“Stop moving or ill hurt you”

Keith grimaces as he slowly lifts his eyes up from his slummed against the bulkhead position to watch the figure kneeling before him as she combs trough his blood matted hair looking for more chunks of glass with her purposeful fingers. “Sorry, it just… owwshhhiiiii…” he bites off his word of as she plucks free another shard. He closes is eyes and grits his teeth as the sting of antiseptic hits the wound and she closes it with medical glue.

She sits back on her heels scanning is face inspecting all the small lacerations she has mended with a critical eye, her hand on his chin moving his head to and fro to look at him from all angles, She finally breaks into a smile whipping her hands on her hopelessly disheveled and stained gown. “You sir, are an utter mess.”

He mocks a bow as best as he can from his slumped position, grimacing a bit from the effort. “Why thank you, my princess.” He then raises a brow at her. “And how pray tell did you learn how to do that?”

She is already cutting open what’s left of the sleeve on his left arm to expose his shoulder and bicep. “Do what?”

He eyes her as she is inspecting the gash on his upper arm. “This.”

She laughs at him. “Well my…. overbearing commander… insisted on me taking a first aid course.” She teasingly rolls her eyes at him. “And well” she smiles. “I really enjoyed my time training in the infirmary learning and caring for those in need, Gorma kept showing me more and more skills so I kept coming back for more.” She starts to wipe the skin around the wound to see it better. “Cant say that I’ve ever had to deal with so many lacerations on one body before though, you’re such an overachiever, Captain.” She tisks at him.

“Well if a certain damsel wasn’t always in need of rescuing…. Owwwch! Hey!”

“What was that?” She turns from the wound that now has a fresh antiseptic soaked pad over it to shoot him a teasing look.

He chucklingly rolls his eyes and then closes them, his right bandaged hand gingerly lifting the bottle of an exclusive label Aruisan red to his lips to let the liquid roll down his throat then letting his head fall back against the softly vibrating bulkhead, as the pain of his shoulder slowly subsides. “mmmmmmmmm, What is this vintage again?”

She smiles at him. “That wine was always a family favorite, it’s from the Aslan hills. I still can’t believe the vines have survived though the war” She delicacy dabs extra antiseptic around the wound on his arm. “Just don’t tell Coran that I never gave it to Lord whatever his name was, he’ll kill me… diplomatic relations blah blah, diplomatic relations my royal behind, little manipulating, back dealing patsy is what he was. I’d rather smash it over his…”

He stars to chuckle then he groans out in pain the hand with the bottle wrapping around his waist to apply pressure to his abdomen but can’t stop shaking with amusement.

Her eyes panic realizing what she did her hand flying to cover his mouth. “God I’m sorry! Don’t laugh!”

He lets out a few last chuckles then exhales, his mouth softening to feel her palm still lingering on his lips, slowly he softly smiles into it.

She feeling the change in him watches his face relax, her eyes wandering over him and then back up to meet his eyes. “Why?”

He keeps his eyes closed as her fingers slide across his lips, his lips parting at the sensation. “Why what?” He asks back barely moving keeping his eyes closed, afraid to break the spell.

She pulls her hand away to study him. “Why are you always there to save me?”

His breath catches at the question and the so many answers he has for it… His eyes blink open to meet hers. “Because I couldn’t live with myself if I wasn’t.”

She studies his eyes trying to read them when a burst of static and then Lance’s voice comes over Allura’s communicator.

“Red Lion to Allura, the situation here is all locked down, the rest of us are now also underway to Arus. All ships are in fight home. I have informed Nanny that…”

“BABY! MY BABY! Are you alright?” Nanny’s voice interrupts on the com.

Allura answers back emphasizing the first word. “WE… are fine Nanny. Keith is injured but HE should be fine. Gorma read his scans and said there is nothing needing emergency attention, mostly lacerations and contusions.”

A sound of scuffling can be heard on the other end finally Lance’s voice comes back on sounding a bit winded. “As I was saying, I have informed Nanny that the flange on the royal shuttle is out on the trans warp inverse capacitor and its not worth the risk for us to dock with it while in transit so we are just going to escort you back to Arus. Do you have enough supplies for the next few hours?”

Keith and Allura both share the same what in the hell is he talking about look… Keith mouthing out ‘trans warp inverse capacitor?’ Then it slowly dawning on them what he’s up to… yet again… they slowly lean back from one another.

Allura with a faint blush growing on her cheeks answers back. “We should be fine, Lance, but we will be needing medical attention for Keith as soon as we arrive.”

“Will do. I don’t want to increase and additional pressure on the trans warp inverse capacitor so I will keep to radio silence unless there is an emergency.” You could almost hear Lances grin in his words.

Keith sets down the bottle and reaches for Allura’s wrist, pulling the com closer to him hating Lance for his games but also knowing he’s in no mood or shape to deal with him now. “Yes.” Keith snarls. “I’d hate for you to get hurt when it backfires. Shuttle out!” he gently releases Allura’s wrist grabbing back up the bottle in his bandage hand and takes a long swig of the ruby liquid then closes his eyes to lean his head back again. “God he makes my head hurt.”

“Well personally speaking, I’d rather be stuck in here with you than be with Lance and Nanny.” Allura shoots him a mocking scowl.

Keith’s eyes flash to her. “Wait! I didn’t mean… I mean its not that I don’t want… I mean I’m not complaining that I, ughhhh….” He takes another swig of the wine muttering to himself. “Just shut up Keith, Shut up...”

Allura’s laughing smile relaxes him as she goes back to dressing his arm, wrapping a compression bandage against it. “The bleeding has stopped here but this one is going to need Doc to close up so don’t move it too much or it will start bleeding again.” She looks him up and down, his clothing stained and in tatters, his skin and hair filthy from the dirt, oil and blood. “Hmmmm, stay put okay?” She slowly stretches up to her feet.

He laughs keeping is eyes closed. “And were exactly would I be going off too? owwww” He grabs at is side again.

“Enough! Stop laughing.” She giggles at him “You’re going to pull something.” She goes to search through the storage cabinets grabbing an armful of things and disappearing out the back door of the cabin.

He smiles closing his eyes and relaxes listing to the sound of her shuffling in the back room. His eyes slowly open again using the quiet moment to now take the time to peruse the royal cabin. The royal transport shuttle of Arus, it had been mothballed for over a decade, not use for royal visits in the heights of war. It was so richly appointed he didn’t dare sit anywhere close to the furnishings in his filthy state, choosing the soothing coldness of the floor instead. His mind then wandering back to the days events. “I wonder how much they paid him?” Keith wonders aloud to no one in particular.

“Hmmmm?” she queries as she walks back into the room, the stained gown traded for a long tunic and soft stretch pants.

He continues to look off into nothing. “Just wondering what his fee was, to sneak those doomites into the Caspian arms day calibration.”

“I don’t think I want to know” She answers as she folds up her gown, putting it aside with her uncomfortably fashionable shoes.

He glances up to her looking serious. “That was too close, Ally.”

She turns from the closet to look at him, compassion in her eyes. “Shhhhhhhhhhhhh, I’m okay” She crosses the cabin to him to kneel in front of him looking into his eyes brushing a loose strand of her hair out of her eyes. “Aright so you did end up going through wall of glass in the fight to save me from being abducted but I’m okay, we’re okay now.”

“Now…” He sighs, finally daring to look over her in her casual dress. “Doesn’t that bother you? That there is a price on you even to this day, that doom is always plotting to…”

Her fingers again find his lips to quiet him. “Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”

He sighs with a smile lifting the bottle up to numb his pain and thoughts.

She watches his serious demeanor for a moment with amusement and then reaches out to him, her hands going down to find his wrists taking them, being careful to avoid any lacerations. “Can you stand up?”

“Stand up, wah…”

She is already pulling him to his feet before he can protest more. “Come on.” She slowly leads him to the doorway at the back of the cabin.

He confusingly obliges her in no physical condition to stop her, then seeing where she is taking him stops. “I’m okay Ally, I don’t need to use the….”

She continues to pull him into the bathroom, moving him to a small stool against the wall, sitting him down into it and taking the bottle from his hand to put it on the counter nearby. “shhhhhhhhhhh. You’re still covered in bits of glass, blood and filth…” She reaches to turn on the water of the nearby tub and pouring some liquid concoction into it that releases a foam and a refreshing fragrance when it hits the water.

His whole body starts to turn crimson as he realizes her intent. He wants to speak but his voice has utterly left him as her hands now are beginning to push free the rag remains of his uniform from his chest.

She runs a fingertip along his chest lifting it to examine the oily grime on her finger “Whatever this stuff is it can’t be good for you…” She looks him up and down. “And if there is something I missed because of all this….” She sighs, inspecting his fifty skin… her hand going up to his matted up hair.  “And I’m sure you will feel much better when this glass is all off of you.”

All he can do is gasp as she pushes his uniform lower, past his hipbones. Her eyes taking their time to study every inch along the way, using the excuse to check for wounds to take him in as well. He squirms a bit under the scrutiny. “Ally, I really I don’t think that…”

“Will you hush….” She laughs as she pushes herself back from him a bit to move to his foot to tug on a boot. “It’s not like I haven seen you before.”

“Wha… you…. you said…” He shoots her a crimson glair. “You promised me you didn’t see anything.”

Allura tugs hard, the boot coming free. She smirks as she moves to pull the other boot free. “What I said was didn’t see ALL of you.” She smiles holding the now freed second boot in her hands.

He looks at her, head cocking slightly to one side, a slight smirk tugging on his lips. “What exactly did you see then?”

She stands up, gently pulling him again to his feet, and then reaching for a large towel she opens it up and holds it between them gesturing for him to take it in his hands.

“Ally! What did you see?” He glowers holding the towel between them defiantly. She smirks back as she reaches under it grabbing the sides of the legs of his uniform and tugs down, its tattered and stained remnants dropping to his feet.

She slowly lets her eyes wander up him with a smile. “Enough…” she winks at him then repeats the move for his briefs. Leaving him standing with only a towel between them, ass bare, his face in dumbfounded shock suddenly realizing his now naked state. She easily pushes him back down to the stool, the towel falling across his lap. She kneels in front of him to free the clothing from his ankles. “But I think Nanny looked longer.” She teases him.

His wide eye gaze just stairs at her unbelievingly as she frees what remains of his garments.

She reaches over to the filling tub, feeling the temperature. “Come on. You know you need to get this stuff off of you and you can’t do this on your own with a bandaged hand or without opening up your sholder…” She pauses a moment with a sly grin. “Or if you’d rather we can try and risk the ‘trans warp’ thingy and get Nanny over here to…..”

Keith mind is spinning, “Nanny! No I … I ….” He gasps.

“Keith…” Allura looks up to him through hooded lashes. “Let me take care of you, please. I want to, and well, they’d never let me…” She swallows. “All you’ve done for me… let me take care of you, for once. Please.” Her eyes start to shimmer with her urgency.

Keith knows to his very core that he is standing on a slope he has no hope of coming back from when he starts to slide, but as logical as he can be, all he hears his body screaming when he looks down into those liquid eyes is ‘Yes, Yes, Yes, God please yes.’ He closes his eyes for a moment and against all better judgment reopens them and whispers. “Okay.” Her face cracks into the most beautiful smile he can’t help but to blush at.

She reaches up to him to guide him into the warm tub, careful to keep the towel in place to keep what little barrier there is between them as he slowly sinks into the smoothing water, his grimy body disappearing into the soothing water. She pulls the now wet towel aside once his hips disappear into the foam.

He can’t help to let out a gasp of pleasure and pain, as the water both soothes and stings. The stinging slowly subsiding as his body acclimates to sensation of the water. He leans back closing his eyes and lets out a deep guttural purrr.

She smiles at him. “Is the temperature alright? She asks him and she gets a second purr in response. “Silly man, why do you always put up such a fuss!” she laughs at him.

His head turns to her quirking a brow, “Nanny? Is that you?”

She blurts out a laugh a growing flush on her cheeks at being caught quoting one of Nanny’s annoying sayings. She busies herself by reaching out for the hand held showerhead on the side of the tub, turning it on to a soft flow. Instead of continuing to tease her about it he settles back in, closing his eyes again.

Soon he feels her hand on his forehead guiding his head back further and then her fingers weaving into his locks the other hand with the showerhead traveling in its wake, water following trough his hair and to his scalp washing all the glass flakes and debits with it. She had set the tubs drains to slowly let the water out to balance the new water coming in, the drains taking the chunks of debits away at the same time to be filtered away. “Shhhhh, relax.” She whispers at him as she continues to cautiously rinse out his hair, careful not to open any of the lacerations she had glued shut earlier. She then reaches up for a bottle of green liquid, opening it up and pours it into her palm. “This is an antiseptic wash, is should help sooth your scalp.”

He had never imagined what a pleasurable sensation having ones hair washed could be, he couldn’t help but to groan out in the sheer bliss of it all as her hands wove their way trough his hair, working the scented lather into every inch of his hair. He tries to utter words but all he can manage is to purr out is a “Mmmmmmm”

She glances down from her scalp massage to take in is calm demeanor, trying to remember if she’s ever seen him so relaxed before. Every muscle in his neck and arms seaming to let go of the weight they were always carrying, blushingly realizing that she liked seeing him in this way more than shed care to admit. “Haven’t you ever had your hair washed for you before Captain?” she teasingly asks.

“Washed yes, washed by a beautiful fair haired princess while naked in a bathtub?...” realizing he had said more than he should have his eyes cautiously opened to find her giggling at him trying to hide the beautiful blush on her cheeks with her suds covered hand. He then couldn’t help but to laugh at his own words.

She bits her lower lip calling his attention to it. “I need you to sit up a bit so I can get to your back.”

His eyes still transfixed on her mouth wetting his own lips in subconscious response, nods and sits up in the tub. The bubbles that were covering his torso slowly sliding down his skin to reveal his chest and back and with the grime half dissolving away a spectacular bruise growing vividly apparent on the side of his abdomen.

She audibly gasps eyes transfixed on the line of soap suds as they slowly descend loosing control of the sprayer in the process she drops it, it landing on the edge of the tub and spraying water everywhere half soaking her and the room before she can fumblingly get control of it. “oops” she laughs as she finally get it under control. She wipes a now wet golden lock out of her eyes.

He cant help but to smile at her, thanking the gods that he hasn’t the strength to grab her and pull her bodily into the tub with him, because looking at her right now, her clothes half soaked, with water droplets now clinging to her hair and lashes, that is all the can think of doing at this moment. He instead futilely tries to hold his breath hoping the urge will pass before he blacks out from lack of oxygen.

She releases the sprayer into the water poring more of the shampoo into a cupped palm, the then leans in much closer than necessary to reach around his head to massage in the shampoo to the back of his head, her breath exhaling as she feels his head lean forward against her, his slow relaxed breath a warm caress on her damp neck and chest. She pauses a moment to take in the sensation of his warmth against the cool dampness of her skin her hands unconsciously pulling his head to rest more fully against her.

He obliges with a deep exhale, the weight of his head now fully leaning against her, thankful for the thick layer of bubbles in the tub screening how much her ministering is fully effecting him. He gasps as her hands begin to weave their magic trough his hair, along his scalp, then running down its length along his back. He inhales deeply to take in her scent barely resisting the temptation to taste her, just catching his tongue before it makes skin contact, but her shifting brings his lips to touch the line of her collarbone, the cooling caress of his quick inhale of breath across her damp skin causing a shudder to come from her and a wave of crimson and goosebumps to wash across her skin.

She tires to ignore her flush, instead reaching into the water to retrieve the hand sprayer and moves it up to the top of his head, her other hand coming around his head and under his chin to lift his head back, and she carefully rinses the soap free from his hair.

She pauses a moment to watch him and then collecting herself she reaches for a washcloth, wetting it and then pouring more of the green liquid into it. She then goes about the delicate task washing every inch of skin above the water line, first starting on his back and then working her way down each arm careful to avoid the major lacerations and then finally his chest.

Keith’s body was stiffing with each breath of the deep rhythmic breathing pattern he was focusing on, trying to keep his body in check.

She noticing the intense focus and tension building in him leans in to whisper in his ear. “Keith”

His whole body tenses at her closeness and the intimate use of his name.

She softly exhales into his ear. “You’re not relaxing.”

He looks down into the sudsy water slowly shaking his head with a pained chuckle. “Ill… try”

“I’m sorry. If I’m making you uncomfortable, I…”

He turns to her a look of utter confusion on his face, “Ally this is… I’ve never … I….” he reaches over to cover her hand holding the cloth to his chest. “Thank you for taking care of me.” He looks away, “it’s just that you affect me more than I’d ever admit. The thoughts I have spinning in my head right now, are not gentlemanly at all.” He slowly pulls his hand away.

She sucks in her bottom lip slowly releasing it. Her eyes find his, a knowing look passing between them. Her lips slightly part and she whispers. “shhhhhhhhhh” She then continues on, wiping his skin of his chest clean with the washcloth, whipping the grime free in a soft circular motion.

His breath relaxes as his eyes drift shut again, choosing to just give in to the moment he slowly leans back against the tub relaxing and letting the sensations of her gentle touch and his undeniable arousal ride over him like waves.

Her hand moves to his abdomen giving it her full attention then it grazes along the outside of his hip and down the length of his thigh, reaching his knee she pulls it up from the water to expose it, she turns her focus fully to his leg and then the other leg, trying to avoid thinking about what else lays just below the foam. She moves down to his feet, giving each their own focused care, deeply kneading the flesh between the bones of his toes and aches, his whole body groaning out in the bliss of it all.

Her eyes then dared to wander up him to see his eyes closed, his face utterly relaxed, his reddened lips softly parted as his heavy breaths rhythmically match the rising and falling of his chest. Her eyes slowly drifting back down his length now able to see his full arousal beneath the thinning foam, she bites her lip transfixed, pondering her next move before ever so agonizingly slowly moving the washcloth to his shin, past his knee, to his inner thigh to then brush up firmly against that very core of him.

He gasps out of his relaxed state, his back buckleling as his hands grasp the sides of the tub. The sudden movement causing her to start and release her grasp on the cloth, it floating away free allowing her hand to feel the velvety softness of him as it as if of its own need, pulses up to meet her.

His mind desperately wants to groan out a protest but body denies him and instead continues to pulse up to her hand which soon obligingly wraps around him in a primal caress. His head snaps back as he rides out a wave of pleasure as it washes trough his body.

His head slowly comes back upright to watch her as she is looking into the water to her hand exploring him, her lips softly moving, tongue continually darting out to wet them with her inspection of him.

He reaches out his bandaged wrist across the tub to wrap around the back of her neck leaning over to her and pulls her full lips to meet his starving ones and he consumes them as her hand stays firmly wrapped around his throbbing need, her hand soon finding a stroking rhythm, matching the movement of his mouth sucking in her lips and tongue. His lips then move off hers no longer able to focus as his body rides wave after wave of pleasure, then screaming out as everything tenses with his release. He cries out her name in a mix of utter shock and utter contentment, gasps a few breaths and then collapses limp into the tub, his head falling into the crook of her arm as she leans against the tub with her upper body propped along its rim.

They sit there quiet for a few long moments, her hand still softly wrapped around him, feeling the soft pulses as he relaxes. Her eyes watching her hand through the now clear water not quite believing what she is doing and has just done but unable to deny the unimaginable sensation of her own intense warmth pooling within her. She bites her lip as she slowly releases him to let her hand travel up him to pause on his chest. “You lost all your bubbles.” She smilingly whispers.

He lets out a low soft chuckle his eyes softly opening to the clear water. His bandaged hand moving to her damp hair searching for words to say but finding none to express the utter bliss he is feeling, finally managing to breath out a soft. “wow.”

She slowly pulls herself up from him, reaching out to find his wrists and slowly extricates him from the water, helping him to find his legs as he steps out of the tub. She then reaches for a large towel wrapping him up in it, and begins to rub him dry trough it when his arms come around her to pull her to him, head dipping down to hers seeking out her lips. When they come up for air he again tries to form the words to explain what he is feeling but is silenced with a hand. “Shhhhhhhhhhh” she whispers, not wanting any word to break the moment.

She takes his hand and guides him back into the cabin and to the bed where she pulls back the covers guiding him to get under the warm blankets which to his purring approval she had the forethought to turn on the heating to earlier. He, still in child like wonderment obeys. She pulls the blankets up around pushing them in snuggly against his skin, then moves to sit up by his head she begins to towel dry his hair.

All he can do is watch her in utter wonder wanting to grab her up into his arms, and also knowing his stiff tightening muscles were not up to any such task. While usually he would be berating himself for being so useless, he instead chooses to let go of himself and just enjoy every moment, taking in every little detail of her gentle movements as she cares for him.

His hair as dry as the towel can get it she lifts up his head a bit and places a fresh dry towel beneath it and then gently guides it back down to rest upon the pillow. She leans in over him to stroke his unruly hair roughly in place smiling.

“Come closer” he whispers.

“Closer?” she laughs inching in more.

“Closer.” He smiles.

“Closer?” She sucks in her bottom lip now almost laying atop him.

“Closer” He asks again her face just inches from his.

“I can’t get any closer silly.”

“Closer.” he demands with a small smirk as his eyes dance over her face.

Her lips part realizing what he really wants, closing the distance so there is none, brushing her lips across his.

He smiles as she pulls back slightly his eyes searching hers for his words. “Thank You”, he finally manages to breath out.

She smiles back stroking his face. “Anything for you… my Capitan.”

His bandage hand reaches up to guide her to rest her head against him, both closing their eyes to enjoy the peace, the soft hum of the shuttles engine lulling them to dare to dream.

 

Her com beeping to life awakes her and she reluctantly keys it on.

 “Castle control to Royal Shuttle.” Her com rips into the silence earning a groaning stretch from Keith. ”We have your on track, atmospheric entry in ten minutes.”

He lets out an exasperated exhale and stairs at the ceiling as she answers the com. “Roger that, Control.”

“You are pre cleared for docking at bay three, medical team will meet you there.”

“Bay three, shuttle out”

She keys the com off and looks to the mess around them scooting off the bed to hurriedly go about by picking up the discarded items.

“Allura…” she doesn’t seem to hear him. “Allura!” He eventually having to sit up to grab her arm as she passes to get her attention. “Allura.” Her darting eyes eventually settling on his insistent ones, his concerned face fading into a shy smile her own face breaking into a blushing glow. “Relax, I can take care of this.”

She steps up to him as he gingerly sits up fully. Turning to slid his feet off the bed and to the floor, he reaches out grabbing at the her tunic and pulling her to him so she is standing between his parted legs, his arms wrapping around her waist to pull her boldly to him burrowing his head into her. Her hands dropping what she was carrying to the bed to caress his head at her breast.

They both exhale as an insistent beeping from the shuttle cockpit gives them a reason to part. She takes a small step back from him and he smiles up to her then motions to the cockpit with his eyes. “Your up, he grins.”

She reaches out to give his hair one last brush into place and then turns to the cockpit to bring in the shuttle both letting out a sigh of relief as each of their minds is desperately needing some time to take in this new connection.

As they are making the final approach to land he comes up and gingerly takes the copilot seat beside her, the adrenalin now long fading from his body making him again painfully aware of his injuries. He managed to dress himself in a pair of plain pull on pants and then just wrapped the rest of himself up in soft throw from the bed. He watches her approvingly and in silence as she deftly lands the shuttle near the access point to the castle, then powering down the engine. Gorma’s medial team with a gurney was at the castle entrance at the ready and was now heading their way as the Red Lion was landing aside them.

“Home” she whispers.

“Home” he replies sounding a bit lost too, his hand coming to rest on hers at the controls. He was about to speak but a banging at the access hatch breaks his focus. A muffled “Princess! Princess! Are you aright?” can be faintly heard on the other side.

Allura lets out an epic sigh, letting her head flop forward in defeat.

He eyes the controls in front of her. “Want to go for a spin around the moons?” He smiles at her as she turns to him.

She purses her lips in a vein attempt not to laugh only serving to exaggerate her giggle when it finally breaks free.

“Princess! My Baby! Princess.”

“Oh for heavens sakes!” Allura gasps standing to her feet with an exasperated sigh and she moves to the door, only to be stopped by a hand on her arm. She turns to him biting her bottom lip.

He looks up to her trough hooded eyes. “I’d like to return the favor.”

She gasps all words and logic leaving her suddenly gasping for breath as she shallows air. At the same time the hatch opens from the outside, Nanny’s rushing in to hug the Princess away from him. “My baby my baby, are you alright!” She goes about inspecting every inch of the Princess.

Lance soon appearing after her rubbing the back of his neck with the medical team in tow. “Sorry about that. She was going to break my arm if I didn’t open the door and…” He pauses noticing Keith utterly transfixed on Nanny’s inspection of Allura. Lance smiles to himself hoping that his four hour flight with Nanny in the cramped Red Lion was worth it.

The Medical team soon are helping Keith to his feet and out the door to the waiting gurney below. He is being shuttled out the door when Allura finally has a window to break free from Nanny’s inspection. “Keith!” She cries out, the med team stopping and turning him to her. She take a few breaths and the smiles at him then whispers out a soft “Thank You.” The words she truly wanted to say but were not spoken laying heavily on the air for anyone listing for them to hear, the growing smiles on Keith and Lance’s faces showing that they were the only two who hear the unspoken words of love. Keith answers back with a silent Thank you then the medics whisk him away to the infirmary.

Allura lingers in the shuttle to gather up their belongings, finally managing to shoo Nanny away using the distraction of her ruined formal gown to get Nanny’s attention off of her. “This will not do! this will not do!” Nanny mutters as she sprits it off to try and save it.

Allura lets out an exasperated puff of air, blowing the loose strands of hair out of her eyes. She then reaches down to the floor by the bulkhead Keith had been laying against to gather up his gun belt. She wraps it up on itself then walks to the bed to set it upon the rest of their things she had gathered up. Keith having done an amazing job striating up considering his physical state. It was still obvious that he bathed but noting was in the disarray that they had left it in.

She picks up the stack of things on the bed, hugging it to her chest, then kenneling down she grabs the tops of his boots in her hand and heads to the doorway, where Lance was standing watching in her in detached amusement.

“So you finally managed to get his boots off eh?” He grins a cheesier grin at her offering to take them from her.

She passes him the boots while giving him a wining poker face of confused innocence.

“God damb it Ally!” He rolls his eyes as they turn to leave the shuttle. “I give you four hours! Four hours! Nothing!! Ugghhhhh!”

Allura looks on him confused, the vision of purity. “Lance, what are you talking about? We had a real nice talk and…”

He walks off ahead of her towards the castle, a white boot in each of his hands flailing them in the air. “That’s it I officially give up! You two are utterly hopeless!”

Allura brings her bundle up to hide the growing flush on her face that thankful now Lance is to far ahead to see. She lets the aroma of him in his clothes wash over her. Closing her eyes a moment then whispers. “Thank you, Lance.”

 

The rest of Allura’s day was spent in exhausting debriefings as she recants the events of the attack. Nanny had quickly spirited her away to make her ‘presentable’ and she begrudgingly agreed. There was no word from the medical team on Keith, she knowing in her heart that that meant everything was okay, but wishing she had the time to go there and check on things herself, but with charges being brought on many of those in attendance of the celebration her duties kept her away. The hours grew late as the last accounts of the day were finalized, Desperate to get refreshed and a change of comfortable clothes she headed to her room before heading to the infirmary for the night.

Exhausted she wearily reaches the door of her suite, keying the entry and stepping into the dim room her eyes closing with the door behind her, finally shutting out the noise of the castle. That’s when she hears it, the unmistakable sound of water running from her bathroom, and the behind her the soft click of the door lock. She slowly turns around to see Keith standing there at her door. Her whole body shudders at the sight of him only clad in black sweatpants and a few white strips of medical tape on his upper arm peeking out between the locks of his hair. One of her fluffy pink towels is draped casually over his other shoulder his right hand holding in place.

He walks up to her, his bare feet silently gliding across the floor to stand so close to her she can feel his heat. He reaches up to the top of her head to pull free the clasp that was holding up her hair letting it all cascade down around her. He then hooks a finger around her circlet pulling it free. Taking her by the shoulders he turns her to the face the bathroom’s doorway. He stands right behind her, one hand holding her close to him just above her breast as his other hand moves up the back of her dress, his finger tracing the line of its zipper. He then leans down to her ear… “Its time for your bath, my Princess.” as he slowly pulls the zipper down.