His eyes widened and we both smiled at each other. "I'll get you out of here, I promise." He said kissing my hand sweetly.

It had been exactly one week since Keith had made the promise. Lance was beginning to feel the weighing effects of being a prisoner. The food made his stomach twist, the lack of light made his body tired, and the harsh light made it difficult to sleep and a headache ever present.

The door slid open. Lance didn't move, he was laying on the cold metal bed facing the wall. Before, if it were Keith, Lance would perk up and walk to the bars for some kind of interaction with him. Now, he didn't know what to think. He missed his family, he wanted to leave the infuriating confines of his cell. And Keith, no matter what Lance thought for him, cared for him, it was risky. Just speaking to him was putting their lives in danger. Lance wanted to be free, but he feared the consequences if it were to fail.

He heard the rattle of the keys as they worked on the lock. "Lance. It's me." Keith's soft voice bounced off the metal walls making his location unclear.

Lance remained quiet and huddled closer within himself. He flinched when the tips of Keith's fingers brushed his shoulder.

"Lance." Keith repeated. Oh how Lance hated it. He wanted to shut Keith out, to make it easier, to keep them safe. Just hearing Keith say his name made him want to rip him down into his arms.

He turned around looking Keith in his violet and brown eyes. "How's my family?"

"Your mother, father, and a few siblings are in cells like you. I made sure they weren't put to work in the mines. However, the rest of your family is unaccounted for by soldiers. During a search I did find them in a bunker. I reported it clear. They had plenty of food and water for the next two to three months depending on how well they conserve it."

"We have to do something." Lance bit his cheek anxiously.

"I know. The only way is to take down Zarcon, I don't know how to do that and get you out safely. As soon as I blow my cover I'll be swarmed with soldiers all throughout the ship." Keith looked away.

"Take me to the fight." Lance said as if it was obvious.

"Absolutely not." Keith whipped his head back to Lance.

"And why not?" Lance challenged.

"It isn't your fight." Keith fired back.

"As if! He captured and enslaved my planet, I believe that gives me a bone to pick with him." Lance was fuming.

"A bone to pick...?" Keith reiterated confusedly.

"It's an expression." Lance pouted with his arms folded.

Keith ignored the bone picking and went back to the issue at hand. "You know what I mean by it not being your fight. Zarcon is dangerous-"

"So what?!" Lance threw his hands up.

Keith was breathing heavier, "Lance, it's not your fight because I don't want you to get hurt." His eyes looked genuinely stressed with worry and Lance decided not to push any further.

Lance grabbed Keith's hands and rubbed the backs of them with his thumbs not daring to look up into his eyes. Keith didn't respond at first and instead stood there watching Lance, he needed a plan. "Can you stay a while?" Lance spoke quietly.

"Just a few more minutes." Keith sat next to him and they embraced each other.

When the time came, Keith kissed Lances forehead and left, neither of the two spoke a word.

——————-

The next day Lance was restless. He'd had plenty of sleep, he was fed up with being depressed about his situation. He paced the cell slowly, biting at his cheeks and running through every possible idea to escape.

He heard metal on metal as the door opened and Keith entered hastily. "It's time to go." He said quickly, fumbling with the keys.

"What? Now? What's the plan? Do you even have a plan?" Lance asked watching as Keith unlocked the cage.

"Yes, now hurry." Keith spoke deeply while dragging him out and down the hall. Lance squinted at the change of environment.

They would run and stop periodically avoiding passing soldiers. Finally Keith pulled him into a large empty room with several escape pods. He typed quickly into a computer, Lance didn't know what any of it meant if course but he could only assume.

"Get in." Keith instructed.

"Are you coming?" Lance didn't move.

"Lance, you know I can't." Keith looked up from the panel.

"Then I'm not leaving." Lance protested stubbornly.

Keith looked away for a moment, he was quiet. "Fine." He grabbed Lances hand and they both boarded the escape pod together.

Keith looked at the floor as Lance took his hands in his. "It'll be okay, we can defeat Zarcon together. I'm assuming there's more civilizations out there. We could form a rebellion." Lance suggested hopefully.

Keith didn't respond. The two hugged each other tightly before he pulled away. He pressed a button that looked no different from the rest and the doors began to close. "Lance," he kissed him, "I'm so sorry." In a split moment before the doors shut completely, Keith slid past them nearly not making it.

Lance immediately banged on them demanding him to open them. "Keith, please!" He begged.

Lance was knocked of his feet as the pod took off ejecting into space. However, when he saw the dark void of space he jumped to his feet running to the panel full of buttons that all looked unbelievably similar. There was a doohickey that he'd seen in movies people used to steer planes. He had no clue how the junk worked.

Lance sat down and I'm a panic pressed a button. Nothing. He pressed another. Nothing. He slammed his arms on the panel and brushed them across pressing nearly everything.

'Opening space lock in 10...9...8..."

A robotic voice said and Lance felt his heart drop to his feet. He quickly pressed more and more buttons.

"3...2..1... now op-"

A loud beeping went off cutting out the voice and when the space lock didn't open, he counted it as a victory.

The pod was no longer speeding away from earth and was now simply floating around in zero gravity. Lance took a deep breath and took the helm. He flipped a few switches as he'd seen in the movies. The pod lurched forward and he began to direct it back to Earth. No way was he giving up that easily. Not with his family at stake.

As he was crashing to the surface once again, it occurred to him that this could be his end. He buckled up and braced for impact.

A parachute ejected which managed to slow the landing. The pod slid across the terrain eating it up into a muddy trail. When it finally stopped, Lance quickly got out by pressing the same button Keith did.

He stared on at his broken city, his broken home. He was going to take it back, even if it killed him.

Lance dodged around the streets of the familiar town. He saw a Galra soldier and threw a rock far off to trick the soldier of his location.

As soon as the Galra's back was turned, he hit him over the head with a lead pipe. The soldier fell to the ground limply and Lance grabbed his gun. He stared at the unconscious soldier for a few moments contemplating his next actions. His gaze rose to the sky where the large ship dwelled.

===========

Lance snuck onto a pod among soldiers. How you may ask? He adjusted his purple helmet and prayed no one would see through the disguise. He shifted uncomfortably as his clothes were bundled underneath the stolen suit.

The pod rose from the ground and entered the mother ship. Lance felt a bead of sweat run down his face under the helmet. He hoped his anxiousness wasn't getting the best of him and no one could tell.

He smiled lightly, Keith probably thought Lance was half way to an undisturbed planet where he'd frolic in the flowers until his darling would come for him. Lance couldn't live like that. Not with his family imprisoned, and his...- and Keith in danger, unsure if he was alive or dead.

Lance squeezed his eyes shut. What was Keith to him anyway? Of course Lance loved him, of course he wanted to date him. Keith on the other hand, he couldn't be so sure of his intentions, what does he want? Does Keith even know what dating is? Do Galra date?

Lance realized he was going off topic. What he should be focusing on is finding Keith, killing Zarcon, saving his family, and taking down the entire Galra empire. How hard could that be?

The pod opened up to real even more soldiers. There had to be at least a hundred. If he was discovered, he was dead. No doubt crossed his mind on that.

Lance marched with the others holding his gun as they did. Then he spotted Keith. At least he could check that off on his to do list. Keith had a stern look that struck fear even in him.

Lance couldn't blow his cover so he continued. Keith watched as they marched and he looked at Lance with hawk eyes. Lance for a split moment thought Keith had noticed it was him.

"Number 437. You're marching is off." He yelled brutally. Lance didn't like seeing this side of Keith, but he knew his true intentions. Keith had held up a fist in line with his head and everyone stopped with a great stomp. Lance followed along well. Keith walked up to him and his face was inches from Lance who continued to stare strait as the others did. "I suggest you start marching right before I personally throw your ass in space."

Lances eyes were squeezed shut. He wanted to rip off the helmet and scream 'it's me! Keith! I'm back!' However, Lance didn't and instead gave a slow stolid nod.

"Forward!" Keith screamed stepping back and they continued marching.

They entered a large room, it was very open and glowing a bright purple. Sitting in a chair was Zarkon. Keith walked forward and kneeled holding a closed fist to his chest. "You wanted to speak with me sir?"

"Yes. One of the captives has gone missing. One that your unit was in charge of." His voice was dark and horse making Lance shiver.

"My apologies sir. I will have soldiers search the planet for the captive and personally punish whoever let him escape however you see fit." Keith never looked up at the Galra leader.

"How should we punish this soldier? A quick death seemed to generous for a traitor. Perhaps we could let them suffocate in space, or Haggar could bring true punishment. What do you think Keith?" Zarcon asked.

"Only the most cruel punishment would fit." Keith spoke.

"Do you know of which soldier let the prisoner escape?" Zarcon asked again.

"No, but I will go to great lengths to find who."

Zarcon breathed in, "Keith, you are my most valued general. I trust you with any task. It's a shame you're a traitor. Soldiers! Seize him!"

Lance stood frozen and the others around him ran forward ready to fight. Keith punched and kicked. How could he fight off 20 soldiers by himself. Lance was overjoyed that he came back to help, even if they didn't win, at least someone had his back.

Lance lifted his gun, aimed, and fired sniping off a soldier that had Keith by the arm. Keith looked up in shock still not knowing the true identity of soldier 437.

Lance continued to fire and Keith comminuted to fight. Zarcon watched as every last one of his soldiers in the room were taken out.

Keith breathed heavily and looked up at his savior. "Who-Who are you?"

Lance pulled off the helmet and ran to his aid. "Are you Okay?"

"Lance!? What are you doing here?! You're supposed to be safe!" Keith looked angry.

"Stop this babbling!" Zarcon boomed, his voice echoed off the walls and the two took a sharp look to him.

They all three stood. Lance raised his gun, Keith held his BoM knife that changed to a sword, and Zarkons eyes narrowed taking a threatening step forward.

The fight was on.

Neither of the boy's could believe it when Keith blade had made it swiftly past Zarcons guard stabbing him in the chest. They'd been beaten to a bloody mess and accepted a defeat.

Keith stopped to his knees and Lance, despite his bodies pleading cries not to, crawled to Keith pulling him into a hug. It was over.

Almost.

They pulled away and stood up shakily. "I need to begin the retreat of the Galra." He said.

"I need to find my family." Lance squeezed Keith's hands in his. "We can meet back at the police station where we first met."

Lance went to leave but Keith stopped him. "Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"Why?- How?- did you come back?"

"Oh yeah." Lance punched Keith in the arm and they both flinched as their current state wasn't the best. "I can't believe you were going to send me off like that! Luckily, I managed to turn the pod around and crash back to earth. I stole a soldiers gear and snuck back in the ship."

"I wanted you safe. I didn't want... this for you." He gestured to the dead soldiers and their wounds.

"I couldn't just go 'vacation' on some planet while everyone fights for their lives. Never in a million years could I be at peace not knowing if my family was dead or alive... if you were dead or alive." Lance stood closer bringing his hand to Keith's cheek.

Keith leaned into it and placed his hand over Lances. "I owe my life to you for what you did. I'd be dead right now if it wasn't for you being out of your mind."

"I'm out of my mind? You tried to single handedly take down the Galran empire." Lance laughed.

Keith smiled and they leaned forward kissing. When they separated, they were in a daze. Keith cleared his throat snapping out of it, "I guess I should um-be- Yeah."

"Right, Yeah." They spoke awkwardly yet in bliss. They left each other to fulfill the last of their duties before peace.

Because no one else knew of Keith's betrayal, he easily convinced the soldiers of the tragic assassination of Zarcon and ordered a retreat relinquishing all domination over Earth. In the chaos of the flee Lance pushed through thousands of soldiers. He worried at first he'd be apprehended but the Galra had no interest in him, only leaving Earth as quickly as possible.

Lance found where all the captives were held, in camps near the city hall. He freed everyone assuring them of the defeat of the Galra. He saw his mother and father along with his older siblings and nieces. "Oh Lance!" His mother gasped.

They all embraced his mother leaving kisses all over his face. It was a short reunion however. "We need to go to the police station. That's where Charo and Mateo are hiding. Keith's going to meet us there as well."

They reluctantly agreed still shaken by the events. Lance was trying to run however he was slow and in pain.

"Lance, what happened to you?" His mother asked tears in her eyes.

"Keith and I went up against Zarcon. If it wasn't for him, we'd die prisoners to the Galra." Lance said not taking his eyes off the road ahead. He could see the police station up the street.

"Who's Keith?" She asked.

"You'll meet him. We'll explain everything." Lance said smiling.

When they made it to the police station the doors were already opening. Keith walked out carrying Mateo and holding Charo's hand.

"I beat you here-" Keith smiled warmly.

"Let go of my babies you Galra scum!" Lances mother cried ready to fight. That's just the kind of woman she was, and the kind of woman she was admired to be.

Lance extended his arm in front of her signaling it was okay. "Mamá, this is Keith."

Her eyes became teary and she looked at him carefully. "Thank you."

Keith set Mateo down and they ran to their mother hugging her. Several police officers and other survivors, including the mother and her child Lance had told to run during the first day of the invasion, walked out looking up at the sky feeling its warmth.

=========

It had been eight months since the flee of the Galra and humanity managed to rise up again. Destroyed buildings were fixed and new technologies were introduced thanks to the Galra.

Lance and Keith had been officially dating for seven months and twenty-eight days, as Lance liked to remind them.

"Hey babe." Lance kissed his boyfriends cheek.

"Lance, what's a mortgage?" Keith looked up at him confused.

Keith had rented an apartment in which both of them lived. "Oh my- I'll take care of it." Lance laughed rolling his eyes.

They both had jobs as teachers in a high school. Keith taught astronomical science along with pod flying courses, Lance taught a current even class and even gave lectures at some colleges on the events of the Galra invasion.

Keith and Lance were heroes and legends. They received Medals of Honor and were known all over the world. None of it mattered to them however. Instead they found happiness in each other. Lances family was Keith's family.

The world was once again how it should be.