I'm Fine, I'm Not Going Anywhere // Klangst

He Was Wounded

The battle was over,  but as Lance limped towards his lion, the massive amount of blood sleeping from a gaping wound in his stomach told him that he wouldn't survive if he didn't get help soon.  He slumped down against the cold rocks, the numbness in his head causing him to see double.

Though his helmet was dented and the face shield shattered, the radio system was still operating.  He looked down at what used to be bright armour, which was now stained red.  He knew he'd lost a lot of blood,  he could feel himself become lightheaded from the lack of oxygen in his brain.  Lance knew that even if he called for help that nobody would be able to find him in time to save him.

Lance closed his eyes, thinking of all his friends.  Hunk, Pidge, Shiro, Allura, Coran, and Keith.

He couldn't get the image of Keith out of his head.  His eyes, his hair, his rare smiles.  All Lance wanted was to hold Keith, make sure that he was happy.  But, how is Keith going to feel when he finds Lance. . . . dead?

The radio in Lance's ear came to life with a sharp buzz.  The pain in his stomach was almost unbearable.

"Lance!  Where the heck are you?"

It was Keith.  That's all Lance wanted to hear at that moment. Just Keith.

Lance swallowed the pain and forced a comical attitude.

"Oh, hey Keith, I'm in a bit of a jam. . . .but I'll be right over soon!" Lance said.  He wanted to call out to Keith, he wanted Keith to come save him, but he didn't matter. All that matters to Lance, was making sure Keith was happy.

"Are you alright?  Where are you?" As Keith says this, Lance panics, not wanting Keith to come looking for him only to find his dead body.

"It's all good, I'm okay now.  I'll be over there in a bit," Lance winces,  and mentally stabs himself for wasting time.

"Alright.  Hurry up.  We can't find Shiro and Pidge is about to have a panic attack," Keith said with a bit of nervousness he tried to hide.  Lance probably only had mere minutes left.  He let his arm fall to the ground, letting go of his still bleeding stomach.

"Hey uh, Keith?" Lance says, tears threatening to flow out of his eyes.

"Yes Lance?" Keith replies, seeming  to stop what he had been doing.

Lance took a deep breath and tried hard not to cough.

"Lance, are you okay?" Keith asks, a slight edge to his voice.

The tears flooded down the blue paladin's cheeks.  He smiles to himself.

"Keith you know whenever I see you, I get this weird feeling," Lance said, his voice audibly cracking.

Keith didn't answer, but Lance could hear him take a breath from the other side of the radio.

"Keith sometimes I just think that I'm not good enough," Lance took a breath. "I try hard to be better for you.  I do everything a can.  I was just so scared that. . . ." Lance was interrupted by the sound of Keith's voice.

"No no no no no.  Lance what are you saying," Keith said. Lance could hear a scatter of rocks as the red paladin scrambled to find the boy he loved. 

"I love you, Keith. I really do," Lance says, laughing.  He winces from the pain. 

"Lance where are you?  What have you done?" Lance could hear the strain in Keith's voice.

"Lance, I. . . I love you too.  I pretend That I hate you and I pretend that I think you're s stupid brat you can't fly but sometimes I catch myself wondering what our lives would be like together and I just," Keith stopped, his face red.

"Mullet, you're crazier than me," Lance said quietly. "I love you." And with that, Lance removed his helmet with one lamp arm.

Keith was just around the corner. 

"Lance?" Keith called out.

The helmet fell to the ground.

Keith saw the paladin.

Tears.

"Lance?!"

"NO!"

The red paladin fell to his knees, the bloodied body of the boy he loved in front of him.