Elements- Klance AU

Ch. 22

   Lance's POV

   "Wait wait wait, you did what?" Keith said in between laughs. I stared at my lap, and fiddled with my napkin.

   "When I found the water orb, I was swimming naked in the ocean," I mumbled. When Keith asked me how I found my orb, I didn't think it would lead to him now being unable to breath.

   "I'm sorry, but that's the stupidest idea I've ever heard someone have. Why would you skinny dip in an ocean. Man, you may be cute, but sometimes you don't make good choices," he said, after he finally regained his breath. I gave him a smug look.

   "So, you think I'm cute?" I said. He nodded, confident in his answer. "And anyways, how did you find the fire orb, Mr. I'm-Badass-And-Lance-Is-An-Idiot?" I said. He really couldn't have been any better than me.

   "Oh, I grabbed it out of a fire. Not to bore you with details, but this ring of fire was engulfing me and my only choice was to grab ahold of that orb that was in the middle of a bonfire I was making," he said, way too nonchalant for the intensity of the story. I was pretty sure my jaw dropped for a moment, and I was speechless.

   "Okay, so I get stuck naked and in the ocean, but you got yours by sticking your hand in a bonfire and being engulfed in a ring of flames? How cool and unfair is that?" I said. He shrugged, and I sat there thinking about his story, feeling as if something didn't add up. Then it clicked. "Wait, why were you making a bonfire in the middle of summer?" Now that quieted him down. It was his turn to be flustered, and I was enjoying every moment of it.

   "Well, um, I was craving some.... s'mores," he said very quietly. After a moment of silence, it was my turn to laugh, and I did. Not as much as Keith, but enough to infect Keith with laughter. As cold as he makes himself appear to other people, he really is the epitome of his element: warm.

"Okay, I may come in last place for coolest elemental story, but you're in close second for just your sheer motivation," I said to him. I shook his head, but smiled at me. We ate the delicious dish that Hunk prepared for us. Even though I'm on a date with Keith, if Hunk promised to make me food like this everyday, I'd marry him in a heartbeat.

We stayed like that for a while, eating and enjoying each other's stories. Sure, there were a few awkward moments, but it was a first date, so things like were bound to happen. At some point, either because I thought it would've been nice to have some music to fill the empty space, soft piano music started playing. I got up, which caught Keith a bit off guard, and offered him my hand.

"May I have this dance?" I asked him. He hesitated, but for only a moment, and took my hand. I waited, but what I thought would happen, didn't. "Is there not going to be a cliche 'oh, but I don't know how to dance' line?" I asked, kind of hoping for it. He laughed, and grabbed me from the shoulder and pushed me closer.

"I may have only been taught to follow when dancing, but I can still dance. So I hope you can keep up," he said. I shook my head, and realized there will never be a moment that Keith wouldn't surprise me.

So silently, we danced to the music, and again, didn't have to say anything. We enjoyed the moment. I didn't count how long we stayed like this, in each others arms, until finally Keith moved to look at me, with a determined look in his eyes. Knowing (or hoping I knew) what that look meant, we both leaned in, and that's when the alarm went off. I jumped, but Keith huffed in annoyance.

"Paladins, please report to the medical center. Lotor has returned."

   Shit, I totally forgot: Lotor was abducted right as he was going to transport to the castle. Allura hasn't been able to sleep, trying to find him, and we've been busy these past 2 weeks trying to train. I somewhat feel guilty about forgetting.

   "Lance, let's go," Keith said as he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the training room.  We met up with Hunk and finally got to the med bay.

   There was a lot happening in the room. For one, Allura looked both like a mess but still looked like the picture of prim and proper. And as much as she tried to hide it, her eyes were puffy. But what I think was the most important thing was Lotor, on the table.

   He was shirtless, and if that wasn't the most distracting part (because, honestly, that boy can work out), it was the burn marks on his chest, right over a certain date. April 5, 20XX. Someone burned two large X's over the last two digits on his chest. Although they were trying to help the burns, I knew those X's were going to be permanent.

"Lotor, what happened?" Allura finally said, between sniffs. He looked at her, and took her hand, as a reassurance for her or himself, I didn't know.

"Well, as some of you may know, I am, or was, part of the galran empire, and was the next to be crown king. We had a witch who predicted dates of importance such as coronations, and mine was suppose to be April 5th of next year. Unfortunately, when I was captured, the same witch that burned the date, burned out the last two digits of the year, saying that fate has decided that I was too complex to give a proper warning. So now the date has changed, but they cannot change the one thing fate decreed long ago: I would be king. But when, I am no longer certain," he said. Everyone quieted down, and let the news sink in. We had an undeclared future king.

"But the good news is that I know where they have their most maximum security prison. And Allura," he said, turning to her, "as I was walked to go see the witch, I passed some cells and.... well Allura, Coran is alive. I saw him, alive and well," he said. Allura, finally deciding that she didn't care who saw her cry, fell to the floor in tears, and let out the happiest cry I've heard in a while.

Seems like we have an undeclared galran prince, and a rescue mission to train for.

I couldn't agree with you more, Blue.

Hello. So, I forgot to include the "Lotor was captured" subplot, but I mentioned it. And I needed to get the date out of the way, since when I started writing this story, I didn't think April 2019 was close. Oh, how dumb I was. Anyways, I'll see you guys next time. Peace.