~Two months later~
"If you really want to talk to him then why don't you call?" Lotor asked, watching as Keith stared down at his mirror.
"But he doesn't answer." Lotor snickered.
"Hey, now you know how he felt." Keith glared at Lotor, before letting out a sigh. He set his mirror down on his bed.
"I don't want to bother him though."
"Why would you think you'd be bothering him?" It was more of a rhetorical question, but Keith's answer made Lotor stiff.
"..because he told me."
"Lance—wait...he told you himself you were bothering him?" Keith nodded.
"I called him one time and he was just mad. He told me he was busy and didn't have time to be bothered by someone like me." Lotor frowned.
"But.."
"Lotor, what if he hates me now?" Keith mumbled, mainly to himself, "I don't know what I could've done to-"
"He wouldn't hate you, Keith." Lotor then narrowed his eyes, "He better not hate you." Keith sighed, so Lotor held his arm for comfort, "I'm sure it's fine."
"Yeah, I mean, he's probably just stressed about Allura being alive and how she's evil and stuff." Lotor smiled.
"See? There's always another explanation that makes way more sense." Then there was a knock on Keith's door. Zarkon stood on the other side, gently pushing it open. "Hello, Father." Lotor said.
"Hi, Father." Zarkon nodded in acknowledgment.
"Good afternoon, boys. Alfor has sent me a message: he'd like us to come visit Altea." Keith's chest tightened.
"What for?"
"He says Prince Lance has been distant with him, with everyone, and perhaps his closest friends could help." Zarkon gestured to the two of them, "Meaning you two-"
"Yeah we got that part." Lotor replied, "Are we leaving like, right now?" Zarkon nodded. "Oh uh..okay."
~
"Thank goodness you've come." Alfor said to the three as they walked out of the ship. Alfor looked straight to Keith, "Prince Keith, I need your help." Said Galran stepped forward.
"Where is Lance? Is he okay?"
"He's just up in his room." Keith nodded.
"Then I'm going up, too."
"Are you gonna be okay alone?" Keith smiled back at Lotor.
"I'll be fine." Lotor nodded, letting out a nervous sigh.
~
"Lance?" Keith knocked gently on the door, "It's Keith. Kind of a surprise..b-but I was hoping you could talk to me? I know last time we talked, you said you didn't want to be bothered but—I'll bother you as much as I need to so I can be sure you're happy." The door opened to a watery eyed Lance. Any other words Keith had prepared to say were stuck in his throat.
"I'm sorry." He mumbled; his eyes were focused on the floor, "I can't talk now." Keith huffed.
"Then when can I talk to you?" Lance closed his eyes, his body beginning to shake.
"Keith, I'm really sorry, but-"
"No." Lance brought his head up to look at Keith, "What's wrong with you, Lance? It's just, this whole time you've been back, you want absolutely nothing to do with me! I don't understand what I did, and when you 'can't talk to me,' it only confuses me even more!" Keith made his way in and shut the door, so they could continue in private, "Look, I get it alright? You've got a lot on your shoulders right now. Having to deal with Allura being alive and how she tried to mind control you-"
"That's not-" Lance seemed to be struggling for his breath, "I-" He stopped, shutting his eyes. Keith looked away and sighed.
"I can see you don't want me here." Lance's lip quivered, "Before I go, I just want one answer." Keith glared at Lance, "Just one simple answer. Can you do that?" The Altean glanced at Keith, so he just continued, "What happened to you?" Keith's eyes pierced Lance's skull; Lance could feel it, which was why he was too afraid to look at him. But he still didn't say anything. "Can you seriously not answer that?!" Lance flinched, then he took a deep breath.
"I...wish I could give you the answer you want."
"It's not about what I want, it's about what you refuse to tell me." Lance's demeanor seemed to change, and he quietly scoffed.
"Listen, Keith. I want to be alone. It would be better for me if you just get out of my room now." Keith stared at Lance for a tick.
"Fine." Without another word, he turned and left.
~~~
"We've been here for days, and you and Lance haven't said one word to each other." Lotor said to Keith; they were outside, sitting down on the grass as the sun rose. Keith rolled his eyes.
"Well, what else do you expect me to do? I tried talking to him already."
"Once." Keith raised a questioning brow at Lotor, "You tried once. If you really cared about him, then you wouldn't just give up." Keith looked away.
"He wants nothing to do with me-"
"You don't know that, besides, why would Lance just stop loving you. He doesn't hate you." Keith frowned, his ears twitching slightly.
"Lance doesn't hate me.." He repeated skeptically, thinking back to the recent events.
"Yes, I just said that."
"But his sister does." Keith stood up, "I'll be back later." He walked inside to find Lance.
~
"They're children, what could they do?" Zarkon said to Alfor as Keith walked past the room they were in.
"These still shouldn't be taken lightly. As long as your son is here, he could be in serious danger." Keith stopped and 'accidentally' began listening.
"I suppose you are correct. I'll send him and Lotor off Altea in a few vargas." Keith didn't understand.
"Father?" Both men jumped at the sound of Keith's voice. They turned around and the screen they were looking at disappeared.
"Keith! What are you doing here?" Zarkon asked nervously. Keith looked between the two.
"Um, I temporary live here so.." Zarkon and Alfor glanced at each other, "Father, what's going on? Why did you say I'm leaving with Lotor?" Zarkon sighed.
"Alright. But you must understand it's for your own good. Alfor has received threats," Keith's lips parted, "...threats towards you."
"T-towards me? But why? Who are they from?" Alfor pulled up the screen they were viewing before Keith came in.
"We still don't know." Keith walked up to stand between them, "As far as we know, it's a group of Galrans who aren't happy with your, relationship, with Lance." Keith frowned.
"Galrans?" Alfor nodded, "King Alfor, I mean no disrespect when I say this, but I think these threats have something to do with Allura." Zarkon held a hand on Keith's shoulder.
"King Alfor and I feel it would be better if you left Altea with your brother."
"That's just what Allura wants him to do." Lotor's voice could be heard. The three turned to find him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. "Allura's sending those threats to get Keith off of Altea. This way, he's out in the open. He has nowhere to hide; that's what makes the perfect target." Zarkon turned to Alfor, who rubbed his hands together.
"He's your son, Zarkon. You know what's best for him." Lotor walked over to them, too.
"Father, I know it'd be better for Keith to stay here. There are a lot of people here; civilians, guards, and more importantly, you're here. You can be sure he's safe if he's here." Keith looked between all three of them now.
"Father?" Keith asked, hopeful. Truth be told, as much as Lance didn't want to see Keith, he wouldn't even think of leaving Lance. Zarkon looked down at Keith, concerned.
"I just don't want anything to happen to you." Lotor smirked rather confidently and threw an arm around Keith's shoulders.
"Please, he's gonna be with his big brother. He'll be perfectly fine." Keith smiled.
"Thanks, Lotor." Zarkon closed his eyes, thinking it over.
"Very well. But you must promise me you both will stay inside the castle at all times." Keith's smile dropped.
"Man.."
"Do you promise?" Zarkon asked; Keith sighed.
"Yes, I promise."