Growing From The Pain

11

I woke up in Lance's arms the next morning. He's so peaceful when he sleeps. I don't really get to see this anymore. Maybe he just needed a few days away from the farm work. Even though I was just getting used to it. Maybe we could take a break. I curl strands of his hair with my fingers.

His eyes flutter open seconds later. "Good morning," he says, a smile taking over his face. It brightens my whole morning even more. I sit up.

"Good morning," I say, reflecting his smile. "Come on. Get up." I stretch out my arms. While I'm doing so my waist is grabbed and I'm pulled backwards. "Hey!"

"Let's stay here and rest." I was to hypnotized by his irresistible eyes.

"Alright. Whatever you want. But that means that we won't get breakfast," I warn." He thinks about it. He smirks.

"I think I'm already full."

"And how is that exactly?"

"'Cause I have some nice eye candy with me." He pulls me closer. I laugh uncontrollably.

"You need to stop it." I playfully punch him. He laughs with me too. We start playing around and rough housing.

"Alright guys I'm leaving." Veronica enters the room. I'm in Lance's headlock. "I'm not even gonna ask this time. Just don't kill each other while I'm gone." She turns around and waves us bye before closing the door. We look at each other before breaking down in laughter. It slowly calms down after a minute.

"I feel like I can never stop thanking you."

"What is it for this time?"

"Making me laugh again." He looks past me towards the window seal. Then he slides past me. I turn to see what's gotten a hold of his attention. "And these beauties." He lightly feels that petals of the glowing red flower. They seemed to be shining brighter than the day we bought them.

"They're so pretty, huh?" I put my hands on his shoulders.

"Yeah they are." He was so mesmerized. I sat back to watch what he would do. He sat there for a few minutes. Then he turned to me. "Keith," he said lightly. "Come closer." I did as he said. He pulled me into a sudden kiss. For some reason I felt a mixture of surprise and happiness. I pushed away from the sudden act.

"What was that?" I watch him shake his head and rub his forehead.

"What was what?" I almost choked on words. I couldn't tell whether to take him seriously or not.

"Nothing." I shake my head and wipe my lips clean of the forgotten kiss. Still the feeling was there. I jumped up from the bed. Lance frowned.

"I thought we were having a lazy day." I frantically searched for an excuse.

"I just remembered I promised to meet up with someone today," I lie. He cocks his head in confusion.

"Can I come with?" I shake my head profusely.

"No, sorry. It's kind of an extremely personal matter. My mother will be there. It's about the Galra. I'll see you later though. Okay?" He displayed a faint smile I should've questioned. Instead I hurry out into the bathroom to change and then out the door as quickly as possible. Before I leave I grab the glowing plant. I call a passing taxi. "Take me to the Garrison."

Upon arrival I hit the ground running. I find Pidge's mom in the Garrison gardens. "Keith! What a pleasant surprise to see you here." I don't make small talk.

"I need your help Mrs. Holt. It's an emergency." I present the beautiful pair of flowers. "I need you to study this plant."

"Alright, but first I need you to do something for me." I nod.

"Anything."

"Calm down." My eyes widen. "You're safe here. Nothing can hurt you. So calm down." She puts a calm hand on my shoulder. The tension starts to dissipate. "Good. Now let's get this checked out." We head off to her office inside where a cubic machine sits alone on a square table in the middle of the room. She places it in that machine and closes the glass-like cover.

I watch as she types away at another keyboard. Green light fills the inside of the cube, then red, and finally blue. "I've tested it in all forms of matter. The results are quite interesting." She shows me the computer screen. She focused a finger on the gaseous state. "The glowing area creates a sort of love toxin that can cause you to act upon your deepest desires without any knowledge of what's happened."

"That's what happened today with Lance!"

"Oh," she says smirking at me. I blush with embarrassment. "Don't worry. My mouth is sealed."

"Thank you Mrs. Holt." I hug her and take the plant.

"Here. This should help contain it without harming the plant." She gives me a glass dome cover. After putting it over the plant's pot it becomes invisible. I thank her one more time before leaving. On the way out I pass Pidge.

I was about to greet her, but she runs off to yell at some student. She's the closest one to Lance, but she's so wrapped up in her work. I can't believe she never visits. I take a taxi back and quickly get off to share my newly discovered news of the flower. "Keith," I hear the voice of a small girl screech. "Come quick. Hurry! He's in here! Please!"

I rush over to the barn filled with horses to see who the girl was talking about. In my mind I knew, but I pushed the thought to the back of mind. I throw the doors open. There, on the ground, where a small pool of blood was forming from his arm, was Lance. I rushed over to him and lifted his top half lightly. I checked for a pulse before anything.

It was still strong so he must have just fainted. I pick his heavy body up. "He's okay," I tell his niece. I carry him into the house and onto his bed. There I close the wound and wrap it. Then I sit and wait. I place the flowers on the bedstand.

"He's gonna be okay. He's gonna be okay," I repeat shakily. "He's gonna be okay. He's gonna be okay." My hands were shaking violently which quickly spread to the rest of my body. Tears fall in streams down my face. They stain my cheeks and the sheets.

"Why are you crying Keith? It's not like you." I look up to meet the beautiful blue eyes of Lance. Overjoyed I hug him tightly. "If you keep hugging me this tight I'm actually gonna die," he struggles to say. I move away only to slap him soon after. He rubs his cheek tentatively.

"That's for trying to leave me for the second time in two months." I pinch him.

"Ow. What was that for?" I huff and look away. He tries sitting up, but I just lay him back down.

"Stop. You're gonna reopen the wound. I'll bring you to the Garrison tomorrow so it can heal quickly without scarring." He shakes his head.

"I think I'm gonna keep this scar." I frown at him. "It'll be a reminder of the second time you saved me." He smiled weakly at me. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to rest now." His eyes flutter closed and he was sleeping within seconds. I watch him closely, scared he might stop breathing in his sleep.

He needed me now more than ever. I look over at the flowers. And I needed him. I won't leave him again.