As Cold as Fire [VOLTRON Keith X OC]

Confessions

Words from before involuntarily rang in my head, echoing my distress as I ran after Keith.

"You're acting like a child, Allura. Cut it out."

"What if he turns on us? Would you still defend him over your own team and sister?"

I swallowed, hard.

"Can you stop talking about me like I'm not right here?!"

My steps sped up.

"Riley, if you push me away for him, we are done."

I stopped before his door.

Listening carefully to see if I could make out any sound, I found his room was deadly silent. After a moment of hesitation, I knocked quietly.

"Keith?" His name came out only a little louder than a whisper. No response.

I tried again. "Keith, open the door. Please."

I debated checking the training area, when the door swung open. He stood before me, face void of emotion, jacket thrown to the side, clad in his black t-shirt.

I tried to think of something to say, regretting not rehearsing something on the way here, when he stepped aside. I followed him to his bed and we sat side by side in silence.

"I'm sorry," I started. "I know you didn't want me to make such a fuss." My fists clenched and I looked down, ignoring the heat of his gaze. "I didn't mean for it to blow up that much."

Instead of replying to what I said, he mumbled, "I heard what Allura said at the very end." When I turned to look at him in confusion, he continued, "That she didn't want to associate with you if you went after me."

My anger flared as I recalled it again. "Screw her–"

"But you came after me anyway."

He didn't turn away, and neither did I. His stare was unrelenting, his violet eyes almost puzzled. My own eyes, amber as my unknown father's, softened. "Of course I did," I whispered. My hand subconsciously moved atop his. His muscles tensed and I lightly flinched, quickly taking it off. The sting of rejection, even though it was me who pulled away, burned at the pit of my stomach.

Another beat of silence, heavy yet comfortable, passed. It stretched until he spoke up. "Do you know something Riley?" He looked down at his knees, almost in shame. "I've never cried in front of anyone."

I blinked, taken aback. My breath hitched in my throat as the weight of his words settled. Never? Not even when everything he had been through was almost too much for anyone to bear? As if reading the surprise on my face, he continued.

"Not when I was kicked out of the Garrison. Not when they told me that Shiro was dead. Not during the trials of Marmora." He let out a sharp, dry laugh that startled me. "Fuck, not even at my dad's funeral."

My heart tightened at his words, and for a moment, I was frozen. I wasn't expecting this– I wasn't expecting Keith, Keith, of all people to let his guard down so completely. He's always been so strong, so guarded, I knew he was tough– everyone did. And yet here he was talking to me as if this was the hardest thing he has ever done. I hummed in response, encouraging him to continue.

"I did cry," he muttered, his voice breaking a little, "but... never in front of anyone. I waited until everyone left his funeral to kneel at his grave and cry. But with you..."

My head snapped back as my eyes shot to meet his. His voice faltered, and he ran a hand through his knotted hair. This was it. This was the real Keith, the one buried so far beneath his walls. The one I didn't know how to reach—until now. "When I found out about my heritage... that I was one of them, I didn't know who I was anymore. I just...