Keith's POV:

I'm on high alert. I held up a fist signaling my soldiers behind me to stop. It was silent and I looked up at the trees carefully. I've had very few encounters with Lance McClain but each had been a failure on my part. My duty is to bring the goods to the kingdom for King Zarcon. Trading is normal for Altea but whenever we attempt to do so with the Galra kingdom, we are intercepted by a certain thief with a bow. His shot I'll admit is flawless and he of course mastered sneak attacking. Though, Lance is a criminal, it's actually sad, he'd make a wonderful addition to the Altean kingdoms watchmen.

Every kingdom has a bounty for his head, easier said than done. There are many rumors about him; some say he's an orphan others say he's actually part of a very large family and he steals to feed them. Whatever or whoever he is, I'm prepared to take him down this time.

I heard a small noise like shoes scuffling against rocks and spun around. No one was there. Honestly, no one was there, where were the other guards?

The wagons of food still remained untouched. I drew my sword keeping a wary eye out. An arrow sped through the air and before I could react it caught my clothing nailing me to the tree behind me. A second arrow fired stabbing through my pant leg securing me. The arrows were deep in the wood, it would take a lot to pull them out.

Then I saw him, Lance McClain, the sharpshooter himself. He swung upside down not to far from me in a tree. "Hey hot stuff." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes as he jumped down. "I'm going to kill you." I growled.

"Yeah yeah, whatever you say Keithy. Oh! Looks like you had a lot of goodies today! The townspeople are gonna love this!" He pulled out large bags of corn and potatoes.

Fury set in and I began tugging on the arrows.

"Hey, stop that!" He turned to look at me frowning.

I huffed angrily and sighed. "Where are my guards?"

"Tied up back aways. Their fine." He said as he hauled bags out of the wagon.

After a moment of watching him steal I decided to make a little small talk. "If you're going to steal from me again could you at least tell me why you do it? Lots of rumors float around about you. Are you an orphan? Big family with not enough food to go around? Or are you just a greedy bandit?"

He thought for a moment, "The first two are true."

"How can both be true?" I questioned.

"I'll leave that to you to figure out. At least then I know you'll be thinking about me." He winked. "Next time we run into each other I hope it's on different circumstances." He saluted and took off.

I thought of Lance's smirk, an orphan with a big family? That's impossible. I'm an orphan myself but I've always had Shiro, he's like a brother to me.

Lance may have the advantage from a distance with his bow, he usually gets distance when he sneak attacks. If I could find him he'd stand no chance with a short distance battle.

I thought back to what he said, 'The townspeople will love this!'. If I go to the Galra Kingdoms village maybe I'll find him. I pushed on the arrows as hard as I could until I heard a successful snap.

I took off in the same direction Lance did heading for the kingdom. When I arrived it was apparent poverty was a major issue. It was empty which was slightly unexpected. The few villagers there were gave me nervous looks. I spotted in the distance a family looking around cautiously before entering a building. Suspicious.

I headed towards it entering not long after them. I went slowly up old unsafe stairs as it was the only way to go. When I reached the top I hid watching as I saw the room full of the village people. It was packed but all eyes were on the same thing. Lance.

He stood with the bags handing out food to everyone. Each person looked grateful and thanked him. Lance smiled and talked to each of them showing a deep personal connection.

"Mommy look!" A little girl had spotted me and pointed in my direction. Everyone's attention turned to me and their faces dropped. Lance immediately stepped forward protectively. His bow was too far away but it was useless this close anyway.

I drew my sword hesitantly and he drew a much smaller one. "I didn't mean these circumstances Keithy."

"So you steal from the rich and give it to the poor." I asked as our swords hit together.

"I suppose." He blocked my swing to the right.

"Why steal, why not take this up with Zarcon the king." I asked lunging and he moved out of the way.

"Because Zarcon's a terrible King and starves his people. Food brought through trade, food grown here in the village, it all goes to him. We get very little." The swords clanked together several times as he spoke. It wasn't long before I knocked the small sword out of his hand.

I got close to his face with the blade close to his throat. "How can you be an orphan with a big family?"

"This." He gestured to the room, "This is my family."

I pursed my lips before pulling away and sheathing my sword. "Very well."

"What? You're- you're not going to kill me?" He asked.

"No, I'm going to take you to Altea so you can explain this to king Alfor." I said.

"And what makes you think I'll do that?" Lance asked raising an eyebrow in more curiosity than retaliation.

"I know you will." I smirked.

"Fair enough." He shrugged grabbing his bow and sheathing his sword.

"We'll begin walking now, it'll take a while and you can explain further details to me about the situation on the way." I said.

"Walking? Talking? Keith, you know you can just ask me on a date, I'll say yes." He grinned.

I rolled my eyes with a small smile, "You're unbelievable." I grabbed him by his hood pulling him down the stairs and out of the building.

After just a couple hours of walking it was no question Lance was a goofball. Not to mention he'd throw in a pickup line at least every hour. He wasn't just a goofball but also a major flirt.

"So Keith, do have someone back home? Girlfriend? Wife? Boyfriend?" He threw the last one in much quieter.

"No." I said a little drawn out.

"Do you um- would you date a guy? I mean like totally unrelated to me or any of these questions." Lance asked quickly adding in the last part.

"Considering I've never been attracted to girls, yes." I said looking at him. There was a small moment, it almost seemed romantic and loving. "Welp! Here's Altea!" I gestured to the kingdom and began walking slightly faster ruining the moment.

As we walked through the town many saw Lance and gasped running inside or pulling their children away. I looked to Lance, if it bothered him, he didn't show it.

We walked into the castle and several guards reacted by pulling out swords readily. "Relax, he's with me, if there's an issue it's my fault, we need to speak with king Alfor and princess Allura."

"Not a chance." One said angrily.

"It's not your choice." I responded taking a step forward threateningly.

"Very well but he must be cuffed." He held up a rope throwing it to me.

I caught it and looked up with hatred. "Not going to happen."

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked back to see Lance smiling assuringly. "It's fine, I trust you." He turned around putting his wrists together.

I hesitated before binding them. "You sure this is okay?" I asked tying it.

"Yeah. It's fine, I foresee this in my future anyway. You seem a little too good at this, you don't have a fetish do you?" He looked at me over his shoulder.

I glared at him and tightened it.

"Ow!"

"You deserved that." I said before finishing off the knot. "Follow me."

We pushed past the guards and made our way through a series is hallways before making it to the throne room.

We entered bringing a silence to Alfor and Allura. Alfor was getting old and his time is running out so therefore he made it a point to train Allura to rule before he passes one day.

"You caught the thief McClain?!" Allura said excitedly.

"Not exactly." I said untying his hands. He rubbed his wrists and thanked me.

"Keith, you are my best general, you better have a good reason for this." Alfor said angrily.

"I do sir. I came to explain his innocence." I bowed. I glanced up at Lance to see him staring shocked at me. I elbowed him and he bowed as well.

"Innocence?" Both Lance, Alfor, and Allura asked.

I leaned over to Lance. "Just explain why you steal, the environment of the Galra kingdom, and apologize."

"I'm not really the apologetic type..." he started but I pushed him forward.

He glared back at me before kneeling on the ground and looking up at Alfor and Allura. "I'm sorry I stole from you?" He said more like a question than a statement. "Was that good?" He asked looked back at me.

I facepalmed, "You're hopeless." I helped explain the situation and environment the Galra kingdom has set by Zarcon.

Lance is no longer an outlaw to most kingdoms and Altea conquered the Galra taking over and making the kingdom better.

"Hey Lance?" I asked walking through the corridor with him.

"Hmm?" He hummed tightening his quiver.

We've known each other for quite some time and while we flirt (mostly Lance) nothing really has happened. "Remember when we'd first met you asked me about if I'd date a guy?"

"Yes..." He said stopping and looking at me hoping for the conversation to go in a certain direction, my problem is I don't know which direction.

"Well, what if you, you were that guy?" I asked nervously.

"I think if that were the case I'd say yes." He smiled.

"So um, Lance, would you be my-um boyfriend?" I cleared my throat and felt my limbs go numb.

"No." He said flatly before smiling and hugging me. "I'm kidding, of course."