Please, love me (kidge)

I love your scars

Keith hates that feeling, the one when he feels like he's not good enough. The one that appears whenever he looks at his scars.

Pidge decides this time, she needs to be the one to reassure him.

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Keith felt useless. Not strong enough. No matter how hard he tried, he never felt like he was enough.

Every time he looked in the mirror and saw the scars covering his body, he couldn't help but think he only got them because he was weak. If he was strong enough, he wouldn't have them. No enemies would be able to harm him.

He hates them. He hates himself for letting them happen.

Once more, he had messed up during a mission which caused him, Lance and Hunk to get hurt. Even Pidge. He wants to protect her, not cause harm.

He wants to protect all of them.

Shiro told him everyone makes mistakes and that the most important thing is that you learn from them. But he's just so tired of messing up. After all this time fighting the war, he shouldn't still be making dumb decisions.

So he trains, again and again. It doesn't matter if his muscles are sore, if he feels dizzy from exhaustion, if he gets more cuts and bruises. Serves him right to be this weak and pathetic.

Nothing but being perfect matters. He can do it, he has to.

"Start level 30!"

Five more training robots appeared, all armed with swords and guns. All at once, they came charging at him, not holding back. Good, that's what he needs. He hates it when Shiro does this when he thinks the younger boy is too tired and should take a break.

The sound of swords clashing against each other is all he can hear along with the sound of his heart beating loudly. With ease, he dodges each shot fired at him. He ignores once more how his head feels and how his legs ache.

"Your levels of exhaustion and stress are getting too high. You are advised to stop this training sequence."

He hates that stupid voice. Their leader asked Pidge and Coran to build a program capable of advising them when a break was needed.

Everyone knows who it was for.

He ignores it, he knows he can do it. The dizziness is still there, but it's nothing he can't ignore.

Until he can't anymore.

He vaguely remembered not being able to move and then everything started spinning. He sees the robots launching toward him but can't do anything except fall on the floor, his eyes closing.

" Keith! End training sequence!"

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Pidge was in Green's hangar, working on some updates. She felt a bit tired, but it's not like it was unusual. None of this was, she can ignore it. What she can't ignore is the presence suddenly creeping in the back of her mind.

This was not Green. They're close enough that her lion has no problem understanding her and neither does she. This felt different and that presence was clearly stressed about something. So she tries to concentrate really hard and with Green's help she understands.

It's Red. Meaning something must be wrong with Keith, but what. As far as she's aware, they're not being attacked.

She abruptly gets up and runs toward the training deck. Even after the program she and Coran developed, he still refuses to take a break when he needs to. He must really be pushing his limits, sensing how much Red is worried. She is too. When she gets closer to the door, Pidge hears a loud thud.