We're Going Home

28

Lance was awake when Keith opened his eyes the next morning. He was leaning over a trash can, throwing up heavily. He started coughing again. That horrible ragged cough that foretold no cure. The moment Lance was aware the Keith was up he wiped the blood from his lips and pasted on a smile.

He was pale, deathly pale, but he refused to waver in his visage. "Morning babe."

Keith inspected the boy, his eyes filled with worry. "You're not coming with us today." He told him.

"There's no way you're gonna-" he coughed into his elbow, then went into a full-on coughing fit. He wiped the blood from his lips and continued. "There's no way you're gonna be able to defeat Zarkon without the ability to form Voltron. I have to come. Besides, I'm fine. I'm sure it's just some sort of alien cold." Though they both knew it wasn't. What Lotor had gifted Keith hadn't worked, and the serum that was supposed to make him better, stronger, faster, was slowly tearing him apart, from the inside out. There was no obvious recovery in sight.

Keith knew he was right though, and that was what hurt most of all. He sighed dejectedly and opened the door to the room. Lance followed him out.

He put an arm around Keith and smiled, "I'll be okay! I'm feeling better already. I bet some breakfast will be just the thing."

Keith nodded reluctantly and they both headed to the breakfast hall. The entire team was there speaking in hushed voices. Today was the day.

Shiro looked up upon seeing the other two enter. "Ah! Hello. We were just talking about you."

Lance coughed into his elbow. "All good things?"

"Not exactly," Allura interjected. "With your condition, Lance, we may need to find someone else to pilot the Blue lion."

Lance shook his head. "Not happening. First of all, Blue is my baby. Secondly, it's way too short notice, and thirdly, this is our last battle I'm sure I can last through this. Then it's beaches and babes as far as the eye can see."

"Actually," Keith corrected, "first we're fixing you, then maybe beaches, but I am your only 'babe'." He elbowed Lance.

Lance chuckled lightly. "Alright, whatever floats your boat, Kogane."

Keith glared at him. Lance sighed deeply and kissed him on the cheek. "Just because I already ordered doesn't mean I can't look at the menu." He joked.

Keith blushed then looked at the rest of the team. At least two of them were gagging.

"Oh shut up." Lance rolled his eyes.

Some of the team still seemed pretty wary about having him in battle.

It hurt a little. He was sick, sure. Really sick, in fact. But he could still be useful to the team. He was still the sharpshooter.

Shiro sighed deeply. "Lance, listen. You are important. But your life is more important than this war. We will not lose you."

"I know you won't. But if I'm going to die I don't want to be laying in my bed in the castle. I want to be on the side of my team. And they're gonna tell super cool stories about me and I'll go down in history as like the hottest Paladin to ever happen." He refused to die curled into a ball protesting death on his bed. No, if he was going to die it would be defeating the one who caused so much death. "You know, rage rage and all that jazz. Besides, who says I'm gonna die? I feel perfectly-" he broke into a coughing fit, but this time, no blood came. "Fine."