Beauty and the Beast (Klance AU)

Chapter Nine

With one shove, Lotor was pushed to the ground by Keith. Lance came out to the balcony, spotting the two, and his eyes had begun to water as a smile formed on his face.

"Keith!"

"Lance!" Keith said happily as a smile also formed on his face. Small tears began to swell his eyes as Keith climb back up the tower, eventually hanging off the balcony. "You came back!" The two stared at each other with such love and compassion. They embraced each other, both of them releasing and sharing their quiet tears as the rain continued to pour over them.

"I'll never leave you again," Lance said with a sniffle as Keith hummed in glee. They were just happy to be together, and they hoped nothing-

Keith roared in pain as Lance gasped, moving back to see that Lotor had stabbed Keith in the back with his sword. Lance was helpless as Keith continued to roar in pain, even trying to swat Lotor away. Lotor pulled out his sword with a big grin and swung again, hoping to slash at the beast once more, but Keith had begun to already fall back from blood loss, causing Lotor to lose his balance. Lance fortunately caught Keith just in time and pulled him forward as Lotor screamed and fell into the endless darkness, never to be seen again.

With one pull, Lance managed to bring the injured beast back onto the balcony, resting his body on the floor. The objects had heard Keith's cries and rushed into the room, seeing Lance on the balcony with the fallen master. They stared in silence as they were just as helpless as Lance was, watching the rain pour down on the two.

"I...I can't believe you came back," Keith quietly spoke with a small smile as Lance couldn't keep his composure anymore. He tightly held onto Keith's clothes as they looked at each other's sad eyes.

"O-Of course I came back. I couldn't let them...Oh this is all my fault. If only I'd gotten here sooner," Lance cried as he started to shake. Keith placed a hand onto Lance's own, giving him a sad reassuring look.

"Maybe it's better this way, Lance..."

"Don't talk like that. You'll be all right. We're together now. Everything's going to be fine. You'll see," Lance quietly pleaded to Keith, feeling even more helpless and sad.

"At least I got to see you one... last...time," Keith smiled weakly as Lance pulled Keith's paw to his own cheek. Keith held it onto Lance's cheek, enjoying the last brief moments of the boy he loved. Then...Keith's head fell back and his eyes closed. Lance dropped his paw and covered his mouth, tears running down his cheeks.

"No, no! Please! Please! Please don't leave me! Keith...," Lance cried, holding Keith close and putting his face on Keith's non-moving chest. "I love you..." Lance quietly sobbed.

The servants stood by the window, watching the last petal fall from the rose as the light it emanated finally faded away. They all look down in sadness, knowing they had lost their chance to be human again and lost their good friend.

The rain poured as Lance continued to cry on Keith, until he noticed a beam of light falling, almost like a shooting star. Then another, and another, and another. Lance finally picked his head up, wiping his last tears away, seeing the beams of light falling down. He stood up and backed away for a moment as even the servants looked up as well. Keith's body began to rise slowly off the ground, floating for a moment.

Then, his body was enveloped in a cloud of light. Lance's eyes had widen as Keith was wrapped around in his cloak, his body shifting and forming. His claws turned into fingers, his paws into feet, and his fur melted away into pale white skin. The wind blew around the two and it revealed Keith's new face, to reveal a human boy once more. The light disappeared as the figure stood up and looked at himself.

Lance reached out his hand as the figure turned around. Lance did not recognize this boy at all, except for one little detail. He remembered seeing that painting in the beast's room in the west wing, of a pale boy with beautiful, yet mysterious, purple eyes.

"K..Keith?" Lance asked as Keith smiled.

"It's me, Lance. It's really me!" Keith said with a chuckle. Lance gasped as he ran a hand through his own hair.

"It is you! I can't believe it!" Lance said happily as they enveloped into each other's arms again. The two boys laughed and once they looked at each other's yes again, they finally leaned in and their lips finally connected together.

Fireworks exploded around them as the surrounding dark gloom around the castle disappeared, revealing a cheery blue sky full of white puffy clouds. The castle transformed as well into a beautiful white palace as it was once before. Even the gargoyles had transformed back into cherubs. The servants rushed out towards the master, each one transforming back into their original selves.

"Coran!" Keith exclaimed, rushing towards him and embracing him. "Hunk! Ms. Allura!" He added, hugging all three of them in delight. "Look at us!"

Pidge rushed out as well, riding on Cosmo as the two turned back into themselves. Cosmo barked happily in delight as Pidge laughed on his back. "Ms. Allura! Ms. Allura!"

"Oh my goodness!" Allura said with a relieved smile as she picked up Pidge and spun her around in joy.

"It is a miracle!" Coran cheered as everyone smiled in delight. Keith looked at Lance with happiness in his eyes as Lance gave him the same look. The master carried his love in his arms and swung him around, finally being freed from the terrible curse that had brought them together in the first place.

A few days later, both Lance and Keith were in their ball gown outfits again, the same ones they had on their romantic dinner all those nights ago. The two held hands as they made their way to the ball room, everyone (both servants and villagers) looking at them with awe and glee.

"Ah, l'amour," Coran chuckled as Hunk stood beside him.

"Well, Coran, old friend. Shall we let bygones be bygones?" Hunk asked with a smile.

"Of course, mon ami. I told you that Lance would break the spell," Coran boasted as Hunk scoffed.

"I beg your pardon, old friend, but I believe I told you."

"No you didn't. I told you," Coran argued back.

"You most certainly did not, you pompous parrafin-headed pea-brain!" Hunk argued back.

"En garde, you overgrown pocket watch!" Coran said as he took off his glove and slapped Hunk across the face with it. Hunk gasped, rubbing his cheek before tackling Coran to the ground. They wrestled each other on the ground as Lance and Keith had begun their dance. Ms. Allura, Pidge, and Shiro, who was beginning to cry in happiness for his son, all watched as Lance and Keith continued their dance, laughing and kissing each other.

"Are they gonna live happily ever after, Ms. Allura?" Pidge asked with a smile.

"Of course, my dear. Of course," Allura answered softly as she turned back to the dance. Pidge was pleased with the answer, until she frowned, realizing an important question that needed to be answered, at least for her own sake.

"Do I still have to sleep in the cupboard?" Pidge asked as Shiro cracked up. Allura looked at Pidge with a confused look, eventually laughing alongside Shiro and hugging Pidge close to her.

Lance and Keith continued their waltz as it seemed all eyes were on them now. An impossible love, and yet, a beautiful one at the least.

"So, any chance we can get away from the crowd soon?" Lance asked with a smile.

"Why? Want to read up on some more books?" Keith said with a small chuckle, Lance snickering as well.

"I think its a nice day to take a stroll, maybe even take a trip somewhere. Just the two of us," Lance suggested as Keith nodded.

"With you by my side...We'll go everywhere, anywhere, anytime."

"I love you, Keith~"

"And I love you, Lance~"

Certain as the sun,
Rising in the east,
Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast!

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme
Beauty and the beast!

The End