Start All Over : Klance AU

Tent

Keith was trembling.

Oh God, he was trembling so badly.

And next to another man, no less.

The droplets of water speckling Lance's torso glimmered beautifully in the light of the bright sunset. Keith couldn't help but admire the lean, but well pronouced muscle of the nymph.

It honestly took every ounce of will power in Keith not to reach over and touch Lance's thick bicep or his toned abdomen.

With all his admiring, Keith was noticing features of Lance he hadn't noticed before. Features like Lance's sharp, defined jaw or his high cheekbones.

Keith gulped as Lance ran his fingers through his hair and the dark locks slicked back in place. He shuddered as Lance looked in his direction and quickly turned his gaze towards the task he was supposed to be completing.

The tent he started on nearly half an hour ago was still not complete.

~

Of course Keith had to share a tent with Lance.

He glared at the thin sheet that provided cover for them. He gripped his blanket, Adara curled up at his feet and her tail draped over his shins.

Loire lay rather dramatically in her back, legs all streched and body twisted, purring loudly in her sleep as Lance stroked her fur and occationaly scratched her chest, chin, and behind her ears.

As the night dragged on, Keith began to relax, the sound of crickets, the lions purring, and Lance's steady breaths calming him. Keith was almost asleep when Lance spoke up.

"What's your story?"

Keith blinked, then sat up with his brows furrowed. "What?"

Lance looked up at him, eyes glowing again like they always do in the dark. Not a creepy glow, though. A soft, soothing kind of glow. "Your background... I know next to nothing about you, and you know that I'm a Prince. You shouldn't, but you do."

Keith huffed, slouching slightly. Lance sat up as well, leaning back and putting all of his weight on his hands. "There's not a whole lot to tell..."

"Then it should be quick and easy." Lance mused, tilting his head.

"Right..." Keith muttered, glancing to the nymph. "Well... My mom left when I was little... I dont remember much about her... My dad became a drunk, so I pretty much had to take care of myself. The town I grew up in was really small and in the middle of no where..." Keith pulled his legs up and hugged his knees. "I joined the royal guard... Went up the ranks... That's how I met Shiro. He was like a brother... Then he went missing... Iverson didn't like that I was going against him and figuring him out, so he booted me and I moved into the desert... Then Pidge found me."

Lance watched him and listened to every word, humming softly once Keith finished. "That's kinda sad..."

Keith huffed again. "I don't need your pity."

"I know. You're very well put together even with all that shit."

Keith blinked, then looked over to the prince. Lance smiled softly as him. "Uh... Thanks? What about you?"

The nymph shifted his weight on his hands and sighed softly, looking up. "Not a whole lot, either, for me. I'm the youngest of four. My older siblings didn't support me... Neither did my dad..." Keith saddened a little bit at this. "My mom tried her best at making up for them. Without help from my title, I made it to Commander of our main fleet of nymphs and other water creatures. It's probably the closest I'll ever get to King."

"Wait- you're a Commander?"

Lance grinned and nodded. "Yup. The metals and everything all in my room back at home. I'll show you sometime if you'd like."

Keith shrugged and bit back a smile. "Sure."

"Anyway, we should get some sleep." Lance lay back down. "We've got a big day ahead of us."

Keith hummed and nodded, looking down at his knobby knees before laying back down, curling up underneath is blanket.

~

"Fuck!" Keith snapped, twisting his body and parrying two separate strikes from Galran soldiers.

An arrow lodged itself into one skull, so Keith arched his blade up and struck the other one.

Hunk barreled effortlessly through three soldiers, vines crushing another one.

Shiro swung a glowing fist at one Galran as his flesh and bone fist held up another soldier by his throat.

More of these freakishly tall, heavily built soldiers burst through the brush and the trees, attacking head-on.

Keith was getting so, absolutely fed up.

Lions rawred and brawled with the soldiers, aiming at their throats. The horses whinnied and reared, bucking at any soldier that came much too close for comfort.

Kaltenecker kept her head low and grazed, chewing absentmindedly as soldiers ran beside her.

This was not an ideal situation.

"To the caves!" Takashi bellowed over all the clashing of blades and roaring of lions.

Each grabbed a horse or a cow, Tsuyoshi keeping his hands free to fend off incoming soldiers with the lions.

He was the last one under the cover of the cave, so he jammed his battle ax into the ceiling and stepped back as it crumbled.

All of them panted heavily, crouching over or falling to the ground.

"Fuck..." Keith hissed, grabbing his left arm. "One got me..."

"Let me see..." Lance sat beside Keith, gently taking his arm to inspect the wound. Keith gulped, watching the nymph with big eyes. Lance hummed, popping open his water satchel. Keith winced slightly as the warm water poured over the gash, then sucked in a sharp breath as Lance pressed his hand to it.

"Hey-!"

"Hold still..." Lance murmured, closing his eyes.

Keith bit his lip, then shuddered and closed his eyes as his head and chest suddenly felt light and warm. He sighed and relaxed, head rolling on his shoulders.

"There you go." Lance released Keith's arm. "Not even a scar."

The swordsman looked down at his arm, brows furrowed. "Whoa..."

"Pretty cool, huh-?"

"Guys," Kathryn cut in, holding up a lantern. "Hunk and I found something..."

Keith raised a brow and exchanged a glance with Lance before they stood back up. The lions followed Tsuyoshi, the other knights following, then Shiro with the horses and Kaltenecker.

Keith furrowed his brows at a flickering light deeper in the darkness. Tsuyoshi had his axe raised, prepared for an attack.

Once they reached the white, flickering light, Tsuyoshi turned to look into the tunnel and his eyes widened. His has slackened and his hold on his axe loosened.

Keith trodded through the lions to peek and he had a very similar reaction.

"Oh my God..."