HOPE YOU ENJOY
PLEASE VOTE
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Katie did as she warned, staying away from the rest of their small group. All holding up in the school building once again but she stayed tucked away close to the locked kitchen most of the time.
Always having her wound bandaged up whenever she went a few meters closer to them, having to collect her warmed up portion of their shared meals and a water bottle. Cosmo still growled and whimpered whenever she stood in his line of sight making Keith have to comfort him and keep him back.
Shiro or Lance would place her portion in her tin cup and water bottle away from them all before stepping back and watching as she'd pick them up before sitting down between one of the rows of boxes. Tucked out of sight but able to listen in and joke with them at a safe distance.
That's how conversations were kept between them all over the next couple weeks as Katie wound healed up, scabbing over before being nothing but a red mark that was slowly fading. As soon as she stopped wrapping her arm in a bandage to come collect her meals ... Shiro was by her side and wrapping her in a much needed but desperate hug.
Keith and Lance sharing a smile as they watched the two melt into each other hold, almost forming as one. Keith glancing down when Cosmo didn't snarl or bark, instead he stood rather excited and soon rushed over.
Spoiling Shiro and Katie hug by jumping at Shiro back, wanting to be spoiled with attention by her as well. Shiro laughed, standing to the side and watching as Katie happily fussed Cosmo as much as she could. Laughing as he slobbered all over her again.
Once both Cosmo and Shiro was given enough affection to let her breath by herself for a single moment, Katie headed over to the other males. Pulling Keith into a hug, feeling a little bit proud when he hugged back and knowing he was slowly turning into a hugger .. something he claimed he never was before. A startled yelp escaping her lips as Lance full on tackled her to the ground with his needy hug, so glad and thankful that she was okay and that he could personal see up close that she was okay.
Shiro clearing his throat after a few minutes had passed and Katie was still on the ground with lance still mostly laying on top of her, clinging on for dear life. Keith snickering over the pout on shiro face, even Cosmo was better behaved right now.
Lance, giving a shy smile before climbing off the flattened women and stood up before helping her up. Katie just smiling back and patting his arm, knowing he was going through some emotional battles himself. She was the only one to survive like he did after all, it might have only been one game but still .. she came back when everyone else didn't in the end.
He caught his freedom but he'd always have a dark spot in his mind, hovering in that old kitchen and waiting for the doors to never open unless it was time for a game. He'd be left watching people die one after the other over and over again. Praying for at least one person to survive with him, to talk to him like he was human and not some bastard who might be linked to the games or begging him to save them before the game even starts.
Right now, he was the one opening the door from the inside and he just needed to take that single step forward to leave the room behind forever.
That night, they all sat together and well, why Pidge decided to help warm up the chicken soup since it was her favourite and everyone left her to choose tonight meal. Shiro had pulled her makeshift bed back to his own, tucking it beside his before acting innocent when the other three just looked at him.
