Now or Never~klance

Chapter One

Lance looks up at the clock, each tick felt slower than the last. Time goes by so slow at night. His thoughts keep going back to home. He can't help but think back to all the good times he used to have with his family. Back on Earth, Lance was inseparable from his siblings. He thought back to the blazing hot summers, and ice cold bites of watermelon. His younger brothers would always race him to jump into the creek by their house. The rush of plunging into the freezing water was indescribable. He remembered how his older sister would always nag at him for splashing her while she was trying to get a tan in the summer sun. Lance remembered staying up all night playing video games with his older brothers. Then it felt good to stay up late, but now it just felt like torture. Lying awake for hours yearning for home is something entirely different from staying awake just for kicks.

Finally after reminiscing for hours, Lance decides to get some fresh air and get a glass of water. It must be at least 3 am, he thought, but Lance didn't really feel like looking at the clock to verify his suspicions. He stretched and put on his robe and slippers. Even sleep deprived, Lance must look glamorous.

Lance walks up to his automatic door as it whooshed open. He steps into the silent hall and made his way down to the kitchen. Each step echoed in the quiet night. As Lance makes it to the kitchen, he hears a soft noise in the distance. It sounds like it was coming from the training deck. Lance raises one eyebrow, and with his cocky attitude taking over the previous somber from minutes ago. He decides to check out the sound.

Lance races over to the training room to see Keith battling the simulator. Keith was shirtless, and in black shorts. Lance took note of how focused Keith was in his battle, and how he could use it to his advantage. Lance barges into the room, distracting Keith from the simulator, causing him to crash to the ground. The simulator turned off the second Keith tumbled to the floor. Lance couldn't help himself from laughing at Keith. Keith looks up from the ground in annoyance at Lance. His eyes were blazing with fire.

"Why are you here, Lance? It's 3 in the morning." Keith snaps at Lance. Lance grins.

"I could ask you the same thing Mullet-Boy." Lance says with a smirk. Keith was not happy with his visitor. "Don't think I didn't notice your tragic fall." Lance added on, and laughed more. Anytime Keith failed, it was a win for Lance.

"Lance. I don't need this right now. Get out." Keith yells back at Lance. Lance kept laughing. "Well? Are you going to get out on your own or am I going to have to make you?" Keith challenges at Lance. Lance ponders this for a moment. He could have decided to just leave Keith alone, but he would take any chance he could get to one up Keith. That's when Lance thought of a great idea.

"You know what Keith. Why don't we do a simulation right now. Just you and me, whoever wins gets to stay." Lance didn't really want to stay, but he wants Keith to leave. Plus, Lance couldn't just leave Keith alone.

Keith rolls his eyes. "Fine Lance, but get ready to lose." Keith knew he was better than Lance in combat, so this would be a faster way to get Lance out of his hair than waiting for him to leave on his own. Keith thought for a second, why was Lance even here? Usually at this hour he would be getting his dumb beauty sleep. He would confront Lance, but then Lance would want to know why Keith was in here so late. Keith didn't want Lance, or anyone to know, so he decided to keep quiet.

--

The simulation was about to begin. Lance decided to take off his robe, so he was left in boxers and a blue t-shirt. The boys decided on no weapons because they had to train the next afternoon with the rest of paladins, and they didn't want to have any serious injuries. Keith stands at one side of the room and Lance at the other. The counter counted 3...2...1...BEGIN. As soon as he heard "begin" Keith sprints towards Lance and throws his first punch. Lance luckily dodged the hit, but at that moment Lance realized he was screwed. He never spent his free time training, so he already had a big disadvantage. Keith was quick to turn around and kick Lance in the gut. Lance fell, but immediately got back up to his feet. Lance has to do something fast, or else was going to lose to his enemy.

Although Lance may not be as strong as his opponent, he is more clever than the pale boy. Lance yelps, "KEITH STOP! I hear someone walking down the hall! We don't want to get in trouble with Shiro." Keith immediately lost his fight stance, and turned around towards the clear glass wall. Keith felt a sudden urge of panic. He listened for a few ticks and heard nothing. Keith was about to question Lance's statement. While Keith was distracted, Lance took the opportunity to sprint behind Keith, and do a jump kick to knock Keith down. "Quiznak!" shouted Keith as he fell down to the ground. Keith stood up, and slowly turned around. Lance has never seen Keith look this angry. Lance had seen fire in Keith's eyes before, but looking into them as this moment he saw the depths of hell.

In normal circumstances, Lance would just start cracking up right then, but at that moment, he knew he was in for it. Keith slowly squints his eyes then threw a combination of 6 different kicks and punches at Lance. Lance was about to surrender from pain and leave Keith alone, but Keith suddenly stops his attacks. Lance was holding his gut in anguish, and he slowly opened his eyes to see that Shiro had entered. Through the pain he grinned, "Hey Shiro! Did you come to see me beat Keith?" Shiro glared at them.

"No Lance. I did not come to see you beat Keith. You guys seemed to forget that my room is closest to the training room. I could hear everything. What were you guys thinking? Fighting at 3 in the morning? I know for sure you guys didn't try getting up early. You both stayed up almost all night. I'm disappointed. If two paladins of Voltron aren't on the top of their game, we might not be able to form Voltron. You both go to sleep right now." Shiro said in his loud, dad like tone.

"Fine..." Keith mumbled as he walks out of the training room.

Shiro turned to Lance, "And what were you thinking? Testing Keith while he's training? At night? You really don't know anything about that boy...." he paused, "What were you doing up so late anyways?" Even though Lance is in trouble, he still felt like he could talk to Shiro about what was keeping him up.

"I couldn't sleep Shiro. I kept thinking about home, and how much I miss my family." Lance said looking down at his toes. Shiro looked off at the distance and replied, "Lance we all miss our families. This is just the way it is. Try to get some sleep, okay buddy?" Somehow Shiro was able to calm him. Lance walks back to his room and immediately fell into a deep slumber the second his head hit his soft pillow. 

--

Keith on the other hand was not calm. He was still fired up from the fight. As he got back into bed all of his thoughts felt like they were crushing down on him. "How could a guy like Lance trick me like that" he thought. That however was the least of his worries.