As Cold as Fire [VOLTRON Keith X OC]

Rolo and Nyma

3rd person pov

"Is she meant to be frowning like that?" Keith asked impatiently as he stared at Riley and Lance. They had both been in a healing pod each for what seemed like hours to the paladins and the Alteans insisted they had to wait a few more minutes.

"I can't tell, she's always frowning like that," Allura furrowed her brows. Coran pinched the nose of his bridge

Hunk cocked his head to one side, "I can't tell if they look healthy or not."

"I think Lance is breathing weird."

Keith groaned in frustration, "Oh, come on!" He stepped toward Riley's pod to try tapping on it, and Allura pulled him aside just in time.

"Not yet!" she repeated, "A few more ticks."

Keith didn't take his eyes off her still body, "How much better do you think they're gonna get in a few more ticks?" he protested. Pidge nodded in agreement.

"And what exactly is a tick?"

Allura turned to try to explain, "You know, like... a time-slice."

Shiro, also interested now, joined in, "What, like a second?"

"What is a... second?"

Pidge took out a mini clock that ticked every second. "Like this."

"I'm not sure," Allura hummed in thought, "I think ticks are bigger. Coran, do you have a ticker?"

"Right here, Princess," Coran piped up. Before long they were huddled around Coran and Pidge, listening to the difference intently. Even Keith was intrigued now.

"Yes! I think we're winning," Hunk cheered. Keith gave him a sideways glance.

"Winning what? The intergalactic time-measuring competition?"

Hunk shrugged, "Yes." Unbeknownst to the rest of the team, Lance's healing pod finally opened. He stepped out and stumbled over clumsily.

"You guys having a clock party?" he muttered, his voice thick with exhaustion.

"Aw, Lance, you just ruined it," Hunk complained, before his eyes widened in realisation and he turned around to give his friend a huge hug, "Huh- Hey, Lance!" When he eventually let go of him, Lance groaned, lightly clutching his abdomen, while he leaned on Hunk for balance.

"What happened?"

"We can tell you all about it while you get something to eat," Allura said, "Are you able to walk?"

"Talking? Eating?" Lance smirked a little, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

Allura crossed her arms, clearly not very impressed, and neither was the rest of the team, though it was obvious that they were over the moon to have him back.

"Yep. There he is."

Just then, the other pod opened, and Riley, after a moment of swaying on the spot, stumbled out, rubbing her head. As she was part Altean, she didn't need the healing pod suit to keep her warm that Lance did, so instead Allura had hurriedly taken off her bloodied ripped top (she was the only other girl as far as the team knew), and hastily wrapped her chest in bandages over a small vest that had quickly gone red. She didn't have much time to find her another top to wear as it seemed she was getting worse by the minute. Riley was still wearing her leggings though.

"Ow... why's everyone staring at me?" she frowned, still rubbing the back of her head where she'd been hurt previously. Keith came out of the shock first, before darting towards her and quickly wrapping his arms around her.