Ardor | Klance [COMPLETED]

XXXIV. Praeterita [Latin for 'the past']

Lance looked down and his feet were off the ground.
His bayard was gone; where it is, he'll probably never know (though at this point, he won't live long enough to ever look for it).
Without even having to look up, the blue paladin knew exactly what he was doing off the ground.
He was being sucked into a ship, just as Shiro's old stories of Kerberos had described. He felt like the black paladin, in a way.
Just less confident, less selfless, and a little more terrified for his life.

"Hey Keith.. can I ask you a question?"

"It depends."

Lance looked down at him, eyebrows furrowed. "What are we?"

Heating up, Keith snapped his eyes away.
"I-I don't know."

"What do you want to be?"

He thought for a minute.
All Keith wanted was right here.

Trying to think, Lance swung his shoulder and tried to grab onto something to keep him on the ground.
Oh, right.
There was nothing on this stupid planet but black sand.

He threw his hands into the sand that was rising with him, but it just dissolved in his hands, like he was trying to hold a slippery bar of soap.
Nothing was going to keep him on the ground.
He sobbed.

"Hey.. Lance?"

"What?"

Before he could say anything else, Keith buried Lance in a hug.
"I'm really, really sorry for not telling you about this."

"I should be apologizing." Lance whispered, wrapping Keith in his arms. He placed his chin on Keith's head.

"You already did, stupid."

"Yeah, I know, but I never hurts go do it twice."

"You're really shitty, you know that?"

Lance chuckled.
"That's why you love me."

"For sure."

He frantically looked around for something to grip onto as he rose farther into the air and closer to the bottom of the ship.
The red paladin wasn't anywhere in sight.
"Keith! Keith!"
Lance screamed as loud as he could through his tears, the terror cutting his gut in half.
The ship loomed over him.

This is it.
This is his goodbye.
No more Voltron.
No more Hunk, Pidge.
No more Shiro or Allura.
No more Coran.

Lance grabbed Keith's hand.
"This isn't some stupid fling, Kogane." He sighed.
"I know. We've been through a lot. I know sometimes we don't get along. That's what people do for love."

"We're not in love! It's like middle school! You get a crush, your friends set it up, and where does it go? Nowhere. You've given me a peck on the lips twice, Lance, twice-" Keith gritted his teeth. "- and you expect me to tell you that I love you and pretend like we're in a relationship?!"

"Keith-"

"That's not how it works."

"Keith. Come on."

No more Keith.
His days of "sparring and hanging out" were over.
He'd never get to hear Keith's voice again.
Never get to see his smile.
Lance is never going to kiss Keith for real.
Because he's going to die.
And Keith was the last person he saw.
The last person he talked to,
The last relationship he had,
But the first person that wasn't family that he truly loved.

Keith threw his head back. "I'm sorry, Lance. But I just don't feel like this is going to last."

"Then let's enjoy it until it doesn't."

"You can't-"

"Samurai, go out with me."

Keith held his breath.
"What?"

"Go out with me." Lance repeated. "You said I can't tell you I loved you until it was real. Here it is. Be my boyfriend."

"What if we get sick of each other? We live together."

"Are you sick of me right now?"

Keith held in a grin.
"No."

"There you go."

Keith paused.
"I sweat a lot."

"You smell pretty good."

"I sleep with my shoes on."

"Of course you do."

"Sometimes, I drink straight out of the milk carton."

"Don't we all?"

"Lance! Gross!"

Lance laughed, and stepped closer to Keith, looking down softly at his face.
"Please."

"Fine. I'll go out with you. As long as nobody knows. Keep your big mouth shut."

"Hey!"

"You deserve it." Keith pressed his nose to Lance's.

"I love you."

"Lance!"

The blue paladin screamed so loud that his ears popped as he gazed down at the planet he was standing on moments ago, feeling all the oxygen escape from his body at once as his back scraped against the ship.

Goodnight, Keith. I love you."

Keith was frozen in place, mind whirling, but only one phrase could come from his mouth.

"I love you too."
And the blue paladin was gone.

And the blue paladin was gone.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is this the end??!?!?!