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"I'm sorry boys, no one has turned in any reports of a Black Lion," Alfor said regretfully.

Lance offered him a smile. "Don't worry about it, sir. That's why we're looking. We'll find him somewhere."

It was the morning after Lance and Keith's talks with the Altean siblings and they were standing in the bay where they'd arrived, Blue and Red upright and alert. Both paladins were wearing their suits again and the royal family was all there to say their goodbyes.

A flash of doubt crossed Alfor's face, but it smoothed over in an instant with a hopeful expression. "You're right. I'm sorry that this reality was no luck."

Lance paused, then shook his head, looking past Alfor at Allura, who was examining a flower bush. "No, sir. This reality may not have had the Black Lion, but it was definitely worth coming to."

Alfor reached out and shook Lance and then Keith's hands, murmuring an Altean blessing over them and the Lions. Allura stepped forward and hugged Lance tightly. He felt tears prick his eye behind his closed lids but held back tears. He knew that this would be the last time he'd be able to touch her, reconcile with his past. This was the final goodbye he had.

"Be strong. Remember your promise," she whispered urgently.

"I will. I promise."

I promise.

Allura turned to Keith next. He knew that she could tell that he wasn't really the touchy-feely kind of person, so she settled on a handshake. Keith felt his own emotions go a little wonky- Allura's death had been hard for everyone. They'd always had a complicated relationship because of his heritage, though it was not her fault for having that internalized loathing, but not having her on the team, giving him advice, correcting him when he was wrong... It was hard saying goodbye to her again.

Keith a

Before she let go, she leaned in and murmured, "Take good care of him." Keith was too shocked to say anything in return, but when she pulled back, a rueful smile on her face, he forced himself to nod.

Next Prince Lance, in all his gorgeous glory, pulled Keith into a tight hug, not caring that Keith wasn't really a hug person. But, even as he told himself that, he savored the feel of Lance's arms around him, his chin on the smooth, warm skin of Lance's bare shoulder, white hair tickling his nose.

Lance pulled back, his mischevious eyes turning soft for just a moment. Unspoken words hung in the air between them, but they both knew what those words said.

As the Altean Prince moved on to say goodbye to the "real" Lance, the quiet Galran guard, the fully Galran Keith, stepped up next to Keith. They stared at each other for a moment before speaking.

"I never thought I'd see myself like this," Keith said softly.

"Neither did I," the guard replied, his cat-like ears pricking up. His eyes flashed to Lance.

"You really love him, don't you?" Keith asked the guard, admiring their bond.

The guard hesitated before smiling softly. "I think you know the answer to that. You feel the same."

Keith blushed and looked down. The guard whose featured mirrored Keith's nightmares held out his hand. They shook hands and Keith looked over to his own Lance.

"Ready to go?" he asked him quietly. This wasn't a question of preparedness for the journey ahead. This was questioning if Lance was ready to leave Allura.

Lance's grateful smile was sunny and beautiful. As much as Keith adored the Altean Prince Lance, this Lance was the most familiar to him, the one who truly held his heart.

"Yeah."

...

"Where to next?" Lance asked over the comm system. The two Lions flew side-by-side, aimless in space.

Keith flicked through the TRAM, scrutinizing the tiny graphics for anything recognizable. "I dunno," he muttered back, biting his lip in concentration. He saw something in his peripheral vision and looked up. Lance had turned on the live camera feed, his nervous face hovering in the middle of the screen.

Keith sat up, setting down the TRAM. "What's up?"

Lance fidgetted. "I... got to say goodbye to Allura. And that was really kind of you to let me do, even though Black wasn't there. So... is there someone who you want to say goodbye to?"

Keith blinked. Lance's voice was nervous and his face was a portrait of concern and hope. Keith turned away, his breathing coming faster and faster.

"Let me think about it," he managed to say before shutting off the comm.

The tears came fast and hot. Keith's shoulders shook, his hands curled into fists.

Dad.

...

"Hey, son! Look at you! You're doing great!" Strong hands on my back. My legs pumping the pedals with shaky bursts, my hands gripping the handlebar with a death grip.

I grin, going faster and faster down the hill, my helmet on and my kneepads secure. I can do anything. I can go anywhere.

"Keith!"

I don't see the curb. Suddenly, the world is spinning. My hands leave the handlebar and my feet leave the pedals. I don't know which way is up.

I land in grass and there's pain. I cry out.

"Keith!"

Dad!

Strong, warm, gentle arms around me. Lifting me out of the grass. Lifting me from the dirt.

Kind eyes looking directly into my soul as he checks my face, his big, rough hands checking my knees for scrapes. I'm so scared. I grip his neck like a lifeline tethering me to the ground.

"Maybe it's a little too early for the bike, hm?"

Dad...

"I've got you. I've got you, son."

Dad?

...

"Dad." Keith choked on the word, his sobs leaving his throat dry.

And another memory comes soon after.

...

The sky is cotton candy pink and blue and the wind is in my ears. Shiro is beside me. Our bikes race across the dunes, my helmet secure on my head, my eyes set on the small house in the distance.

Shiro revs his engine and shoots me a grin. I stick my tongue out at him. I'm gonna win.

"Loser has to wash the dishes," I crow into the wind and Shiro hears me. We reach the house and skid to a stop. I look up at Shiro, my breath coming fast and hard from the exhilaration.

"Was that a..." he starts.

"Tie?" I finish.

"Hmm..." comes a voice from behind me. "No, Keith, I think you win."

I turn and a smile is already on my face. Adam is standing at the door, wearing an apron and holding two mugs of coffee.

"Adam!" I run over to him and grin. "Did I really win?"

Adam's teasing smile lands on Shiro, who walks up and takes the mug Adam hands him. "Yeah, Shiro has to do dishes tonight," Adam reassures me.

My jaw drops. "How did you know what the bet was?"

Adam taps his head and ruffles my hair. "Magic," he whispers, pulling me closer to wrap his free arm around my shoulders and hug me.

"How are my boys?" he asks Shiro and me, leading us inside.

Adam...

...

"Adam." The name ripped at Keith's heart.

Red purred inwardly and Keith laid a hand on the controls, trying to tell her that he was okay. He was not. Red growled comfortingly. Keith felt sobs at the back of his throat but swallowed them. This decision was no longer about him. It was about his family. It was about his mom. It was about Shiro.

His Dad had raised him but Adam had welcomed him into his home without a single regard to his past. He had gone simply off of what Shiro had told him. That Keith was bright or that he needed help or whatever it was.

Keith could still clearly see Shiro's face crumple when the commander told him that Adam had died. Keith remembered holding Shiro, who had broken, completely shattered, under the weight of the news.

Keith couldn't let that happen again.

He turned on the comm. "Lance, I want to go see Adam."

...

heyheyhey

yall know where this is going lol

do you like it so far? is there anything you want to see?

qotd: pride month is coming up! any pride plans?

aotd: for any of you who don't know, i'm pan as fUCK so i'm planning on going to boston pride!! it's june 8th^^ lemme know if any of yall are going (:

iloveuuuuuuuuu<333333