The Space Between Us // Klance *UNDER REVISION*

Chapter 9: Lance

My bruises had finally healed over and my eye had reverted back to its proper shape and color. The only blemish that failed to complexity rejuvenate was the cut Keith gave me across my lip. The long, sharp scar became the most distinguished feature on my face; however, it was diminutive when compared to the massive explosion burn that had never vanished from our early days of Voltron. The extent of my curative progress was credited solely to time.

It had been roughly two weeks since Keith's arrival back home. For whatever reason, he was off with Lotor whenever I had the chance to see him and then free whenever the timing wasn't opportune. I never had the opportunity to greet the prince. I rarely saw Keith for that matter.

"What's up with his long, white hair anyway? He's an Allura wannabe! That freak can't be trusted. He went out of his way to defy his father. Next thing you know, the lions will be gone and we'll all be dead." I gesticulated, making elaborate, childish pictures with my hands. A slight sting buzzed in my voice. So what if I was a little jealous?

"I think someone is envious." Pidge twirled around in an Altean office chair.

"Well quiznack. I'm jealous that Keith gets to spend time with that purple freak and his perfect skin," I wasn't going to let the gremlin sneak her way into my mind, "I wonder if Lotor knows of any advanced skincare techniques?"

"You know, Lance, to take your mind off him, I've got some advance memes?" Matt waved an Altean device which slightly replicated a smartphone. The screen displayed pictures of all the latest, viral Earth jokes and comments that bred on the internet. He taunted me as he moved the phone side to side.

"Hell, yeah! Give me those memes." I lunged over to where he was sitting, tripping over a series of pillows that had blocked my way. I fell flat on my face and crashed into the couch.

"You guys are dorks," Pidge ridiculed.

"And that is coming from her royal dorkness? We must be pretty dorky then." Matt stuck his tongue out at his little sister. I grinned at Matt's retort.

"I was going to say something, but I think I'll just leave you dweebs to the wannabe IPhone. Matt, don't forget we have that Star Trek marathon and then the Mothman documentary." Every word that slipped out of her mouth made her sound like a geek. She didn't have a right to call us dorks, yet I knew she'd claim it would take one to know one. 

Matt took his eyes off the phone's screen to look at his younger sister, "I thought you were going to watch the Mothman documentary with Keith?"

"Did you even listen to Lance's rant about Lotor suspiciously joining the coalition all of a sudden? Keith is currently preoccupied." Pidge sounded more agitated than when I was while complaining about Lotor.

Matt gasped, "Too busy for Mothman?!"

I didn't want to get into the prince apprehending Keith's attention from any of us. From me. "What the quiznack is a Mothman?"

"You are a blinkard," Pidge rolled her eyes under her glasses.

I nervously laughed, "Jokes on you, I don't even know what a blinkard is." I knew she was implying that I was stupid.

I wasn't technologically inclined like everyone else was and that made me, well, paranoid. I wasn't as slow as I made myself out to be either, considering that the Garrison wasn't easy to get into. Brains and brawn were usually both need to get into the program. I liked to believe that I was well coordinated and had a decent IQ, but my team made me think otherwise. Pidge was so smart for her age.

Pidge left Matt and I to do meme searching. Most of the hours that we waisted were dedicated to us spreading ourselves across the Altean space couch trying to get comfortable. It was probably the most fun and relaxed thing I had done since getting sucked out into space. It was a very Earth thing to do. Just like typically weekends.

"I think that's the latest meme," Matt grumbled pointing to the screen, "There isn't as much quality in them as there used to be. It's a fucking pity."

I rose a brow, "Did Pidge not tell you about the F-word?" I was caught off guard by his language.

"Don't tell me It's illegal to say fuck or something. We are in our late teens, shit I feel oppressed." We both laughed.

"Just substituted it with quiznack, it's Altean." I winked.

"Ahhh, It's not cussing if it's in another language." He winked back, bought by the idea, "That's an evolved mindset you have there."

Matt was a mellow and funny person to be around. He'd throw down several puns when no one else would want him to and then I was, of course, an exception. We were the most innovative meme lords of the galaxy.

"Matt, do you miss doing this at all? Just laying down, without a care in the world. Things have been so quiet around here and it's kinda been nice. We can go out of our way to look up whatever we want. We have access to Earth's browsers."

"Well of course I do, but it's not like we are freshman who have all of high school to explore. Pidge is wasting away her young teenage years up in space defending the universe. She's mature for her age, maybe too mature," He adverted his concern to his sister.

"Pidge likes it up here. She found a place where she belongs." I tried comforting him. She was an asset to Voltron; an asset to us

"When this is all over, I hope she can find a place back on Earth. No one really could appreciate her beautiful mind back home."

"They are all a bunch of quiznacking cowards, though who wouldn't feel threatened by her gigantic brain?" I wasn't convincing enough. "She's like a little sister to us. You're her favorite."

"I quiznacking hope so, I am her brother after all."

"I know, I know," I brushed it aside. Our conversation became heavy and I preferred the lighthearted goofing off we had been enjoying earlier, "So how are things between you and Allura?" I wigged my brows.

Matt took his hand behind his head and began to ruffle through his messy hair. His chestnut brown eyes looked fondly at the floor. A pink blush spread across his pale cheeks and then he groaned, "About that."

"Don't tell me. Actually, tell me everything!" My eyes lit up with interest and anticipation.

He looked back at me and the brightness in his eyes disappeared, "I think the princess is falling for Lotor."

My heart sank at these words. Lotor not only took Keith away from me, but he was taking Allura away from Matt. I had been getting progressively more lenient with Matt being sweet on Allura. "Really?" I asked, distrusting his theory.

"If it's who she wants, then who am I to go against it? She's smart. Allura must have some reason for liking him." He clearly was upset as he got up from laying on the couch, "I'm going to go catch up with Shiro for a bit, I won't take long. If you find anything good to watch on Netflix, we can watch that later." He stretched, leaving the room.

I continued to relax in the lounge, yet now I was my own company. I thought about going over to the large training room with the remote sky roof. I loved observing the glittering specs of the universe. It was everything I was protecting.

The room was quiet, other than the indistinct voices of Lotor and Keith coming from outside. They were walking down the hallway. I heard their clanking footsteps halt, making an effort to fall off the couch and slide over closer to the door to have a better chance to hear them.

I pressed my ear against the wall, "The results are in, Keith, you have enough Galra genes in your DNA." I was confused as to what Lotor was talking about, which wasn't surprising; biology wasn't my forte, but that still didn't mean I wasn't curious beyond belief.

There was a long enough delay to where I could tell Keith commented on Lotor's statement, yet whatever he had replied with was imperceptible.

I hoped Keith wasn't letting his Galra heritage get to him.