Chapter 4: Bonding Moment

Lance held Keith's body close to his as he walked with him down the halls, keeping the paladin steady.

Keith was sluggishly trudging along, a strong hand on Lance's waist, keeping him close.

"I don' feel good..."

"Just a little farther, buddy. Then you can spew anywhere you want." Lance whispered, gently lifting Keith's legs up and holding him to his chest, carrying him to his lion.

"I don't feel spewing. I'm nah sick..." Keith groaned, clutching his stomach. "Just lottsa woozy an' lightheaded..."

"You need some sleep, Keith. Maybe you drank too much. It is an alien planet." Lance stopped at Red's mouth, smiling when he leaned down and opened his mighty jaws. He walked in and looked around, his arms starting to tire from holding the drunken paladin. Setting him down on some makeshift bed that was in the back of every lion, Lance sighed, brushing the hair out of Keith's eyes.

"You gonna be okay?"

"Don' leave me 'lone..." Keith whined, reaching up and grabbing Lance's hand, pressing it to his warm cheek.

Lance laughed softly, pulling his hand away. "I gotta go, Keith. Pidge already thinks we're a thing, and I know you're not into me like that. We're rivals."

"I am into you like that..." Keith thought in his mind, a pout on his face. He saw Lance's mouth hang open, his eyes widening in alarm. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did." Lance smiled, rubbing his thumb against Keith's cheek. "I gotta go though, two Paladins going off together..."

"Don' like what they'll think o'us?" Keith frowned, sitting up.

Lance pushed Keith's shoulders back down, sighing. "Keith, you're sick, and you need to rest. Sleep for a bit, I'll check on you in the morning."

Keith rolled over onto his side, crossing his arms. "Ya didn't answer my question... but fine."

Lance sighed, leaning down and planting a kiss on Keith's forehead. "Feel better, Mullet."

With that, Lance left Red, making his long journey back to the dining hall. He passed a hooded figure on his way back, not thinking much of it. All the ships were stationed there, even though the lions got special hangars to themselves. Maybe he was leaving.

After Lance sat back down at the table, he picked up his fork, staring at the food. He'd lost his appetite.

"You didn't stay with him? Is he okay?" Pidge asked, looking in the direction of the hangars.

Lance suddenly felt uneasy, dropping his fork and bolting down the hallway. "I'm an idiot! We're not supposed to leave Keith alone! Stupid stupid stupid Lance!!" He ran harder, stopping in his tracks when the Red lion screamed in his mind, calling for help.

He picked up his pace, skidding to a halt in front of the Red lion, purple light glowing from his mouth. The red lion leaned down, opening his mouth for Lance, ushering him in.

With his bayard in hand, Lance ran into the lion, creeping to the back room where he'd left Keith, seeing the hooded figure.

Keith was on his back, his legs kicking at thin air, the hands around his neck cutting off his air. A thick collar formed when the hands pulled away, glowing a brilliant purple.

The figure looked directly at Lance, grabbing for a gun at his side.

Lance raised his gun, feeling something slam into the back of his head, making his knees buckle. He collapsed into a heap on the ground, stunned, trying to fight for consciousness.

Another figure stepped over his body and make its way to Keith, who was panting hard, holding his bayard out to ward off the intruders.

"Drop the bayard, paladin." One voice said firmly.

"No- aaH!" Keith screamed as electricity danced across his body from the collar at his throat, forcing him to drop his bayard from the shock.

Lance groaned, sitting up, rubbing his aching head. Concussion. He'll deal with that later.

Grabbing his bayard, he raised the gun weakly, bracing it against his shoulder.

Bang.

One of the hooded figures dropped to the ground, the other spinning to face Lance and kicking him in the face.

Lance slumped to the side, stars dancing before his vision, taking labored breaths. They can't take him. They can't take Keith.

He used the wall to stand up, pushing off the wall and latching onto the hooded figure, wrapping his arms around its neck. He squeezed, managing to make the intruder pass out.

Lance stood up, looking at Keith, red liquid seeping into his vision. He couldn't feel anything, it was all numb.

Keith was fighting with the collar, his fingers bleeding as he frantically scratched and tugged at it.

Lance stumbled over to Keith and pulled him out of bed, leading him out of the Red lion.

"What happened to you, Lance?!" Keith sobbed, holding Lance's face in his hands, trying to rub away the blood that was dripping from a deep cut on his forehead, probably from the attacker's boot.

"I'm fine. Let's get you to the other paladins..." Lance slurred, dizziness taking over. He slumped against Keith, taking shaky breaths, holding onto Keith's shoulders.

Keith nodded, helping Lance walk out of Red, limping a little himself.

As soon as Keith stepped foot outside the hangar, he dropped Lance, howling in pain as his collar started to glow and fizz with electricity, backing up back to the safety of the hangar.

"Keith?" Lance groaned, looking up to see him, his eyes widening. "Keith! Behind you!!"

"Lance! Keith!" Hunk's voice cried, footsteps sounding behind them.

Lance sighed softly, relieved their friends were to the rescue.

Keith felt a pair of hands grab his forearms, keeping them pinned to his sides. He tried to trash and kick, only being pressed firmly to the captor's chest.

"Don't struggle." A chilling voice hissed into his ear, making shivers run up Keith's spine.

"Lotor! Let him go!" Allura yelled, standing between the paladins and Lotor and Keith.

"No. I'm simply following my father's orders." Lotor growled, backing up more as Allura tried to get closer. "Generals!"

The four generals stood at Lotor's side, making Allura stop getting closer.

"I will take this Galra paladin and he will be of use to the Galra empire. You cannot stop me from this." Lotor handed Keith off to Zethrid, who held a strong grip on Keith.

Keith had lowered his head, drowsy from the drinks earlier, and exhausted because of the shocks he'd experienced. He looked up into Zethrid's face, resting his head into her bicep in defeat.

He knew he couldn't fight back.

But that wasn't how he was. He didn't quit.

Keith felt Zethrid's grip relax, taking that as his opportunity to yank away, stumbling towards Allura and the others.

Lotor grabbed Keith and dragged him back, slinging him over his shoulder, walking back to his ship that was at the foot of the Red lion, his generals not far behind.

Keith screamed and kicked, reaching out for his team. His family.

He watched Lance's limp body be lifted into Hunk's arms, his large friend wanting to run after and save him.

Shiro was already sprinting after them, his Galra hand glowing, yelling vile things to the prince.

Lotor paid no attention to him, the door of the ship closing as Shiro reached it.

The Black paladin jammed his galra hand into the door, attempting to melt the metal. He was thrown back when the thrusters went off, sliding across the floor.

They all watched as the ship left, their Red paladin gone with it.

Pidge was quiet, hot tears rolling down her face. She didn't want to blame Lance, but man, she really wanted to blame him.

Hunk looked down at his friend in his arms, silent, his heart pounding against his paladin armor.

"We need to go back to the castle." Allura said quietly, helping Shiro back over to the group.

"Lance is seriously hurt." Coran said as he ushered them to their respective lion hangars. "Allura, take Blue, and Shiro, grab Red."

With heavy and aching hearts, everyone did as told.

Keith was gone.