Star-Crossed Rivals || [Keith x Reader]

The Garrison

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You looked out the window as the car started driving, the engine humming steadily and filling the silence with a low purr. You all steadily drove over the rubble and debris as James followed his teammates ahead of him.

You fidgeted with your fingers, tapping them nervously against your legs as you thought of what you were about to see. This city alone looked unrecognizable, who knew how much the Garrison must have changed? The idea made your stomach tighten.

"This place looks so different now," you mumbled under your breath. "It's horrible."

The car took a sharp right turn, tires crunching on the gravel before it veered off the road and through the deserted fields. With vehicles like the one you were sitting in, you could easily take that shortcut through the bumpy terrain.

James nodded, his expression grim. "Yeah, destruction like this is all over Earth now. Without Voltron, there wasn't a way for us to prevent it."

"Good thing we're here then," Keith commented dryly. You glanced into the rearview mirror to see him crossing his arms with a blank face.

Acxa and Romelle sat silently, looking out the windows or down at their lap.

"Yeah," James said, "minus the actual lions. Guess we'll make do." He shifted in his seat, clearly trying to hold back his irritation.

You rolled your eyes before looking at him again. "We'll... work around this issue somehow. No need to worry."

"How? Once Sendak knows of your reappearance, we're basically done for. You know it too. We have the strongest weapon on our side but no way to use it." His grip on the steering wheel tightened and you could see his knuckles whiten. "Even the admiral's doubting the usefulness of Voltron right now."

"Wow, you're quite the optimist," you commented sarcastically.

"Our team's been through objectively tougher situations," you reminded him, and although his face showed he wasn't convinced, you continued, "Taking down Sendak won't be the easiest thing, but with proper planning and support, we'll manage."

He responded to it with only a half-nod, before silently continuing the drive. You leaned back and watched him take you to the Garrison.

James hadn't really changed much, you noticed. You never really got to know him on a deeper level back in school, but his character seemed quite the same. Except for a little more pessimism, but who wouldn't be in a situation like this.

The garrison now came into sight. It had an orange force field all around it, which was nothing surprising. Since Sam Holt arrived back home, he must have immediately started working on integrating Altean technology into Earth's- by comparison rather primitive- tech.

You soon drove onto the one long road leading into the entrance. Everything was heavily guarded against the Galra, and getting through anywhere other than the front must be impossible by now.