After we're married, she said she's going to stage an accident." Lance felt his heart speed up out of anger. He started breathing faster and stood up. "Lance?"
"I'll be right back." He said through clenched teeth and started walking back, but Keith panicked and stood up after him.
"What?! No Lance, you can't!" He grabbed Lance's arm, and the Altean whipped around.
"Why not?! She threatened to kill you, Keith! My father needs to know about this!" Keith shook his head.
"No, no! This marriage is the only way to bring peace!"
"Peace?! Keith, after the marriage, you could be killed! Now I think that's pretty different from peace!"
"It has to happen-"
"What are you even saying!? You're okay with Allura murdering you?!" Keith shook his head.
"No that's not what I meant! I mean.." He sighed and shut his eyes, "I don't know what I mean." Lance stopped, and looked down.
"Then...then we can talk them out if it." Keith shook his head solemnly.
"Lance, it won't work."
"Well, we have to try! Your life is just as valuable as anyone else's!"
"But it's not-"
"Keith. I am going to talk to my father about this. He has to know." Keith looked down at his hand, realizing he was still holding onto Lance's arm. He quickly let go and bit his lip.
"I-"
"Do you want to marry Allura?" Keith looked up at Lance.
"What?"
"Do you, want to, marry Allura." Lance repeated. Keith fiddled with his fingers, looking away.
"Well, no-"
"Then why deal with all this?!"
"Lance, that's not how it works!" Keith ran a hand through his hair, "I'm sorry, but what I want doesn't matter. What you want; even Allura! The only people who have the authority around here are our fathers! And what they want is for me and Allura to be married!"
"They should still know what's going on! Our fathers care about us, and they should be able to work something out!"
"No!"
"Why not?!"
"Because nothing else will work!"
"How do you know!"
"Because—I have to wed Alfor's child in order to bring peace! The agreement was to marry his daughter!"
"Then we'll have them change it!"
"How can we change it?!"
"Marry his son!"
"How-" Keith's eyes widened, realizing what Lance just said. "Wh-what are you saying?" Lance soft blue eyes pierced Keith's purple ones.
"I'm saying I will marry you." Lance stepped closer to Keith, grabbing his hands. Said Galra blushed furiously, looking anywhere besides Lance.
"W-w-wait........no this..I-I can't just-" Keith bit his lip, "..this won't-"
"Keith," Lance cupped his cheeks, their eyes locking, "I love you." Keith's eyes watered, forcing him to shut them tightly.
"Lance-"
"Sh. You and I have spoken to each other every day for the past three months. Each day, I discover more things I love about you. I don't know how I could possibly live without you now. You make every day so much better for me." Lance leaned in closer, "You don't understand just how much you mean to me." Keith knew what was coming; he knew he had to stop it.
But...
He didn't.
Their lips fit ever so perfectly together, eyes closed, kiss filled with both of their own fiery passion.
Keith's hands hesitantly made their way to Lance's neck, while Lance wrapped his arms securely around Keith's waist. Slowly, their lips were separated. The two stared at one another through their half lidded orbs.
Lance backed Keith up against the cold, outside wall, kissing him deeply. His gentle hands held Keith's hips, and Keith held dearly onto Lance's shoulders.
This is..wrong
Lance kissed Keith's cheek.
So very wrong
Down to his jaw.
I..I have to stop him
Keith let out a small moan as Lance's fingers trailed down to his front.
B-before....
He rubbed against Keith's—
"Lance!" Keith gasped, finally coming back to reality, pushing the other away. He looked at the ground, panting for air. Lance stood there, staring at Keith. He held Lance as far away from him as he could, "We....we can't do this."
"Keith."
"Th-this is crazy."
"Keith."
"What are we doing, Lance?"
"Keith."
"What?" He finally looked up.
"Do you love me?" Keith blushed a dark red, facing away and slowly retracting his hands to his chest.
"I-I...don't know."
"How do you not know?" Keith shut his eyes.
"Lance, this isn't something you can just—know! It's..different, for me at least."
"How is it different."
"It could...ruin everything." A shadow cast over Lance's eyes, and he backed away.
"Do you not wish to marry me?" Lance asked in a low voice, sending a chill up Keith's spine, his ears lowering.
"No, that's not it..our fathers—they made an agreement. Zarkon gives me, and Alfor gives Allura." Keith sighed, "That's just how it has to be."
"But it doesn't." Lance stepped forward; Keith stepped back, hitting the wall once more, "It doesn't have to be this way."
"Yes, Lance."
"No!" Keith flinched, "Even though it'd be me, instead of Allura, it doesn't change anything! That's still two children of the Kings being wed!" Keith rubbed his arms, suddenly feeling cold without Lance's warmth.
"We should go inside." He said, almost in a whisper, disregarding the Altean's comment. Lance sighed, turning his back to Keith.
"You go. I'll..stay out a little longer."
"Are you sure? You could catch a cold out here-"
"I'll be fine." Keith looked down at his feet before taking a few steps back to the door.
"Lance?" He only turned his head in Keith's direction, "I'm sorry." Lance looked at the ground first, before turning away again.
"Sure." The harsh tone stung Keith's heart, but he knew what was right, so he turned and walked inside. Lance pursed his lips and sat down on the grass.