A loud thump echoed through the damp forest, muffled by large leaves and thick vines. A young boy groaned, then rolled onto his back, beginning his imitation of a small infant. He wailed, throwing his arms around, and faked tears.

"Knock it off, Lance," Another boy said as he peered though the shrubs. It was nearly impossible to see anything in rainforest like terrain, everything was just so... Green. Keith sighed loudly, then walked towards his friend, Lance, who was cradling his ankle, "What did you do this time?"

"Oh, Keith, it's terrible!"

"Great."

"It hurts so bad... I don't think I can continue on our journey..."

"Great." At this point, Keith wasn't really paying any attention anymore. He was more focused on figuring out a way back to the red and blue lions, and then getting back to the castleship.

"Just leave me for dead... I... I think I see a light!" Lance dramatically raised one arm, reaching aimlessly to the sky.

"Great!" The red paladin said, then began walking away, deeper into the jungle.

"Wait, wait no, Keith! Come back! I don't wanna die!"

***

About twenty minutes later, after leaving a pouting Lance behind, Keith returned. In his right arm he carried a small batch of mostly dry wood, to fuel his attempt to get a small fire going.

That failed.

"Looks like we'll just have to keep walking. Get up, Lance, we better get going," He was clearly agitated, and glared at his taller friend who remained planted of the ground.

"I can't. I think I sprained my ankle."

Keith clicked his tongue, then walked over to Lance, grumbling all the way, "You really think you did?" Lance nodded, frowning slightly, then raised his arms.

"Carry me, Keith."

However much he hated it, Keith knew this was probably the best way to get Lance safely back to the lions. He squatted down, sliding one hand under Lance's back and the other under his knees. This was going to be an awkward walk.

"See, it's not that hard!" Lance said excitedly, striking a pose in his friends arms.

Keith grunted, "Someday, I'm gonna make you carry me through a forest. And if you drop me, I'll make you start again."

An hour later, Keith finally found the two lions, almost dropping the tan boy onto the ground again. That had definitely been a hard trip; Lance wasn't quite feather light.

"Um, Keith?" Lance called sheepishly, and when the shorter boy turned to face him, he raised his arm to rub the nape of his neck, "Thanks for that. You know, carrying me all this way."

Keith sat down next to him, staring out at the giant cat-bots, "We should get back soon. Allura will be wondering where we've been."

Before he could get back up, Keith felt a pair of arms wind around his waist. He glanced down, and saw Lance's eyes fluttering closed. He was asleep, and he hadn't even done anything but lie around and complain for the past hour and a half.

Typical Lance.

Sighing, the red paladin decided to just go with it. He leaned against Lance, telling himself to stay awake and make sure nothing attacked them in their sleep. To bad, that didn't work out.

***

"Quickly, Pidge, you gotta get this before they wake up!" Hunk whisper-shouted, gesturing frantically to the sleeping Lance and Keith. When they had not returned after some time, Allura sent Hunk and Pidge out to retrieve them.

"Be quiet, or you'll be the reason the wake up!" Pidge laughed, then snapped a few pictures. The gentle click awoke Keith, and his movement woke Lance up, too.

"Pidge! Give that here! That's personal!" Keith shouted, standing up to snatch the camera back. They struggled briefly, before Pidge bolted across the small clearing toward his lion. The red paladin turned to look back at Lance, who was now spread across the ground, frowning, "What's wrong, Lance?"

"Oh, nothing!" He tried to respond optimistically, but he knew he had enjoyed that little nap with Keith a little to much. Lance held out his hand again, and Hunk helped him up. He winced and the larger boy lifted him up unto his own broad back.

They walked back to the lions in silence, Keith pouting over the dumb picture still in Pidge's camera, that he would never get to see.

To bad, so sad.

They flew back to the castleship without any hitches, only Lance complaining loudly about how much his ankle hurt.

"You can't just sit down and take a nap in the middle of a mission, especially when one of you is hurt! What if something were to attack you while you slept? Lance can hardly walk, let alone defend himself! What if the castle had been attacked by Zarkon, and we needed to form Voltron? We would not have been able to, and everything you have given up and worked for would have been for nothing!" Allura shouted on their arrival. That had only been a snip of her speech, which she had so graciously given to Lance and Keith. They both felt guilty and ashamed, but neither truly regretted the nap, though they would never admit it.

Soon after the princess' speech, Lance was escorted to a healing pod, but before he was sealed in, Keith leant over, placing a gentle kiss right on Lance's cheek.

Both boys avoided each other for days.

[ Thank you all so much for voting and commenting on the first parts I released last night! I love you all. Quick question- what would you guys like to see from me? Longer parts, shorter, or do you like this length? What do you think of this writing style? Thanks guys! ]