Elements- Klance AU

Ch. 19

Keith's POV

Practice went smoothly, but unfortunately had to be cut short due to Allura asking if Pidge wanted to go down to Earth to retrieve her brother and Lotor. Pidge wasted no time, and Shiro thought it was a good time to stop anyways.

I was able to practice against Pidge and Hunk, but was cut off right as I was going to begin defending against Lance. Shiro believed that we should keep the most oppositional elements to go against last, due to the fact that they would be harder to go against.

I'm both grateful and annoyed at that, due to the fact that I really wanted to go against Lance, but also because I believed I'd be too distracted by him in that suit. He may not be ripping the suit every time he flexes, but he isn't too shabby, with his broad shoulders and lean build. I basically had a gay panic when I saw him walk into the room, but I was able to recover quickly.

Shiro saw me staring at him, and walked over to me. He put his hand on my shoulder, and gave it a squeeze.

"Hey, go talk to him," he said, making a head motion towards Lance, who was occupied talking to Hunk. I gave him a look.

"And say what? 'Oh hey, Keith here. I know we're fighting a war and can barely leave the castle, but do you want to catch dinner with me?'" I said. Shiro gave me a look, which I gave right back, until it caused him to shale his head, done with my antics.

   "Just, try getting to know him. He's a little.... cocky, but has a good heart from what I can tell. and as for dinner, actually do it. The castle has food, and you two can talk if you want. Don't let things like this stop you," he said. I nodded, and told him he was right. I'll just need time to plan out a nice date idea, then I'll ask him if he wants to go out. Easy.

Lotor's POV

Allura hadn't returned to Earth in 2 days, and I'm pretty sure Matt is tired of my pacing at her house. He threw a pillow at me once because I walked too close to the television.

At around midday, I heard the familiar sound of leaves rustling in the backyard, and Matt and I bolted from the couch and open the sliding glass door. Allura and Pidge entered, with Pidge running up to hug her brother, who happily obliged.

   Allura looked as ravishing as ever, and I went to give her a hug. She reciprocated, and then gave me a kiss on the cheek. That was a surprising action, and made both of us get a small blush that looked adorable on her. This caused Pidge to clear her throat and make us separate. The young paladin disliked PDA.

   "So, are you going to give the rings or....?" Pidge asked, excited to show her brother the castle. I myself was also excited, but rather be in Allura's arms over anything, if it meant I kept her safe from my father and his army.

"Here, these are for you and Lotor, so you can come up and visit and, more importantly, help us in this war," Allura said as she gave Matt his ring. He gave me mine, and proceeded to explain how they function and whatnot. I knew everything she was saying, because I was trained for this, so I didn't need to listen as intently as Matt. So my mind wandered to the last time I saw Keith, before he left for the castle.

As Pidge was looking for something to help her bury Shiro's ring, Keith pulled me aside, after a few hours of death staring from the other side of the room.

"You have to tell Allura, soon, or I will," he said. I frowned, but nodded, because I knew he was right. If I was serious about how I felt about Allura, which I was, I cannot keep any secrets from her.

"I know, Shiro Jr. And I will. Just give me some time, I swear I'll tell her. I love her, and the last thing I'd want to keep from her is who I am. I just... don't want her to go running the second she finds out who I am," I tell him. He frowns, and almost looks pained, and begins to speak.

"Look, if you honestly love her, and you think she has the capacity to love you, she won't run. She'll help you, that's just how Allura is. She might be a bit mad for a while, but she'll get over it because she cares about you. So tell her, she deserves to know."

I didn't understand until now, but he looked pained because he felt as if he was betraying his brother by telling me this. There's this unspoken rivalry between Shiro and I, but recently, he seems to have backed off completely on Allura since they came back together the first time to visit. Although he's my rival, he's also my friend, and I'm concerned for him. It's not like him to quit on anything.

   "Allura, if I may have a word with you?" I ask her. She nods, and tells Pidge to take Matt up to the castle and that we would meet up with them shortly. She wasted no time and started showing Matt how to "beam up", as she called it. As he finally got the hang of it, Allura sat on the couch, and I joined her.

   "Lotor, what do you have to tell me?" She said. I inhaled deeply, and began to talk.

   "So, Allura, I have something very dire to tell you. It might have you looking at me differently, but this does not change how I feel about you, and I hope it doesn't change how you feel about me," I said. She nodded, and held my hand.

   "As you may have figured out, you're fighting the Galra, as well as their leader Zarkon," she nodded, so I continued," but what you don't know, is that Zarkon is.... my father. And I'm in line to obtain the throne after him." She froze, but I kept speaking, because I was scared of the silence.

   "And I have all the training and education of the next king on the throne, and I even have the burned marks of all the ranks," I showed her the marks on my hand and neck," and one more, for being the crowned prince." I unbuttoned my shirt, and showed her the crown and date on my chest.

   After a silence that felt eternal, she reached up, and traced the date with her index finger. April 5, 2019. It was so close.

   "Have you been.... on their side this whole time?" She finally asked. I shook my head furiously.

   "No. I would never betray you like that. I ran away from home about a year ago, around the same time I met you. I ran away from my destiny after they burned the date onto my chest. I didn't want to rule the empire as it is, corrupt and evil. I want it to improve, and I need to do that by fighting the evil," I told her. She nodded, and continued tracing the crown and date, until she went up and traced the one on my neck, which made me shiver.

   "This hasn't changed how I feel, but I do wish you had told me sooner. I care very deeply about you, and it hurts that you didn't tell me sooner. But I'll protect you, because I need you," she says, and finally her finger, and hand, reach my cheek, and she  holds my face."

   "I need you too," I tell her as I lean in. She gives me her adorable small smile.

   "We need each other," she says, and closes the gap between us, and we share our first of (hopefully) many kisses. I suppose Shiro Jr. did have a point.

   Okay, I'd understand if you wouldn't want to continue, because this story Loturad faster than it Klanced, but I'm just a sucker for those two ships. I promise we'll get to Klance, just be patient with me, please. Thank you <3