Lance doesn't like this.

"I don't like this," Lance says, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the two firebenders in front of him.

Of course this would happen while he was on guard duty. The strangers don't seem particularly cowed by his response, and he redoubles his efforts at glaring.

"You don't have to like it to do the right thing," the shorter one of the two says, and Lance already doesn't like him, either.

"Excuse me for doubting your sincerity," Lance responds, "but neither of you look like defectors." And it's true: typically, defectors of the Fire Nation are emaciated, covered in grime, and exhausted. Those that have managed to escape the despotic rule of the Fire Lord are survivors, and by the time they make it to Altea, their appearances match the hell they've been through.

These two look like they waltzed out of the royal palace roughly five minutes ago.

"We have a very rigorous process for processing refugees," Lance lies, and from behind the walls he can hear someone stifling a giggle. Probably Pidge, that traitor.

If they're going to force him to man the entrance, the least his allies can do is back him up, seriously.

"Look," the shorter firebender growls, and Lance doesn't have to try too hard to imagine steam coming out from his ears. "Take us to your leader and we'll be able to describe our situation in further detail."

The taller one places a hand on his shoulder and murmurs, "Keith…"

The thing is, Lance doesn't trust firebenders, and he never will. He may not have personally known anyone who died during the invasions of the Southern Water Tribe, but he's heard enough stories, and those were his people.

And these firebenders stink of a trap. (And of fire, which Lance privately thinks is even worse.) They're dressed just a bit too nicely to have travelled on foot across the Earth Kingdom, and the way the taller one holds himself is almost… regal.

Nope. Lance doesn't like this.

The firebender who doesn't look like he's about to hurl a fireball at Lance's face offers him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry if we seem suspicious. We are completely willing to tell you of our unique circumstances, so long as we're out of reach of prying ears."

He tips his head to the side, presumably to indicate such prying ears.

"Fine," Lance says shortly. "But don't think you'll be able to pull any intimidation bullshit with her. "

One of the earthbenders opens the gate on Lance's signal, and the two firebenders trail after him as he makes his way into the labyrinth of Altea's base.

Allura generally oversees all potential refugees who come under her care, although Lance does technically have the authority to immediately clear anyone who seems in urgent need of food or medical care or anything of the like.

These guys definitely don't fit that bill, so Lance takes them directly to her office. As they round the corner, he can see that her office door is open.

"Hey, boss lady," he says casually. "Have a delivery for you."

The leader of Altea doesn't even pick her head up from the mass of papers on her desk. "I really don't have time for your jokes right now, Lance."

"Damn. Guess I'll just take these two incredibly suspicious firebenders elsewhere."

She picks her head up at that.

Allura isn't too fond of firebenders, either. Something about them burning her city to the ground and killing her entire family, if Lance had to wager a guess.

But they're certainly not the first citizens of the Fire Nation to seek safety under the widespread protection of Altea, and Allura's a much more understanding person than Lance is, so she stands up from behind her desk and moves to greet their visitors.

To Lance's complete surprise, both of the firebenders immediately incline their heads in a gesture of respect.

"Princess Allura, it is an honor to meet you," the tall one says, and what the fuck. How do they know Allura's a princess?

Who are these guys?

"My name is Shiro, and this is Keith. We come to you in a time of dire need."

Well. They're Shiro and Keith, apparently.

At least Allura seems as taken aback as Lance does. "Lance, shut the door. I have a feeling we'll need the privacy."

Lance nods and obeys. He notices the shorter firebender's eyes tracking him as he moves to close the office door, and realizes that it's because the guy expects him to leave.

For a nonbender, Allura is ridiculously strong, but Lance isn't about to leave her alone with two potentially dangerous firebenders, especially not if they know who she really is. He lays a firm hand over the cork of his water skin and leans against a nearby wall, challenging the bender to say something about it.

He looks like he's about to, too, shooting a glare at his nonchalant posture, but the other bender - Shiro - speaks before he can spit out some kind of insult.

"We're fleeing from the Fire Lord's reign," he starts, and isn't that a story he's heard before. "We were informed that Altea may be able to offer us assistance. I've been held captive for several years and Keith rescued me. I trust him with my life."

Lance takes a look at Keith and thinks he wouldn't even trust the guy to make him dinner. He'd probably burn it.

"You look pretty well-fed for a prisoner," Lance says after raking his gaze over Shiro's frame. (What? He can appreciate beauty, even if the guy's a firebender.) "Why'd you need to escape?"

Shiro smiles at him, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Maybe it's easier if I just show you."

And then he's moving into a traditional firebending pose. Lance has his skin uncorked and a water whip ready before Shiro even summons fire within the curve of his fingers. He's distracted enough by the show of bending that he nearly misses how Shiro's arm moves in a complicated maneuver that's almost recognizable, and then he's hit with the bizarre sensation of his water whip being wrenched from his grasp.

Shiro bends the water around him in an arcing circle, even as he carries a steady flame in the palm of his hand.

A tiny, tiny part of Lance is piqued that someone managed to bend his own water away from him, but it's squashed by the rest of his consciousness, which is fairly screaming at the fact that he's apparently witnessing the fucking Avatar in action.

Suddenly, the water floating about Shiro's body falls harmlessly to the ground, and the bender shrugs sheepishly. "That's about all I can do with waterbending. Masters aren't very common in the middle of Capital City."

"You're the Avatar!" Lance blurts out, and he's shocked enough that even Keith's loud scoff goes mostly unnoticed.

"Shiro..." Allura says softly, and then her eyes go wide. "You're Takashi Shirogane."

And that's a name Lance recognizes. Takashi Shirogane was assassinated five years ago by the Galra, and his death was the catalyst for the fall of the largest revolutions against Fire Lord Zarkon.

It's also the entire reason why Altea exists, really.

"But you died," Lance says.

"Well, that's certainly what Zarkon wanted the world to believe. He kept me hidden away, announcing publicly that I'd been killed. It was meant to rally hope for the other nations - the Air Nomads would eagerly await the birth of a new savior - "

"Only to crumble under the realization that another Avatar had not been born." Allura's voice sounds calm, but Lance can hear the fine tremor of rage that threads through her tone.

It's a terrifying thought. Lance doesn't even want to consider what the world would be like without the ability to stand behind a unifying force like the Avatar. Altea was only ever meant to be a temporary respite - a defense force and heavily reinforced refuge for those suffering until the new Avatar was discovered and old enough to fight Zarkon, but under this plan...

"They kept Shiro as a plaything." It's the first time that Keith has spoken since entering Allura's office, and Lance is taken aback by the sheer venom in his tone.

"I'm fine," Shiro says firmly. Lance eyeballs the thick scar across the bridge of his nose and doesn't believe it at all.

"We would be honored to have you stay at Altea," Allura says, ever the diplomat. She seems to have regained her footing, despite the knowledge she's stumbled upon. "I think Shiro and I have much to discuss. Lance, would you mind showing Keith where our living quarters are?"

Keith looks about as pleased about leaving Shiro alone with Allura as Lance does about being alone with Keith.

It's not like he's about to disobey a direct order, though. Especially not right in front of the Avatar. (Seriously, Hunk is going to freak when Lance tells him.)

"Come on, then," he sighs before waving a hand to collect the water pooled the ground from Shiro's display. It flows smoothly back into his water skin, and he heads out of Allura's office with Keith in tow.

The silence between them is uncomfortable, and Lance briefly considers shoving a spike of ice down Keith's tunic to get a reaction out of him that isn't angry silence.

"What's your story, then?" Lance asks eventually, mostly because the firebender is brooding so heavily he's afraid it might be contagious.

"I'm a former Galra assassin," Keith responds, and Lance freezes in place, because he honestly can't tell if the guy's joking or not.

Then Keith surprises him again, this time by tossing his head back and releasing a full-bodied laugh.

"Okay," Lance says a bit too loudly. His face feels uncomfortably warm, and not just because he's the butt of a joke. "I am hereby assigning you the worst room."

"Your face - " the firebender chokes, and Lance has absolutely no idea how he went from angry-looking bodyguard to joke-cracking teenager in 30 seconds flat, but he can't get the image of Keith laughing out of his mind for days.