put you through your paces (keitor, 12k, rated E)
Becoming the bodyguard for the Galra emperor on a diplomatic visit to the Garrison? Piece of cake. Accidentally going into heat due to spending too much time with said emperor? Not so much. (In which Lotor asks for Keith’s help, and Keith gets a lot more trouble than he bargained for.)
tags: garrison keitor, you read that right, heat fic, (not conventional A/B/O), explicit consent, room-sharing, there was only one bed, wet dreams, fingering, knotting, power dynamics, slow burn, sparring, kink negotiation, rough sex, biting, teasing, intergalactic diplomacy, started writing this pre-s6, canon what canon, canon divergence, keith is bad at feelings
Keith would have expected the task of showing him around to be passed off to an underling, but as in many other aspects of life, Lotor is a hands-on kind of guy. Keith isn’t sure he even knows the word delegation. Lotor delights in personally pointing out the features of the onboard gym, some of which Keith has to admit are impressive: gymnastics equipment, a massive climbing wall, and an anti-gravity option to do it all as if in space.
“Enjoy yourself,” Lotor tells him, and makes as if to leave.
“Wait.” Keith touches the hilt of his blade, thoughtful. “You ever spar?
“You ask if anyone ever tries to have a mock battle with the leader of the Empire?” Lotor’s smiling, yet there’s something in his eyes… a longing that Keith recognizes.
“No, paladin, not for a long time—not since well before the Kral Zera, when I had a team of close companions I trusted above all others. They were soldiers, yes, but also rather like friends. Much like your Voltron, I believe.”
“They’re not really my Voltron now,” Keith starts to explain, crushing down the ache in his heart at the thought.
Lotor shakes his head. “They would have you back in a heartbeat. Once a paladin, always a paladin. You have a place with them forever, should you wish to return.”
Of course Keith wants to go back to them. Of course he misses his team. It’s just not possible right now, not with his other obligations. And not with the strange wall like a tangle of barbed wire that has sprung up between the team and him—theoretically possible to cross, but would mess him up bad if he tried. He doesn’t tell Lotor any of this. “I mean, do you wanna try a match with me?” Lotor’s eyes widen, and Keith catches the glint of a fang. He grins at Lotor. “Come on,” he tempts. “It’ll be fun. I’ll go easy on you, I promise.”
