Two Shadows Went, Chapter 12

In his daze, he almost missed it. He distantly could remembered Pidge telling him to bath and helping him crawl back into bed, making him comfortable in the nest of fresh new pillows and blankets and most importantly the deep black cloak Lance tugged around himself, biting the horrid pressure and pain back just enough he could manage to sleep again.

A warm hand at his waist, trailing up was what brought Lance out of his doze.

He breathed in all at once as he turned, his body jerking towards the contact.

"Lovely," Shiro sat at the edge of the bed, reaching out to Lance. He was still in a black flight suit. His gaze softened over Lance.

Eyes wide, Lance shot forward on the bed, and wrapped his arms around Shiro.

Moving into the embrace, Shiro squeezed Lance to him, pulling him from the covers and across him.

Lance finally sighed and his senses were filled with the spicy scent of his Alpha.

When Shiro finally released Lance, and let him lay back against the piled up pillows, his hands still ran over Lance's skin, adoringly. "It wasn't possible for me to return sooner, " Shiro said in his usual tone. "I'm so sorry, you’ve — you’ve had to suffer."

Lance shook his head. His skin felt hot but as Shiro's hands ran over him — it was like he was smoothing away the persistent fatigue, the clenching pain in his abdomen receding.

"You didn't," Lance looked up. "I didn't make you — I didn't pull you away from something I shouldn't have?" Lance checked.

Shiro's eyes widened just a fraction before he shook his head, "No!" He jumped to explain. "Absolutely not! I—“ He stopped. His jaw jumped as he looked down at the covers. "Pidge secured a private line with me, and told me what had happened." He shook his head. "This is horrible timing for you to go through with this."

Leaning back more into the pillows, Lance lifted his hand to pet across his partner’s hair. "She'd told me you'd talked to her."

Shiro's hand brushed over the cloak. "I'm glad you remembered where to find it."

Lance smiled. "You looked nearly otherworldly in this, it was the first time I'd really seen you beyond in passing. It made quite an impression on me."

Shiro tipped his head at him, looking at him sidelong. "I wanted to be here sooner."

Blinking, Lance tried not to let his own desires cloud his judgement. "You're the Black Paladin first. I understand that."

Shiro pushed up a bit more on the bed, sitting more firmly as he reached down, to remove his boots. He wore an expression, Lance couldn't quite parcel out.

Narrowing his gaze, Lance tried to consider. "Shiro — You told me you didn't leave from anything critical."

"I didn't lie," Shiro said in a seemingly forced neutral tone.

Lance still considered. “Than — the fleet has returned. My sister? Hunk? They're all back?"

Shiro shook his head. "No."

This time, Lance couldn't help his own sly smile. "Then how in the world — ?”

With his boots and socks off, Shiro was already crawling up on the bed, he'd managed a majority of the armor as well, letting each black parcel fall to the floor. He reached for Lance, kissing at his lips fervently.

It wasn't till Lance raised his hand, his palm touching Shiro's chest that Shiro backed up enough to look at him.

"Shiro," Lance pressed, his brow raising.

Shiro took a breath. "I'm... as far as the records state, still in space."

He said it so levelly, so calm, Lance nearly didn't catch all the implications.

"What?" Lance blinked rapidly.

"The Black Paladin is still with in Altea's outer orbit." Shiro stated as if it was fact. "The Black Lion is there, as well as my fleet."

Lance narrowed his gaze, “You — didn't?"

Shiro breathed out carefully. "One star-cruiser jettisoning back to the capital hangers — wasn't really all that noteworthy. There’s been several going back and forth to relay information and things anyway."

He was smiling but at the same time, Lance shook his head. "You should have stayed in space." He was already huffing out his first laugh. "I'm going to survive I'm sure, Shiro." He was already smiling though at Shiro. "I'm fine."

Shiro was already crawling over him, a smile did slightly tick up on his features. "You're not." He breathed, his face inching closer to Lance's. "You're in heat sickness, and I can help." Shiro's smile dropped as his hand brushed at Lance's cheek. "You're burning up. It's has to be getting bad."

Lance let his head rest back on the pillows. "Why is this happening?" He groaned. "I've alway — my heats are easy. I've never had this and the scent – Keith had all the Alpha Guards removed from around me. It's never been like this!" Lance frowned unhappily.

There was a breath before Shiro spoke. "It's — it's the bond." His jaw tightened. "We didn't bond naturally. This was going to happen no matter what we did." Shiro sat back a bit, his eyes weighing heavier on Lance.”I just expected to be here when it did happen, I expected I’d be able to help you and it’d never get this bad.”

Not knowing what else to do, Lance ran his hand over his Alpha's arm, sliding his fingers up over the Galran hand, tracing up to the dark shirt Shiro was wearing.

"How--" Lance frowned. "How do I feel better?" He knew his voice was quiet. But his eyes still slid up to look at Shiro — he was aiming for hopeful, but he knew his gaze flickered with fear.

Shiro was already shaking his head. "It won't ever be like that first time again." He breathed out a growl. "I promised you, I'd never do that to you again."

Lance — with an nod of his head, tried to trust.

"I just have to —“ Shiro leaned in, his hand adjusting and fingers sliding under Lance's neck pulling him up from the pillows.

"I — will never hurt you again," Shiro's voice was so low it vibrated through Lance as he spoke against his throat, his lips carefully trailing upwards.

Lance gave a whimper, his hands coming up though, shaking as he tried to steady himself against Shiro.

"I just need to make you remember," Shiro spoke again, "make the mark remember — that you're safe--"

Lance jolted as Shiro's hot breath was over his mark. He gasped and his fingers clutching at Shiro.

"And mine,"

Shiro drooped his mouth over the mark, hitting it in an open mouthed kiss, and Lance — melted as his eyes rolled back and he — let himself fall.

---

The more Shiro's hands smoothed across Lance's skin the more the fuzz receded from Lance's world. By the time he was pressed up against Shiro he could finally let out a long breath in relief. Blinking several times, so much was finally catching up to him. He’d spent days in that bed, and no telling how long he’d been there even very day. The birds were chirping outside and light filtered in from the curtains at the side of their bed, so it wasn’t exactly early.

"You've been so good waiting for me," Shiro's deep voice nearly vibrated through Lance.

Lance cracked a smile. "I didn't have much of a choice."

It was so pleasantly warm finally. Finally Lance wasn't shivering in a cold sweat. He wasn't clawing at the lingering scent from the cloak around him. Shiro was there and as he propped himself up over Lance he filled his senses.