"Your father king Alford was a gifted alchemist, whose unique ability allowed him to infuse the voltron ore with alternate energy, granting it and the Paladins access to the quintessence field," Lotor brought up a screen from his arm guard as Allura worked her energy on the ship in the lab.

"You Allura now possess the same gift," he smiled at her as Allura had her back to him. Her eyes widen as blush spread on her cheeks as she looked down.

"Our visit to oriande has taught me more than I ever thought possible.. thank you," she smiled at him kindly as Allura held no more hostility in his eyes.

"No thank you princess, and lance told me what happened on the mission, you have no idea how much gratitude I have for you being there for him," Lotor grabbed her hand with both of his with a gentle squeeze.

"I don't know what I'd do without lance in my life now, thank you so much," he whispered to her with a kind grin.

"He's my friend, I'd never let anything happen to my team," Allura nodded as she tried to control her blush, his touch was warm but it faded when Lotor took his hands back.

"With your help we can finally supply the empire with quintessence, you are the key to bringing peace to the universe," Lotor told her with a calm voice.

"Peace," Allura breathed. "My father wanted that same thing when he built the lions, it is an honor to follow in his footsteps and continue his work... and to do so alongside you," Allura stepped closer to him.

"Like the days of long ago, our royal alliance will inspire others," Lotor nodded proudly as Allura pursed her lips a little with a smile.

"Hey you guys didn't call us?" Pidges voice interrupted the two making Allura jump away as Lotor smiled brightly seeing lance with hunk and pidge.

"You didn't think to call the engineers before you began building your inter reality quintessence field magical alternate alchemy super ship?" Hunk put his hands on his hips.

"You didn't think to call the engineers and the general who has been up almost every night with the emperor looking at those same quintessence field files?" Lance crossed his arms quirking a brow.

"Almost?" Pidge asked.

"He snuck out of bed to go back, finding this idiot sleeping on his desk again," lance narrows his eyes.

"I appreciate that you want to help," Allura let out a soft sigh. "Unfortunately there's not a lot for you to do,"

"Infusing the comet ore with alternate alchemy is quite different than simply building a ship," Lotor rubbed the back of his neck laughing awkwardly as his love gave him the look.

"Magic," pidge and hunk nodded.

"We'll certainly call you if we're in need of assistance, I'm sure Lotor has errands for you to run lance," Allura smiled innocently as her hands were behind her back.

"What..?" Lance made a face but was tugged away by his friends and away from his boyfriend.

"Oh well more time to integrate those galra shields with alternate tech," Hunk shrugged. "There's gotta be a way to do it..."

Lance looked back as Lotor and Allura were focused on the screen he pulled up for the blue prints.

——

"It's amazing how the galra subroutines translate almost one to one with alternate axiom inhibitors," pidge messes with two cords that created a dome every time they touched as hunk was under the table.

"Okay lance lets test this puppy," Hunk got up from the table.

He was silent as he was deep in thought sitting at the other table.

"Oh I think lover boy lance is distracted not thinking about the prince," hunk teased sarcastically as pidge threw a small bolt at him.

"Ow what the hell?" Lance turned to her.

"Oh love could you stop day dreaming about me and test the connection?" Hunk clasped his hands together as he mimicked Lotors accent.

"Ha ha not funny," lance scoffed turning back to the screen as the two other Paladins gave him a look.

"And I'm not day dreaming about you- I mean him," lance blushed embarrassed as he crossed his arms.

"That's good cause it seems like Alluras got a thing with Lotor," pidge stretched her arms up smirking.

"What?!"

"Yea they'll probably get married and have lots of altean baby's with beautiful white hair," hunk shrugged as lance looked at them wide eyes.

"He's probably proposing now," pidge grabbed hunks hands and got on one knee as hunk put a hand on his cheek.

"Princess will you marry me?" Pidge took Lotors roll.

"Oh Lotor, you bad boy of course I will!" Hunk made his voice higher, giggling.

"Stop it stop it," lance waved them off as his face was bright red.

The two laughed it off as lance sat in the chair letting out a deep breath as he looked down. Allura and Lotor getting married? That's not fair...

"Lance we're teasing, Lotor is extremely gay, you know, be gay do crimes kind of gay," pidge noticed lance was to quite as their laughter died down.

"Yea but it's Allura, she's pretty and a princess and Lotors a prince, and and and... god I'm pathetic," lance groaned leaning back.

"I've just never loved someone as much as I love Lotor," he mumbled looking away.

"I've never seen a real future for myself with someone but I can actually picture a wedding with him, a home that didn't have soldiers, that is so weird to say," he leaned against his fist on the counter.

"I'm just a boy from Cuba and Alluras a magical space princess, what do I have to offer that she doesn't have?" He looked at his friends as they were back to work on the technology.

"Were you even listening?" Lance whined.

"Yea you wanna get married or something right? Lance you and Rachel always planned out weddings when you were little, Rachel and I fought over who'd be your best man," hunk snorted helping pidge.

"It's different now," lance huffed getting up and left the room.

Lance walked through the castle with his hands behind his back as he was going to go back to the galra ship.

"Yea run errands, like I'm just an assistant and not anyone special," he scoffed to himself but passed a glass window that reflected himself.

Lance looked at his reflection and pursed his lips. Did he want to get married? He was going to be turning 19 soon... he lost track of earth days long ago. Or would he and hunk be turning 20? They were the same age, 17 when they found the blue lion, he knew he was 18 before they lost shiro, how long has it been?

Marriage was crazy, he shouldn't think about it now but yes, he wanted that one day...

But now, he was happy where they were.

He gasped almost stepping on one of the mice as they squeaked at his feet.

"Hey little guys, did you get in the vents again?" Lance made a face as he knelt to them seeing they were almost grey from dust.

"I'm sure Allura doesn't want dirty mice in her castle, let's get ya washed up," he giggled picking them up.

——

The glow faded from Alluras hands as she felt her knees begin to give out, falling back as she panted softly hanging onto the ship.

Lotor helped her up as Allura wobbled a little feeling exhausted.

"You've done much today princess, as I've been told many times, you need your rest," Lotor held her steady to keep Allura from falling again.

"We'll continue tomorrow," he nodded as Allura found her footing.

"There's still a long way to go," Allura told him.

"I am proud of what we've accomplished together," she smiled brightly.

"This wouldn't have been possible without you," Lotor agreed as she blushed looking away as her heart raced in her chest.

——

Allura sighed happily as she walked into her room and giggled seeing her move run past her feet  and jumped onto her desk as they squeaked at her.

"Hello little friends, you look cleaner than usual," she giggled sitting with them.

"Did someone give you a bath?" She asked smiling, a mouse came up and made a lance impression as they made finger guns.

"Lance? Aw are you friends now?" Allura cooed at her friends as they circled around each other squealing as they communicated with the princess.

"He said that..?" She whispered.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop you know, I'm sure hunk and pidge were only joking," Allura turned red looking down as the mice kept squeaking.

She pursed her lips as she didn't know what else to say.  Every time she was with Lotor she felt completely helpless. She didn't know what to do with these feelings she's never felt before.