Feeling Blue -- (VLD)

Seeing Red

A/N (29.01.2020): aight next person to comment on the fact that there are over 3k comments on this section gets it deleted straight up. We know there are over 3k comments. You don't need to tell us. Please stop.

___

Lance watched as Keith stared into the clouded pod that contained their youngest paladin, looking into its depths as if it held all the answers. In a way it did, solely because of the occupant that was currently floating peacefully within it. It wasn't a life threatening injury- just a nasty cut on the leg that Pidge had insisted didn't hurt.

However, whilst Pidge had shut off her pain, her eyes had spoken of it for her, glistening with unshed tears and intense, pure agony. Lance had been the one to finally convince her to rest, pulling her from the fight and escorting her and Green back to the castle. And it was he who had come to find Keith.

Lance knew that he had few talents that were of use- and that those he had were often not important here- but if there was one talent he was proud of, it was his ability to sense when people were hurting. He supposed it must come with being a brother, from sleepless nights fighting away his siblings' demons, or early mornings with his oldest sister (who found the dawn hours difficult to sleep through).  Lance liked making people happy.

Keith's eyes narrowed as he replayed the fight from all angles, over and over in his mind. If only he had run a little faster, finished his designated sector a little earlier, wasted less time investigating a downed enemies armour. Maybe then, he could have been beside Pidge when she had been overwhelmed by the group of Galra, all bigger and stronger than she was. Maybe if he had been there she wouldn't have fallen to one of the duller one's knives, he could have jumped in, giving her a moment to rest.

Instead he watched as she collapsed, screaming as she jammed a hand to her bleeding leg. He had seen red, and all her opponents had fallen where they stood, fallen to an enraged paladin's sword.

Lance let out a tiny sigh from the doorway. He was no stranger to the thoughts he knew were running through Keith's head. For it had gone through all of their minds already. They too felt guilty, leaving tiny Pidge to take on a sector by herself, even though they knew her weapon was not suited to the job and that her primary task was to gather information. Keith had missed the debrief, too worried about Pidge, but they had all agreed that splitting up was something they would never attempt again.  If only he had been a little faster...

Lance swept the thought from his head with practiced ease, he could deal with that later. For now, Keith was more important. He needed to get Keith out of here, he knew from experience that being alone during moments like these was stupid. But he also knew Keith. And he knew that Keith would not leave this room without coaxing.

"Oi, Mullet" Lance drawled, draped rather artistically over the edge of the door, wide grin planted firmly on his tanned face.

"Lance." Keith replied monotonously, still staring at the sleeping pidge. Lance frowned internally, the lack of insult in Keith's reply only confirming Lances own suspicions.

"Wanna come train with me? Betch'ya can't beat me." Lance tensed a bit as he saw the pain and anguish flash through Keith's eyes for a second. He knew perfectly well what he had just made Keith feel, and he hated himself for it. He physically repressed a shudder as Keith turned to him, eyes as hot as coals.

Lance gulped, praying desperately that his gamble had paid off. He didn't like poking at what was basically the emotional equivalent of an open wound, but he had played on Keith's insecurities anyway. He could beat himself up over it later, right now, Keith was looking at him with murder in his eyes.

"You're on." Keith growled, storming from the room. Lance let out a sigh of relief, glancing back at Pidge before following the red paladin from the room.

When he reached the door to the infirmary he could barely make out Keith, his face twisted into a sneer as he practically marched to the training room. Shiro gave them a glance as he passed them, but Lance gave him a reassuring thumbs up, watching as Coran returned it and immediately engaged Shiro in conversation, leading the black paladin back into the kitchen.

When Lance entered the training room he had a brief grunt to warn him of the impending danger. He jumped forwards into a roll, pulling his bayard from his hip as he went. Keith's sword smashed into the wall, leaving a deep gauge causing Lance to gulp. He probably should have put on his paladin armour before he had stepped anywhere near the training room.

"Didn't you mother ever teach you how to be polite?" Lance muttered before immediately slapping a hand over his mouth and dodging the now even more enraged Keith.  Mentally he face palmed, amazed at his own stupidity.

"Okay! I admit-- that- that was insensitive!" Lance shrieked as Keith did his best to impale him. Lance rolled and managed to finally activate his own bayard, although he wasn't sure how bringing a gun to a sword fight was going to help him in his current position. Thankfully, it seemed that the bayard was more advanced than what he had initially imagined, because instead of the massive blaster the bayard he usually wielded became a wide shield.

Lance smiled and lifted it into position, letting Keith throw everything he had into attacking. Lance knew that Keith released his emotions in battle, and he was more than willing to accommodate for the emotionally constipated teen before him.

Emotionally constipated. Lance smirked. That's a good one.

The rather one-sided battle raged for hours, finally ending when Lance slipped up and managed to hit himself in the face with his own shield. He fell to the ground, holding his aching head, fully expecting Keith to throw him across the room, or do something equally as terrifying.

Instead Lance stared in shock as Keith shook with restrained laughter, bayard held uselessly at his side as he tried his best to stop the impending fit. Lance lost it at Keith's reddened face and began to chuckle himself, which appeared to be the last straw for Keith, the red paladin falling to the floor. Lance wasn't sure how long they laughed for, but it only stopped when Keith winced, his aching body protesting the jarring movement that came with laughter.

Walking over to Keith, Lance held out his hand, both as support and to call a truce. Keith was hesitant to accept support from the blue paladin, but Lance gave him no choice in the matter. He bent down and put an arm around Keith's waist, hauling him to his feet. Keith reluctantly put his arm around Lance's shoulder, pouting as he did so.  Keith gave a muttered thanks as he attempted to properly use his aching muscles, the two moving to the lounge.

"Keith, are you feeling better now?" Lance asked, as he gently dropped the other paladin onto the couch, being careful to not aggravate his injuries further. Keith didn't answer for some time, instead adjusting a pillow. But eventually he turned to Lance, a small smile adorning his face.

"Yeah, thanks." Keith said sincerely.

"Any time buddy, any time" Lance smiled, ruffling Keith's mullet and laughing as the shorter paladin scowled.

Keith wasn't okay, he wouldn't be until Pidge had woken and talked some sense into him. But for now, everything was good.